Drug smuggling is a big issue that harms the safety and happiness of many Americans. Some might see the border between the US and Mexico as a simple line, but it’s actually more complicated.
Various areas along the border face unique challenges and chances for drug traffickers. They’re always trying to take advantage of weak points in border security. Eagle Pass, a small city on the Texas-Mexico border, is one of these places and is known as the top spot for drug smuggling in the state.
Eagle Pass: The Drug Smuggling Hotspot of Texas
Eagle Pass, a small town on the Texas-Mexico border, has become a big center for illegal drug activities lately. According to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Eagle Pass is the busiest entry point for seizing fentanyl in the country. From October to December 2023, they intercepted more than 9,400 pounds of this dangerous synthetic opioid.
Fentanyl, much stronger than heroin, can be deadly even in tiny amounts of 2 mg. People often mix it with other drugs like heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamine to make them more powerful and profitable.
But this also raises the risk of overdose and death for those who use them without knowing. In 2022, over 70,000 synthetic opioid-related deaths happened monthly in the US, according to official records.
Eagle Pass is in an area controlled by two rival cartels: the Juarez Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel. These criminal groups use the town to sneak drugs, weapons, and people into the US, taking advantage of weaknesses in border security.
A recent example is the arrest of four armed cartel members who crossed the border into Texas with automatic rifles and armor-piercing bullets. These scouts usually check for law enforcement and help move illegal goods and high-profile immigrants, like cartel members or suspected terrorists.
Official’s Effort to Combat the Issue of Drug Smuggling
In March 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abbott started Operation Lone Star to tackle the growing problems of drug smuggling and violence from cartels. It involves different agencies like the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), the Texas National Guard, and other state and local partners.
The goal of the operation is to make the border more secure, prevent the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and people into Texas, and stop criminal activities between entry points.
Since the beginning of Operation Lone Star, the state has confiscated more than 426 million deadly doses of fentanyl, arrested over 33,200 criminals, and caught more than 414,000 illegal immigrants. They’ve also set up barriers in a part of the Rio Grande River near Eagle Pass to discourage illegal crossings.
Furthermore, the state has transported many migrants to different cities across the country, like Washington, D.C., New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Denver, and Los Angeles. This is done to reduce the strain on the border communities and resources.
The drug smuggling issue still exists, though, since cartels are always evolving and changing the ways in which they smuggle drugs into the nation.
Lt. Chris Olivarez of Texas DPS stated, “We know it’s getting by because we see the number of people dying every single day. We know it’s getting to other states, so we know it’s getting by us”.
Eagle Pass being a hub for drug smuggling is a sign of a bigger problem that impacts the whole country. As long as people want drugs and the border isn’t secure, cartels will keep taking advantage of the situation, putting millions of American lives at risk.
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To Conclude
Drug smuggling through Eagle Pass, Texas, is a big problem for the whole country. The town’s weak border makes it easy for cartels to bring dangerous drugs like fentanyl into the US, causing many deaths.
Even though operations like Operation Lone Star have helped, stopping drug trafficking at the southern border is still a tough ongoing battle. The cartels are smart and keep changing their methods, so we need a complete plan that goes beyond just using walls and making arrests.
To really tackle the issue, we need to deal with the reasons why people in the US get addicted to drugs. We also have to work with other countries to break up the cartels and improve security at the border.
Investing in better border infrastructure is essential too. Helping communities near the border with resources and jobs can make it harder for cartels to control them and give people better choices than getting involved in illegal activities.
