Introduction

Drug trafficking is a major threat to the national security and overall safety of all the citizens in the United States. The massive profits generated from the illegal business have been the source of motivation to the cartels involved. These groups are deriving new routes and tricks to smuggle these drugs into the country despite relentless efforts by law enforcing agencies to curb the problem. The intelligence community has the responsibility of assisting the law enforcement agencies to deal with this menace. This intelligence community has the responsibility of collecting and analyzing vital information that will help the state deal with the sophisticated drug trafficking organizations[1].  Although the intelligence exercise is a multi-discipline exercise, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has the mandate of enforcing current laws and regulations on controlled substances. It is, however, prudent noting that the department is supposed to work hand in hand with other agencies to reduce smuggling of drugs to the U.S.

Intelligence and information sharing among the local and international agencies are critical to combating the increasing cases of drug trafficking in the United States. The drug trafficking organizations are highly organized, and this calls for the systematic collection, analysis and effective dissemination of efficient and timely intelligence[2]. It is also imperative understanding that counterintelligence and covert action are also other important roles in the intelligence community. In this paper, I will discuss the strategic approach by the intelligence to combat drug trafficking across the Caribbean border.  Most drugs from Latin America are smuggled into the country through the Caribbean border and hence the state must be proactive to contain this trend.

Counter-narcotic plans to deal with DTO’s across the Caribbean border

As aforementioned, most of the illicit drugs entering the United States from South America get into the country through the Caribbean border in an area commonly referred to as the Transit Zone. This is a large area, approximately two times the size of the continental United States, thus making it difficult for the law enforcement agencies to deal with the drug traffickers[3]. These drug traffickers use land, maritime and air routes to ensure that these illicit drugs enter the country. It is for this reason that the U.S largely depends on the international partnership to coordinate enforcement operations across the border[4]. The interdiction process will only be a success if there is effective collection and dissemination of actionable intelligence from the relevant authorities. Intelligence information will be critical in detection and monitoring of suspect vessels and assist in successful interdiction.

The federal government intends to reduce the amount of rugs entering the United States through the border by over 40% by the end this year. To deal with this menace, the intelligence must first understand why the Caribbean route is too tempting for the drug traffickers. The Caribbean route is presumably easy for the traffickers since there is less vigilance on the side of the law enforcement agencies in the country[5].  The presence of large water bodies such as the Pacific Ocean makes the maritime route accessible to the traffickers thus avoiding the shoot-down policy in Venezuela and air interdiction programs in other routes. Colombian, Venezuela and Dominican DTOs have since resulted in fast boats to ship massive amounts of cocaine to Central America.

Having understood that, the united states have to develop a counternarcotics strategy that will help reduce the threat posed by drug traffickers across this border. This will also help reduce the rate of organized crimes as well as the violence associated with drug trafficking in most parts of America.  To start with, the state must enhance the intelligence and information sharing, especially across the Caribbean border[6]. This will enable the law enforcing agencies to understand the new tricks and routes used by the drug traffickers to smuggle drugs through this route. Additionally, the state must also be proactive to interdict illicit drugs and all the proceeds from such activities at and between U.S. ports of entry along this border.

To add to this strategy, the law enforcement agencies must also be proactive to interdict drugs and related proceeds in maritime and air domains. It is evident that the drug cartels have resulted in using the maritime and air vessels to transit drugs across the Caribbean border[7]. The drug traffickers have realized that land transport is easily interdicted and thus have found it wise to use maritime and air route. This will require intensive information collection by the intelligence to determine the suspect vessels to enable successful interdiction. Drug traffickers are highly organized criminals, and thus intelligence information becomes critical in interdiction process. Law enforcement agencies will also be required to disrupt and dismantle transnational criminal organizations and drug cartels operating along this border.

The state will also change the approach to dealing with the issue of drug trafficking. For several years, the government of United States has spent a substantial amount of resources in curbing the problem from the supply side. It is nevertheless imperative noting that a demand-side approach would also be more productive in reducing the cases of drug trafficking in the United States. The intelligence will have to collect essential information regarding the addicts of substance abuse and the retailers of these illicit drugs in the local market[8]. This will be essential information in strengthening communities and reduce demand for drugs in the United States. This will also lead to reduced levels of drug-related violence in most parts America such as the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

Agencies involved in strategy implementation

As earlier mentioned, dealing with the issue of drug trafficking is an inter-agency operation that requires proper coordination among different agencies. The strategic approach discussed above requires proper coordination between different agencies to ensure that drug trafficking along the Caribbean border is reduced substantially. Since the drug traffickers are well resourced, agile and motivated, it is essential that all the interested parties be proactive while dealing with these groups[9]. The United States intelligence unit must anticipate threats, identify gaps and make use of the available technology to get the most useful information to curb the menace. Interagency coordination is also critical in making effective implementation of the strategy.

