With its proximity to the Mexican border, San Diego has long been a hot spot for smugglers attempting to move drugs from Central and South America into the United States. According to the California Attorney General, drug trafficking in the region is bigger than ever, and she intends to do something about it. California residents may find interesting her conclusions about drug trafficking and a spike in methamphetamine smuggling.
According to a recent report issued by Attorney General Kamala Harris, California is facing a serious criminal threat due to a surge in prescription drug trafficking, methamphetamine trafficking, and foreign cyber crime. In response, the report offers a series of responses including the establishment of a maritime task force to slow coastal drug trafficking and funding a San Diego based special operations unit.
The Attorney General’s report states that around 70 percent of the meth trafficked from Mexico is arriving through San Diego. The report further notes that since 2009 the seizure of meth by border patrol agents has tripled, with more than 6,000 kilograms seized in 2013. Once the drugs cross the U.S. border, the prime distribution destinations are Los Angeles and Merced Counties. San Diego now surpasses Arizona and Texas in meth trafficking.
Drug trafficking is a serious criminal offense. Individuals charged with federal drug trafficking offenses face serious consequences, including a long prison term and significant financial penalties. With so much at stake, anyone accused of a federal or state drug trafficking offense needs to mount an aggressive defense.
Source: U-T San Diego, “California targeted by meth traffickers, cyber criminals,” Roxana Popescu, March 20, 2014