Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Judi Lynn

(160,211 posts)
Wed Mar 27, 2013, 10:30 PM Mar 2013

Border Drug Busts More Likely To Involve Americans Than Mexicans, Report Says

Source: Huffington Post

Border Drug Busts More Likely To Involve Americans Than Mexicans, Report Says
The Huffington Post | Posted: 03/27/2013 6:16 pm EDT

~snip~
Many people in the United States view drug smuggling as an industry dominated by Mexicans. It’s easy to see how people would get that idea. A consistent stream of reports about Mexico’s wildly out-of-control drug war that’s claimed more than 60,000 lives makes the country seem awash in violence (though in fact, to judge by homicide rate, it’s actually a little less violent than the Bahamas or Puerto Rico).

But a new report shows that U.S. citizens are actually the people most likely to be involved in drug smuggling.

The article from the Center for Investigative Reporting released Wednesday finds that three out of four people caught with drugs by the Border Patrol are U.S. citizens, and four out of five drug busts involve an American.

The Center, which based its report on records of more than 80,000 drug busts from 2005 to 2011, isn’t shy about heaping blame on the Border Patrol for creating the public perception that most drug smugglers are Mexican.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/27/border-drug-busts-citizens-americans-mexicans_n_2966561.html

4 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Border Drug Busts More Likely To Involve Americans Than Mexicans, Report Says (Original Post) Judi Lynn Mar 2013 OP
Shocking davidthegnome Mar 2013 #1
So, have I got this right? JEB Mar 2013 #2
Does the report mention if the American citizens were mostly hispanic? itsrobert Mar 2013 #3
Strange article. Socal31 Mar 2013 #4

davidthegnome

(2,983 posts)
1. Shocking
Wed Mar 27, 2013, 10:37 PM
Mar 2013

Well... not really.

I used to take the bus to Boston a lot - from northern Maine. In one small town the border patrol would question everyone getting on or off the bus and often enter to question people who looked suspicious. "Are you an American citizen?" There were times when I was tempted to tell them I was a Martian, the thing is... some of them were dumb enough they probably would have believed me.

 

JEB

(4,748 posts)
2. So, have I got this right?
Wed Mar 27, 2013, 11:03 PM
Mar 2013

Americans consume the drugs, Americans finance the drug trade, Americans provide and profit from selling the arms to drug dealers, Americans profit from the War on Drugs and mostly Americans smuggle drugs across the border. Seems to me to be a problem of our own making. If I was a Mexican, I'd prefer that Gringos stayed home.

itsrobert

(14,157 posts)
3. Does the report mention if the American citizens were mostly hispanic?
Wed Mar 27, 2013, 11:14 PM
Mar 2013

with roots and/or relatives from Mexico?

Drug cartels are going to use American Citizens. It's less likely they will be searched when crossing the border. At interior checkpoints, if you are a US Citizen, you get waived on though.

Do you think the Drug Cartels are dumb?

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Border Drug Busts More Li...