Illegal Drugs in Shipping Containers

It goes without saying that US Customs and Border Protection has spent a lot of time and money working to keep illegal drugs from shipping in to the US. They have patrols on the borders and drug sniffing dogs at the ports all in an attempt to thwart any illegal drug trafficking into the country. One of the most significant ways illegal drugs arrive is through container ships. With 9 million shipping containers moving in and out of the ports each year it can be a difficult task to keep containers from drug smugglers out.

The US has spent many dollars on catching these criminals and while many are caught and prosecuted there very few held in prisons for a long time. Even the biggest drug busts have not had the outcome that courts in other countries would have. Many other countries have extreme punishments for drug trafficking. Some countries even have capital punishment for drug smugglers. Despite the potential charges, drug cartels are growing larger every year and stronger too as a result. They have even begun to attach devices to container ships that carry everything from illegal drugs to explosives for possible terrorists. For this the ICE dive units are sent out before the ships can make it in to port.

While the US government is continuing to build its antidrug programs, there are still many people involved in the illegal drug trade. Every year we see more arrests that show just how global the drug trade has become. Without going to extreme measures, it will always be too difficult to stop the illegal drug trade completely.