To start with, Operations Caribbean Guard (OCG) will have a significant role in the interdiction process. This is a function of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that has the obligation of ensuring interception of illegal drugs, weapons, and money entering the country through the Caribbean border.  The department will require intensive intelligence information to enable cargo inspection, vessels, mails and persons entering or leaving the country across the Caribbean border. DHS has to collaborate with other agencies such as USCG, ICE, Customs and Border Protection and many other agencies. If the agency is provided with efficient and timely intelligence, then the state will be able to apprehend substantial amount of illegal drugs from DTOs from Latin America.

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) together with FBI, ICE, CBP, PRPD and the Coast Guard Investigative will also play a significant role in dealing with the menace of drug trafficking along the Caribbean border[10]. All these agencies will be expected to work with the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force (CCSF), which is an initiative of the   United States attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, has the obligation of investigating drug trafficking organizations in Latin America[11]. The team is expected to provide crucial information for use by law enforcement agencies to deal with this problem. The group will also liaise with the department of defense to ensure that all the cartels and drug trafficking organization along the Caribbean border are dealt with comprehensively. The information provided by these departments will arrest drug traffickers and vessels used for shipment of these illicit drugs across the border.

The military will also have a major role to play in dealing with the problem of drug trafficking along the Caribbean border. The federal government of United States has classified the drug trafficking as a threat to national security. As a result, the military has the obligation of ensuring that they secure the country from the hands of the drug traffickers. For instance, the Air Force intelligence has the obligation of providing intelligence derived from airborne, space and cyberspace sensors. This information will be vital in interdicting airborne vessels used in the shipment of drugs through the Caribbean border[12]. The U.S army intelligence will also be instrumental in dealing with the escalating cases of drug trafficking across this border. They will be obliged to deal with drug traffickers on land and formulate counterintelligence policies. On this note, Coast Guard Intelligence will also be expected to ordinate with other organs to ensure that effective strategy implementation is realized[13]. This department is under Department of Homeland Security and is supposed to provide information on maritime and port security. This implies that the agents have to provide information on any maritime vessel supposedly involved in the shipment of drugs across the border. Their functions are also

Effective information sharing will be critical to enable effective management of the Caribbean border by the United States government. The United States government will be required to share essential information with its partners in U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Despite the government’s efforts to curb drug trafficking across the border, it is also imperative to ensure that flow of legitimate trade is not compromised.  As a result, different agencies such as FBI, DEA, HIDTA, CBP and DHS will be required to integrate for effective management of the border. All these agencies will only be able to coordinate if there is a timely flow of actionable intelligence amongst them[14]. All law enforcement agencies along the Caribbean border will be required to be proactive to ensure that drug trafficking and thriving of criminal groups will be a thing of the past in the Caribbean border. It will be essential to effectively integrate with the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM). This will help to deter and eliminate the flow and distribution of illegal drugs and narcotics across the Caribbean border. Intelligence sharing and signing bilateral agreements will also be major steps towards the realization of drug-free America.

Avoiding law enforcement agencies

As aforementioned, drug traffickers are agile and motivated criminals who will always innovate new techniques to avoid law enforcement agencies. Drug trafficking business fetches mega profits thus motivating the drug traffickers to remain the business despite relentless efforts by the law enforcement agencies. The presence high demand for drugs and other substances makes united states a hub for drug traffickers and invent new methods of ensuring that their products get to the market[15]. For instance, the drug traffickers have devised low profile and fully submersible vessels to ship the products to Central America. These vessels are responsible for enhanced operational capability and production quality. Additionally, low profile vessels have also enabled the traffickers to move their cargo with greater stealth. The distances these vessels can travel without support are allowing traffickers greater flexibility when planning potential drop locations.

On this note, the drug trafficking organizations have also embraced the use of fast boats to escape the vigilant law enforcing agencies. These fast boats are very small thus making it difficult for the law enforcement agencies to see with the help of the radar especially during the day. The drug traffickers have also learned the art of concealing their illegal products by ferrying them with legitimate products[16]. By so doing, the law enforcement agencies may not be able to deal fully with the problem of drug trafficking. Additionally, drug traffickers have also used cloned vehicles and air vessels to conceal their identity from the law enforcing agencies.  The traffickers have also been using sophisticated communication technology to make it difficult for the law enforcing agencies. DTOs have been using the internet and chat rooms to arrange for drug sales with their clients. On this note, the traffickers can also get crucial information from the law enforcement agencies and use this information to their advantage.

Conclusion

Drug trafficking is a major aspect, especially in the United States. The most trafficked drugs include; cocaine, heroin, marijuana and MDMA. Most of the drug traffickers operating in the United States are Mexican and Asian DTOs. Colombian, Cuban, Dominican and Italian DTOs are also accountable for some of the drug trafficking in the country[17]. Most of the drugs that find their way to the United States get in through the Caribbean border from the Latin America. The federal government has been proactive in dealing with this menace that poses a security threat to the country. It is, however, imperative noting that the intelligence will have to be proactive in collecting, analyzing and ensuring timely dissemination of information[18]. The drug trafficking organizations are very organized and pose a great threat to the success of the law enforcing agencies[19]. Effective sharing of intelligence information among the different agencies will be critical to dealing with the problem of drug trafficking. It is also imperative for the intelligence community to work with other partners as well as invest in the demand side of the market. In essence, the war on drug trafficking is a collaborative exercise among different agencies.

