Challenging Illicit Bulk Cash Flows: Next Steps for US Law Enforcement
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Andrew M. Tammaro
Abstract
This article examines key issues contributing to the limited success of US Federal law enforcement in disrupting illicit bulk cash flows across the Mexico-US border. It highlights the negative consequences of narco-dollars on the Mexican formal economy and social fabric and examines the limitations in federal law enforcement’s strategic approach to disrupting these cross-border flows. It illustrates the overwhelming challenge to interdiction efforts on the US-Mexico border and calls for a whole-of-government approach in focusing on disrupting the processes that bind criminal group interactions rather than the current mainstream focus on “kingpin” elimination and singular group dismantlement. The article concludes that law enforcement must be as agile and adaptive as its adversaries, with a continuous need for self-assessment based on the evolving dynamics of the threat landscape.
- 1
“The term “cartel” is used commonly to describe Mexican Criminal Enterprises, and this practice is adopted herein… Technically the term is incorrect. The term “drug trafficking organization” also falls short in that it fails to capture other criminal activities that the organization sometimes pursues (e.g., human trafficking and prostitution)” (DHS 2010: pp. 2–1). The term “criminal enterprise” is a more accurate representation and is generally held to in this paper.
- 2
According to González, drug proceeds laundered in Mexico account for as much as 4% of the country’s GDP, or roughly $35.7 billion annually. See “Marching as to War,” Economist.com, January 31, 2008, http://www.economist.com/world/la/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10608676 (accessed March 5, 2014).
- 3
This figure represents the combined value of the RAND drug-related revenue estimate of $6.6 billion (Kilmer et al. 2010: p. 30) and the UNODC estimated $6.6 billion from proceeds derived from migrant smuggling (FATF 2011: p. 16).
- 4
Author’s interview with a law enforcement official who requested anonymity, October 12, 2012.
- 5
Statistics on outbound vehicle crossings from the United States into Mexico are not captured by a single database. The calculation was based on inbound vehicles crossing in 2011. US Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, citing data from the Department of Homeland Security, US Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, http://transborder.bts.gov/programs/international/transborder/TBDR_BC/TBDR_BCQ.html.
References
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Article note: The opinions and positions expressed herein are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Department of Homeland Security or any of its components.
©2014 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin/Boston
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Frontmatter
- Opinion Article
- Bridging the Gap: Hazard Mitigation in the Global Context
- Research Articles
- The Impact of Natural Disasters on Critical Infrastructures: A Domino Effect-based Study
- How Does Climate Adaptation Affect Emergency Management?
- Emergency Preparedness on Campus: Improving Procedural Knowledge and Response Readiness
- Environmental Security and Climate Change: A Link to Homeland Security
- Challenging Illicit Bulk Cash Flows: Next Steps for US Law Enforcement
- US Policy on Active Cyber Defense
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Frontmatter
- Opinion Article
- Bridging the Gap: Hazard Mitigation in the Global Context
- Research Articles
- The Impact of Natural Disasters on Critical Infrastructures: A Domino Effect-based Study
- How Does Climate Adaptation Affect Emergency Management?
- Emergency Preparedness on Campus: Improving Procedural Knowledge and Response Readiness
- Environmental Security and Climate Change: A Link to Homeland Security
- Challenging Illicit Bulk Cash Flows: Next Steps for US Law Enforcement
- US Policy on Active Cyber Defense
