Speech: Parker Carroll

Drug Smuggling

Parker Carroll

Good afternoon, thank you for allowing me a few minutes to speak to you today about a topic that I believe impacts us all. For years the consumption and distribution of illegal drugs in the United States has been on the rise. My focus today is how these drugs get into the United States. What I'm referring to is the illegal smuggling of drugs into the U.S.

Cartels have many different methods of smuggling their drugs into the country and they're coming up with new methods every day. Cartels come up with new and creative ways of smuggling their drugs in order to stay a step ahead of law enforcement. Some of the methods of smuggling used by cartels include: cigarette boats, semi-submersible devices, fully submersible devices, air transport, underground tunnels, human ingestion, and canine implants. (Ad-lib explanations)

Law enforcement has many programs that attempt to prevent the smuggling of illegal drugs into the U.S. While these programs have the best of intentions their effectiveness is questionable. Of all the drugs smuggled into the United States, only 10% are intercepted by law enforcement. The various programs used by law enforcement to prevent the smuggling of illegal drugs into the U.S. Include: DEA raids, naval task forces, border patrol officers, undercover officers, informants, and the coast guard. (Ad-lib explanations)

United States law enforcement is doing what they can to stop illegal drug smuggling. Unfortunately, it is apparent that “doing what they can” is not enough. It is time the war on drugs approached as just that, a war.

Thank you.