Senate addresses smuggling at the border with undefined spending on advanced imaging technology and experts for the next five years - all a bit vague - maybe the drug cartels will use more submarines?
From here:
Senators Introduce Bill to Reduce Drug Smuggling at Southern Border – Spreely News
“The program outlined in the bill is set to last five years, beginning once the legislation is enacted. However, there is still a lack of details regarding the subsequent steps for the program or the exact role of these image technicians. This initiative comes as part of a broader discussion on border security, an issue that remains a priority for the current administration.”
“… border law enforcement has been advocating for additional support to analyze cargo images in real-time. The bill aims to equip them with the necessary tools to apprehend criminals and secure the border effectively.”
These measures may or may not counter the over 100,000 deaths each year from drug overdoses - with around 80,000 annual fentanyl deaths,
Here is a link to the CDC site that describes the issue.
Products - Data Briefs - Number 522 - December 2024
From Brave AI:
“National Family Summit on Fentanyl: The DEA hosted the third annual National Family Summit on Fentanyl, where they noted a decrease in the potency of fentanyl pills. In 2024, 5 out of 10 pills tested contained potentially lethal doses of fentanyl, down from 7 out of 10 pills in 2023.”
Here is the amount seized last year from Brave AI:
“In 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) seized approximately 21,103 pounds of fentanyl at U.S. borders between January and December 2024.18 This amount represents a 16% decrease compared to the same period in 2023.”
“According to recent seizures, a kilogram of fentanyl can have a street value ranging from $1.2 million to $28.8 million, depending on purity and market conditions.”
“A kilogram of fentanyl is extremely lethal. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. This is due to the potency of fentanyl, where just 2 milligrams can be lethal for an average-sized adult. Therefore, a kilogram of fentanyl, which is 500,000 milligrams, could theoretically contain 250,000 lethal doses.”
So, the seizure of 21,103 pounds or around 10,000 kgs, is worth up to $288 million bucks. The number of opioid and fentanyl related deaths indicates that this just a fraction of the drugs trafficked.
Perhaps the US is “lucky” there are “only” 80,000 deaths a year in th US
How on earth does so much contraband get into th US every year.
Putting my “how would I smuggle drugs into th US” hat, my thoughts drifted to submarines.
From Brave AI:
“Mexican drug cartels do use submarines, known as narco-submarines, to transport drugs. These vessels are custom-built by drug traffickers to smuggle their goods, often cocaine, from South America to destinations such as Central America, Mexico, and the United States. They are designed to be difficult to detect, trading speed for stealth to evade radar and interception capabilities of law enforcement agencies.”
Here's a range:
Scubster-Nemo: Cost not specified, but described as low-cost.
SEAmagine Ocean Pearl: Costs around $1 million.
Super Falcon 3S: Costs $2 million.
One-man submarine: Costs around $17,000.
Here's a link to the small two-man submarine that costs a little over a million bucks:
https://thearsenale.com/products/nemo-submarine
Operational Autonomy 8 Hours
Speed 3 Knots
Weight 2,500 Kg
Width 231cm – 92 inch
Length 280cm – 110 inch
Height 155cm – 61 inch
Runs for 8 hours at 3 knots - maybe a round trip of 24 miles maximum - ten miles each way for safety - maybe a need for a crane at each end to lift it out - or a means to exit th submarine without leaving the water.
I have no idea how large or what the operational capabilities are of the submarines used by the drug cartels.
From Brave AI
“The United States Coast Guard does not currently have the capability to detect submarines on its ships. Commandant Adm. Karl Schultz stated that the Coast Guard has ceded the anti-submarine warfare mission to the Navy and is not building any new capabilities for that mission on its ships today.”
“US Navy ships can detect small submarines using a variety of sensors and technologies. These include sonar systems, which are crucial for underwater detection, and magnetic anomaly detectors (MAD) that can identify the magnetic field of submarines. However, MAD systems require ships to fly very low over the surface, which can increase airframe fatigue and fuel consumption, and they are not included on the current US Navy P-8 Poseidon aircraft due to these limitations.
“The range of sonar detection for submarines by US Navy ships can vary significantly based on several factors including water conditions, sonar type, and the submarine's noise profile. Passive sonar, which listens for sounds made by vessels, generally has a longer range than active sonar, which emits sound waves and listens for echoes. For example, during World War II, sonar systems could reliably detect submarines to distances of about 2500 yards.”
“The United States does indeed have sonar detection systems deployed on the seabed around its coasts to enhance maritime security and situational awareness. One example is the Sentinel Intruder Detection Sonar (IDS), which is widely used for protecting critical infrastructure and vessels from unauthorized underwater access.
Sentinel can be deployed in various configurations, including seabed frames, to monitor and detect intruders in underwater exclusion zones, providing advance warning and allowing security personnel to take appropriate action.
So, a little risky due to detection capabilities, but it’s all about risk/reward in a (drug) war!
Mexican drug cartel submarines could be much bigger and be able to chug along under fishing vessels, then branch off near a dropping off point.
There are many other ways to smuggle. Drone capabilities are increasing beyond Amazon parcel deliveries and drones mounted with flame throwers and machine guns in the Russia/Ukraine war - maybe the completed wall at the southern border could be made to detect those.
There are also the runnels used which emerge in border towns - maybe ground penetrating LIDAR for those.
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eees por aya iya!