NCJ Number
190067
Journal
Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice Volume: 17 Issue: 3 Dated: August 2001 Pages: 232-242
Date Published
August 2001
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This article provides an overview of the problem of contraband smuggling into Mexico from the United States and how it is fueled by payoffs to Mexican law enforcement officials; suggestions are offered for countering it.
Abstract
The smuggling of contraband from the United States into Mexico has a long history. Throughout most of the 19th century, 30 percent of the textiles sold in Mexico were smuggled in from the United States. This tradition has continued to the present day, with the dry goods of choice now being ready-to-wear used clothing. Some 72 used clothing outlets are located either at a border crossing or in the city nearest to such a border crossing. As a consequence of this cheap contraband, Mexican culture is slighted, and the development of a modern, high-quality clothing industry in Mexico has been rendered impossible. In addition to used clothing, contraband smuggled from the United States includes electronic products, alcoholic products, frozen chicken, and firearms and ammunition. Contraband smuggling thrives because of official corruption, whereby law enforcement officials are paid by smugglers to ignore and even promote the smuggling. This was evidenced by a shoot-out between Mexican customs inspectors who had stopped a convoy of seven tractor trailers on suspicion of transporting contraband merchandise and a group of Federal Judicial Police, who had been called to the scene on the cell phone of one of the smugglers. After a gun battle on April 7, 2000, one of the customs agents was wounded, the smugglers were freed by the Federal Judicial Police, and the trucks continued on to their destination. This event exposed the official corruption that promotes contraband smuggling. Any strategy to combat such smuggling must first attack the official corruption that supports it. 8 notes and 12 references