News (Media Awareness Project) - US TX: Editorial: Juvenile smugglers: Drug Cartels Using El Paso Youths |
| Title: | US TX: Editorial: Juvenile smugglers: Drug Cartels Using El Paso Youths |
| Published On: | 2009-03-31 |
| Source: | El Paso Times (TX) |
| Fetched On: | 2009-04-01 12:58:29 |
JUVENILE SMUGGLERS: DRUG CARTELS USING EL PASO YOUTHS
Tracking drug smuggling from Juarez into El Paso shows a frightening
trend. More and more of our juveniles are being recruited as mules.
The evil hook is that our youths are told they can make a lot of
money, and even if they are arrested, they are treated as juveniles
(under 17), not adult criminals, in the courts. Juveniles are,
however, prosecuted, authorities say.
This is an example of border violence spilling over into El Paso. It
shows that when law-enforcement agencies tighten border security in
some ways, drug cartels use other ways to continue their illegal
trade. Already this month there have been 17 accused smugglers
arrested who are 17 and younger. That's a spike because there were
five arrests in February and seven in January. That includes a
14-year-old girl caught with 8 pounds of marijuana on her body March
18 on the Bridge of the Americas.
Last year, there were between two and four juvenile smuggling cases a
month, Customs spokesman Roger Maier said.
Catching and prosecuting drug smugglers is, of course, the job of our
border security law enforcers. Protecting children is, of course, the
job of their parents.
Parents, relatives, friends and neighbors should be aware of signs
that a juvenile is transporting drugs. A juvenile who is surprisingly
flush with cash is one sure red flag.
Parents should know this, and if for some reason they don't, then
peers certainly do know which of their acquaintances are putting their
futures, and perhaps their physical well-being, on the line.
It's becoming obvious that the thousands of Mexican army troops in
Juarez have helped stem the drug-war violence there. But drug running
has not stopped. Drug lords, as they have in the past, are finding new
ways to circumvent the border checks.
And the scary part is this: Whereas our court system has mercy on
juveniles, the drug gangs don't. They kill you if they believe you
step out of line while transporting their illegal shipments. Parents,
get this message across to your children.
Tracking drug smuggling from Juarez into El Paso shows a frightening
trend. More and more of our juveniles are being recruited as mules.
The evil hook is that our youths are told they can make a lot of
money, and even if they are arrested, they are treated as juveniles
(under 17), not adult criminals, in the courts. Juveniles are,
however, prosecuted, authorities say.
This is an example of border violence spilling over into El Paso. It
shows that when law-enforcement agencies tighten border security in
some ways, drug cartels use other ways to continue their illegal
trade. Already this month there have been 17 accused smugglers
arrested who are 17 and younger. That's a spike because there were
five arrests in February and seven in January. That includes a
14-year-old girl caught with 8 pounds of marijuana on her body March
18 on the Bridge of the Americas.
Last year, there were between two and four juvenile smuggling cases a
month, Customs spokesman Roger Maier said.
Catching and prosecuting drug smugglers is, of course, the job of our
border security law enforcers. Protecting children is, of course, the
job of their parents.
Parents, relatives, friends and neighbors should be aware of signs
that a juvenile is transporting drugs. A juvenile who is surprisingly
flush with cash is one sure red flag.
Parents should know this, and if for some reason they don't, then
peers certainly do know which of their acquaintances are putting their
futures, and perhaps their physical well-being, on the line.
It's becoming obvious that the thousands of Mexican army troops in
Juarez have helped stem the drug-war violence there. But drug running
has not stopped. Drug lords, as they have in the past, are finding new
ways to circumvent the border checks.
And the scary part is this: Whereas our court system has mercy on
juveniles, the drug gangs don't. They kill you if they believe you
step out of line while transporting their illegal shipments. Parents,
get this message across to your children.
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