>Funny how none of this happened before NAFTA. But when the Mexican
>farmer could no longer make a living selling crops -- because
>subsidized U.S. corn put him out of business....well, now there's a
>drug problem
That's part of the story. Here's another. This is from 1998:
[...]
"For Mexico's drug gangs, the NAFTA was a deal made in narco-heaven," said Phil Jordan, a former high-level official with the Drug Enforcement Administration. "But since both the United States and Mexico are so committed to free trade, no one wants to admit it has helped the drug lords. It's a taboo subject.
"While I was at DEA, I was under strict orders not to say anything negative about free trade. Now it's come back to haunt us."
[...]
"If you believe NAFTA has not adversely affected the fight against drug traffickers, then you must believe in the tooth fairy," said Tom Cash, a former high-level DEA official.
The sheer volume of U.S.-bound cargo, some 400 million tons per year, makes it harder to find contraband, he and others say. "The Customs Service has tried to play down the idea that inspectors have less ability to stop drugs from coming across the border, but I think it's irrefutable," Cash said.
Border inspectors are under pressure to speed the flow of people and goods, he said, and can't always do thorough inspections.
[...]