Bibliography

Bunker, Robert J., and Matt Begert. 2010. ‘Counter-Demand Approaches To Narcotics Trafficking’. Small Wars & Insurgencies 21 (1): 196-217. doi:10.1080/09592310903561700.

Fas.org,. 2015. ‘The Role Of Intelligence’. http://fas.org/irp/offdocs/int006.html.

Kramer, Tom. 2015. ‘The Current State Of Counternarcotics Policy And Drug Reform Debates In Myanmar’. Journal Of Drug Policy Analysis 0 (0). doi:10.1515/jdpa-2015-0017.

Perez, Jerry. 2015. International Narcotics Control. Hauppauge: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

Vauters, Jason, and MichaeL L.R. Smith. 2006. ‘A Question Of Escalation – From Counternarcotics To Counterterrorism: Analysing US Strategy In Colombia’. Small Wars & Insurgencies 17 (2): 163-196. doi:10.1080/09592310600562928.

[1] Bunker, Robert J., and Matt Begert. 2010. ‘Counter-Demand Approaches To Narcotics Trafficking’. Small Wars & Insurgencies 21 (1): 196-217. doi:10.1080/09592310903561700.

[2] Fas.org,. 2015. ‘The Role Of Intelligence’. http://fas.org/irp/offdocs/int006.html.

[3] Vauters, Jason, and MichaeL L.R. Smith. 2006. ‘A Question Of Escalation – From Counternarcotics To Counterterrorism: Analysing US Strategy In Colombia’. Small Wars & Insurgencies 17 (2): 163-196. doi:10.1080/09592310600562928.

[4] Kramer, Tom. 2015. ‘The Current State Of Counternarcotics Policy And Drug Reform Debates In Myanmar’. Journal Of Drug Policy Analysis 0 (0). doi:10.1515/jdpa-2015-0017.

[5] Perez, Jerry. 2015. International Narcotics Control. Hauppauge: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

[6] Kramer, Tom. 2015. ‘The Current State Of Counternarcotics Policy And Drug Reform Debates In Myanmar’. Journal Of Drug Policy Analysis 0 (0). doi:10.1515/jdpa-2015-0017.

[7] Bunker, Robert J., and Matt Begert. 2010. ‘Counter-Demand Approaches To Narcotics Trafficking’. Small Wars & Insurgencies 21 (1): 196-217. doi:10.1080/09592310903561700.

[8] Kramer, Tom. 2015. ‘The Current State Of Counternarcotics Policy And Drug Reform Debates In Myanmar’. Journal Of Drug Policy Analysis 0 (0). doi:10.1515/jdpa-2015-0017.

[9] Perez, Jerry. 2015. International Narcotics Control. Hauppauge: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

[10] Kramer, Tom. 2015. ‘The Current State Of Counternarcotics Policy And Drug Reform Debates In Myanmar’. Journal Of Drug Policy Analysis 0 (0). doi:10.1515/jdpa-2015-0017.

[11] Perez, Jerry. 2015. International Narcotics Control. Hauppauge: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

[12] Kramer, Tom. 2015. ‘The Current State Of Counternarcotics Policy And Drug Reform Debates In Myanmar’. Journal Of Drug Policy Analysis 0 (0). doi:10.1515/jdpa-2015-0017.

[13] Fas.org,. 2015. ‘The Role Of Intelligence’. http://fas.org/irp/offdocs/int006.html.

[14] Perez, Jerry. 2015. International Narcotics Control. Hauppauge: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

[15] Bunker, Robert J., and Matt Begert. 2010. ‘Counter-Demand Approaches To Narcotics Trafficking’. Small Wars & Insurgencies 21 (1): 196-217. doi:10.1080/09592310903561700.

[16] Kramer, Tom. 2015. ‘The Current State Of Counternarcotics Policy And Drug Reform Debates In Myanmar’. Journal Of Drug Policy Analysis 0 (0). doi:10.1515/jdpa-2015-0017.

[17] Vauters, Jason, and MichaeL L.R. Smith. 2006. ‘A Question Of Escalation – From Counternarcotics To Counterterrorism: Analysing US Strategy In Colombia’. Small Wars & Insurgencies 17 (2): 163-196. doi:10.1080/09592310600562928.

[18] Fas.org,. 2015. ‘The Role Of Intelligence’. http://fas.org/irp/offdocs/int006.html.

[19] Kramer, Tom. 2015. ‘The Current State Of Counternarcotics Policy And Drug Reform Debates In Myanmar’. Journal Of Drug Policy Analysis 0 (0). doi:10.1515/jdpa-2015-0017.

 
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