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Smuggling

One of the major issues in dealing with border security is that of smuggling. One of the concerns with smuggling is that the routes and methods used could poten�ally be exploited by terrorists seeking to import weapons or persons. Looking at America’s success in the war on drugs, one must wonder how successful the na�on will be in preven�ng terrorist usage of smuggling routes. In a statement to the United States Senate Drug Caucus on May 15, 2001, the Commandant of the Coast Guard referenced drug smuggling interdic�on rates. At that �me, the interdic�on rate was at 8.7 percent and the goal was to reach a rate of 28.7 percent by 2007 (U.S. Senate, 2001). The GAO (2008) observed that the number of drugs interdicted on the US-Mexico border had been rela�vely small and iden�fied the following trends.

Cocaine – 290 MT shipped; 36 MT interdicted Heroin – 19 MT shipped; 1 MT interdicted Marijuana – 9,400 MT shipped; 2,900 MT interdicted.

When referencing border security, the discussion o�en seems to migrate to the more visible or poli�cized areas of drug smuggling or immigra�on control. While these areas are important elements of border security, it could be argued that there is a much greater security exposure through the legi�mate movement of goods and materials across the border. Smugglers use legi�mate trade routes and legi�mate shipments to transport illegi�mate goods and materials, including counterfeit goods. The issue of supply chain security is an important one that is listed as one of strategic objec�ves of under Goal 2.2 of DHS’s strategic plan (DHS, 2012) and is s�ll maintained as a priority.

The issue of supply chain security further amplifies the concept that border security is not simply control at ports of entry, but extends to loca�ons throughout the supply chain. In the case of cargoes, most are now transported via containers. This means that there are opportuni�es to remove, replace or inject materials at mul�ple loca�ons within the supply chain. These loca�ons can include the ini�al packing of a box for shipment within the container, introduc�on of materials at freight consolida�on loca�ons, unauthorized entry of the container at various stops along the route and even the altera�on of the shipping container itself. To understand the magnitude of this issue, in 2009 there were nearly 25 million containers that transited U. S. Ports (DOT, 2011, p. 17). In implemen�ng the 9/11 commission findings, Congress called for the scanning of 100 percent of the containers bound for the U.S. before they get to the U.S.; a standard which has not been met do a host of problems including resources, interna�onal rela�ons, technology and impacts on trade.