Mike Vigil, former director of International Operations at the DEA, revealed that most of the fentanyl entering the United States from Mexico is hidden in vehicles crossing through official checkpoints at the border. He also highlighted that those transporting this substance are usually American citizens, not immigrants.
In Vigil's opinion, the militarization of the border will not be effective in stopping the trafficking of fentanyl, an extremely dangerous drug that causes the death of more than 100,000 people a year. The expert warns that as long as there is a demand for fentanyl consumption in the United States, no military measures will succeed in halting its circulation.
Despite Mexico's efforts to contain this problem, with the deployment of 10,000 soldiers at the border and the detention of 220 suspects this month in a major operation, Vigil points out that most of the traffickers detained are American citizens crossing the border through official checkpoints.
The former DEA director bases his statements on official data. According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, nearly 90% of fentanyl trafficking arrests occur at the checkpoints, and 86.4% of those involved are citizens of that country.
Vigil proposes allocating more resources and technology at the border to combat fentanyl trafficking, but underscores the importance of reducing the demand for the drug within the United States. He also suggests increasing the arrests of distributors in their country and making it harder to traffic weapons to the cartels.
Fentanyl, a drug up to 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine, has become one of the leading causes of overdoses in the U.S. due to its high potency and the practice of mixing it with other substances. According to Vigil, the fight against this drug requires a comprehensive approach that addresses both supply and demand.
