Border Busts Surge
As the sun rises over Tijuana, I start to think about all the changes we’ve seen along this border in the last seven years. We didn’t think twice about heading south to cover immigration issues or other stories, but now, that’s almost out of the question because of the ongoing and brutal drug war. Just two days ago, two more headless bodies were dumped in Tijuana and another bunch of police were arrested for corruption. President Calderon’s office tells me that they’re doing everything they can and by most accounts here on the border, they are making some progress. However, there is still widespread corruption in government and law enforcement south of our border, which makes the job of our border agents that much more difficult and imperative. As we report on the nearly 40 billion in illegal drug profits flowing from the US into Mexico (compared with an estimated 25 billion sent home by immigrant workers), Customs and Border Protection passes along this release and photos:
SAN DIEGO – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at San Diego area ports of entry have noticed a disturbing new trend in the past several months involving an upswing in the use of boys and young adult males to smuggle narcotics taped to their bodies as they enter the U.S. on foot.
Since late August 2008, when CBP officers first noted the upswing, until the end of last month CBP officers at the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa passenger ports apprehended 157 teen and adult pedestrians entering the United States from Mexico carrying a total of 285 pounds of marijuana, 1.2 pounds of heroin, 4.7 pounds of cocaine and over nine pounds of methamphetamine concealed under their clothing.
The majority of the border crossers were young U.S. citizens while the rest were Mexican males. They ranged in age from 15 to 56, with the majority being in their teens or early 20’s. Almost 75 percent of the males were under 29 years of age and 25 percent were under age 18. Most of the males caught smuggling narcotics were wearing loose, multiple layers of clothing to hide the bulging packages taped to their bodies.
Although strapping narcotics to a traveler’s torso is not a new smuggling technique, apprehensions since last August have burgeoned 811 percent at San Ysidro and 316 percent at Otay Mesa compared to the same period the previous year when officers discovered a total of 23 pedestrians entering local ports with concealed narcotics. The trend has continued into this month with the apprehension on March 2 of three 14-year old U.S. citizen boys caught smuggling a total of over 11 pounds of marijuana as they entered the San Ysidro port pedestrian facility from Mexico.
Adam Housley has been with FNC since 2001 as a Los Angeles-based
correspondent. He has covered news ranging from wildfires in California
to political unrest in Venezuela and was one of the few reporters who
witnessed the execution of Stanley “Tookie” Williams. 
It is time to get tougher on our drug users. They buy drugs and do them by choice. If we got very tough on those that buy them maybe people would think twice before using. Send them to Sheriff Joe for a lot of years. Would cost little for their up keep.
If we had less or no people buying the drugs in the first place the drug dealers would be out of business.
Drug dealers, death penalty and I don’t mean sitting on death row for ten to thirteen years. Carry it out in one year or less.
Sounds harsh, yes. It would definately be a deterrant.
I have a question…I keep hearing a lot about Aruba. I have a family member that’s going there for his honeymoon and I was wondering is it safe for him and his wife to go?
COMMENT:
DRUGS ON THE BORDER: GOVERNMENT IN THE U.S. COULD STOP THIS IN A DAY. PUT OUR ARMY ON THE BORDER, CLOSE THE BORDER, OUR OWN H.L.S. WON’T STOP THIS, UNTIL SOMEONE IS KILLED THAT WOULD BRING ‘NATIONAL ATTENTION, NOTHING WILL BE DONE. THEY HAVE KNOWNFOR YRS ON WHAT IS GOING ON, THEY DID NOTHING. THEY LET IN ANYBODY INTO THE COUNTRY, THE GANGS, THE DRUGS, KILLERS, ANYONE. ITS A FREE OPEN BORDER THAT MUST SHUT DOWN.
Seems a shame to send all that money to Mexico when Americans need jobs and we could use that 25 Billion being circulated in our own economy. Not to mention the drain on our schools, health services, law enforcement, and welfare systems. But then…what do I know. I’m just an Arizona citizen fighting the war we have going here in Arizona because of the invasion across the Mexican Border. But have no fear…Obama is coming to our rescue…He’s trying to shut down Sheriff Joe Arpiao so we don’t have any protection at all. Good work Homeland Defense head, Napalitano. About the only good thing in all of this is that we got rid of Napalitano here in Arizona. When you think things can’t get much worse …they do. We get a bunch of i.d.io.ts running the show. God help us because the government isn’t going to. Of course we can start defending ourselves if they don’t catch us standing up and protecting ourselves and prosecute us.
Sounds like Ann is from Arizona–
kudos about the remark about the former governor- Janet—
as to the issue here– this is not a present and overnight thing-
Corruption in Mexico pre-dates my birthday, which is pretty old…. corruption anywhere pre-dates Jesus….
this is all about greed and how to get it by these measures…. and control…
the use of the young men is nothing less than what the Al Qaeda groupies do.
most of this is due to ignorance and brain washing the mass ignorant, young, and the vulnerable.
Unfortunately, the educated tend to take a back seat on this issue as they really don’t want to be involved as their lives are filled with comfort…. so why bother with this negative news?
It is those correspondents and et al who make this issue to be newsworthy…
this is VERY SERIOUS!!!!!
Hey Adam: Love your reports. You seem to get the good ones people are interested in.
Next time you report on the Mexican Border, would you look in to the human/drug smuggling that is going on on the beaches. I live three miles from Torrey Pines Beach and several boats have washed up. Some boats empty, some life vests left on the beach and 18 bales of weed washed on shore. Illegals either take a short walk to the 5 freeway or up the 56 freeway into the hills where they set up illegal camps. The Border Fence must be doing something as smugglers are now using the beaches more and more as an alternative route. No one seems to talk about this and seems to be San Diego’s little secret.
Thanks,
Tracie
Carmel Valley, CA 92130
Hey Adam: Love your reports. You seem to get the good ones.
I would like to ask you to point out a dirty little secret that no one talks much about in San Diego. That is the drug and human smuggling going on at the beaches. I live three miles from Torrey Pines Beach where boats have been abandoned and 18 bales of weed washed up on shore. The 5 freeway is just a mile from the beach and is an easy way for transportation. Some go up the 56 fry and set up illegal camps in the hills about a mile to the east of my house. The Border Fence must be doing some good as these smugglers are finding other ways to do their smuggling.
Just a thought.
Tracie
Carmel Valley, Ca 92130
My wife and I are from the midwest. We have wintered just south of Rosarita for the last 2 years. It has been a great experience. We are cautious, just like we are in any major American city, but we do not feel more at risk here than we do in Chicago. Our 20 something sons visit us from San Diego and we are always glad to see them down here. There is no doubt a horrible drug war going on in several Mexico towns, mostly around the USA border. This war has not had adverse affects to the safety and welfare of the expats around Rosarito. This area continues to be a good place to live and visit.