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-Editorial
Authorities along the U.S.-Mexico border, particularly in the Imperial Valley region, are raising concerns over the increasing use of minors as drug mules by criminal organizations. Law enforcement officials report that cartels are targeting vulnerable youth, luring them with promises of quick money or coercing them into smuggling illicit substances across the border. This growing trend not only exposes these young individuals to serious legal consequences but also places them in dangerous situations, as they become entangled in the operations of transnational drug trafficking networks.
Imperial County District Attorney George Marquez warns that juveniles are increasingly being recruited as drug mules, putting their futures and families at risk.
“When it comes to juveniles and drug mules, it’s a problem anywhere along the border,” Marquez said. “You have kids who cross the border every day, and they’re talked into smuggling drugs. The cartels see it as a numbers game—if they send 50 people across, maybe 20 or 25 will make it.”
Minors caught smuggling drugs face serious legal consequences. “Typically, it’s a felony case, and they are prosecuted as juveniles,” Marquez explained. “Unfortunately, juvenile laws don’t carry the same weight as adult laws, so the consequences may vary based on their record. The aim in juvenile court is rehabilitation, not just incarceration.”
However, for minors who are green card holders, the consequences can be even more severe. “If a minor with a green card is caught smuggling drugs, they could lose their ability to cross the border for life,” Marquez noted. “For people living in a border community, that’s as bad as a punishment can get.”
Marquez acknowledged that all high schools and middle schools in the region are vulnerable to cartel recruitment. “At the high school level, kids start forming relationships, and that’s when they may get introduced to people involved in smuggling,” he said. “They’re offered a few hundred dollars to cross drugs, but it’s not worth the long-term damage to their future.”
The rise in fentanyl trafficking has made drug smuggling even more dangerous for minors. “The correlation between minors and drug smuggling has always been there, but now fentanyl has made it deadlier,” Marquez said. “If a minor sells fentanyl and someone dies as a result, we can prosecute them for second-degree murder.”
Since 2018, it has become more difficult to prosecute juveniles as adults, but Marquez emphasized that his office will push for adult charges in severe cases. “If we can prove a juvenile knew the dangers of fentanyl and continued engaging in trafficking, we will consider filing for second-degree murder, which can carry a life sentence,” he warned.
Marquez urged young people to think about their futures before making decisions that could alter their lives permanently. “I ask kids, ‘What’s your dream?’ When they tell me, I remind them that smuggling drugs can ruin their chances of ever achieving that dream,” he said. “They’re also putting themselves and their families in danger—cartels don’t hesitate to threaten or kill their families if they suspect someone has betrayed them.”
To prevent more minors from falling into drug trafficking, Marquez stressed the importance of community involvement. “Parents need to educate themselves and their children about the dangers of smuggling and fentanyl. They can start by doing a simple online search or even reaching out to my office—we’re happy to meet with families and schools to raise awareness.”
Marquez believes early intervention is key. “We need to ingrain this in kids’ minds at a young age. They need to be afraid of engaging in this type of behavior and associating with the wrong people,” he said.
Imperial County Sheriff Fred Miramontes urged young people to avoid involvement in criminal activity, emphasizing the long-term consequences.
“They might think it’s easy money, but something like this on their record will haunt them for the rest of their lives,” he said. “Once they get older, they may realize that what they did as a teenager wasn’t smart, but by then, it’s already affecting their future.”
Miramontes also warned about the evolving nature of gang activity in Imperial County.
“You have traditional gang members who operate under the control of larger organizations, like the Mexican Mafia, who are using smaller, local gangs to recruit youth as drug mules,” he said.
He noted that recruitment isn’t limited to gang members—students with no prior criminal background are also being targeted.
“Some kids develop connections with the wrong individuals, and a few dollars here and there turn into drug trafficking,” Miramontes said. “Many of them may have problems at home or lack supervision, making them vulnerable to being pulled into the wrong crowd.”
According to Arlene G. Rocha, Branch Chief of CBP’s Communications Management Office, drug trafficking organizations are actively recruiting teenagers to transport narcotics across the border, often concealing the substances on their bodies or in bags and backpacks.
“Over recent years, the San Diego Field Office has encountered an increased number of minors attempting to enter the United States carrying concealed drugs both on their bodies and in their conveyances,” Rocha said. “CBP encounters dozens of cases every year – and that number is up almost every year.”
Rocha stated that criminal organizations often target minors who are legally able to cross the border, believing they will attract less suspicion and face reduced legal consequences compared to adults.
“Drug trafficking organizations will use anyone they can to help them with their dangerous and illegal activities, including recruiting demographics like teenagers, in the hopes that they won’t arouse suspicion at the border,” she said.
CBP continues to monitor and address the issue while balancing border security with the facilitation of legal trade and travel.
“At CBP, our mission is to keep legitimate travel and trade flowing while securing the U.S. border,” Rocha said in a statement. “Maintaining border security while facilitating efficient processing is a delicate balance, and we have a duty to the American public to remain steadfast in this mission, interdicting illegal narcotics, currency, weapons, and terrorists while ensuring lawful trade and travel continues.”