Media articles explain the problem of narcotics trafficking across the Australian border. An investigation by the Australian Federal Police began when border guards detained a man transporting heroin. The detainee was interrogated, and his phone was examined to find his accomplices. Thus, they initiated the investigation of the Victorian Joint Task Force on Organized Crime. As a result, a large consignment of drugs previously transported across the boundary was found. At the same time, it was verified that such methods facilitated the detention of a smuggler at the border by gathering information and using specially trained dogs to search for narcotics (Man jailed for role in 300kg cocaine import to Victoria, 2021). The article states that the successful opening of the drug business system is a continuation of the victorious action against drug trafficking and its importation into Australia.
The Impact of Drug Trafficking
Drug trafficking is one of the most crucial and dangerous parts of the illicit market. Thousands of kilograms of illegal substances cross international borders daily, entering the lives of drug dealers and addicts. The harm caused by illicit narcotics abuse impacts every level of society, from the person to the nation and eventually a global community. Production and trade of illicit drugs invariably have a wide variety of adverse socioeconomic and political effects. At times, these activities can undermine the national economy (for instance, by contributing to an overvalued exchange rate). For example, according to the statistical data, Australians spent approximately $5.8 billion on methamphetamine and $470 million on heroin in 2020 (Hughes et al., 2020). It is undeniable that those stocks threaten public health, changing the state economy and eventually supporting drug companies and dealers in Southeast Asia.
The prohibited drugs trade imposes substantial health and execution costs at the global level also. Drug trafficking is increasingly on the agenda among international organizations, which are sincerely concerned about the growing prevalence of the problem. The difficulty is that developing countries are usually drug producers, while progressed ones are the primary consumer market, which affects the circulation of illegal substances worldwide.
Due to the undercover nature and absence of provable data on this issue, it is challenging to estimate the market area of the trade with perfect correctness (Hughes et al., 2020). However, most customs, border, law enforcement, and policymakers agree that it results in high financial and social costs. This problem requires the effective operation of border authorities, and the globalization of drug importation sets new goals for them.
Challenges Faced by Border Management Agencies
Several difficulties confront border agencies face while dealing with and enhancing the ways to solve this issue. The process by which these institutions fulfill their duties is to control borders, gather information, investigate criminal networks, implement anti-smuggling technologies, and prosecute members of professional smuggling groups. While performing them, agencies experience resource constraints, problems in coordination between different customs authorities, difficulties in identifying syndicates, and rapid adaptation of smugglers to new conditions (O’Reilly et al., 2020). Problems with some sensitive areas of borders and the fact that contrabandists have a deep understanding of transport routes are also challenging.
It is evident that the number of ways to cross the frontier illegally is growing every year. Criminals use either legal or unofficial methods to obtain smuggling over countries. To do this, they demand a clear knowledge of the state’s carrier policy that includes aquatic ports, platforms, ways, railway routes, and terminals. They use this knowledge to find the least controlled way and efficiently deliver the required goods.
In emerging countries, it is easy to cross certain parts of the frontiers unnoticed with illegal substances. Not just is it simple to walk across borders without attention, but even huge transports with crime baggage also pass illegally (O’Reilly et al., 2020). Insufficient personnel and professional support, limitations of sources at regular frontier checkpoints (such as tracking dog) make exposing smugglers virtually impossible. Inspectors face the operational hurdle of including the exponential increases in contract sizes with only a restricted number of workforce and tools of their control.
Another challenge occurs at the international level and concerns the difficulty in coordinating efforts between national customs authorities. Government agencies in different states often disagree on whether to view illicit drugs as a health or criminal problem, and it is evidenced by different views on law enforcement and penalties imposed on drug offenders. It is challenging to develop a single strategy for ways to overcome the problem, which makes the work of border agencies more complicated as there is no single strategy that they should follow. Sometimes, even in one country, the customs authorities have different operating instructions and do not interact well.
The exchange of operational data on serious transnational illegal structures between national customs offices and information on most immeasurable methods in border management can improve coordination at the federal and worldwide levels. What is also problematic is to grab an entire syndicate of smugglers, not just one member (O’Reilly et al., 2020). Such people often work in groups, and only the detention of all participants will reduce the level of illegal substances. However, this is a complex process, and customs authorities usually seem to expose only a few personalities while others adapt to new conditions.
In addition, the problem is the speedy adoption of traders to the current conditions. The possibility of being detected and apprehended by customs and law enforcement authorities forces illegal groups to resort to special purchase costs associated with additional disguises and cover-ups. As law obligations, manpower, and technology means progress, smugglers connected with the illicit trade change their compliance policies (Hughes et al., 2020).
Hiding skills include adapted vehicles with unique sections created to secrete contraband, elusive transportation routes, and covert arrangements with monetary organizations to wash money from illicit activities. Lawbreakers skillfully collect counterintelligence data on the operational activities of customs and frontier guards and traffic current models to determine optimal boundary crossing times. This ability to react quickly to changing conditions results in the practical elusiveness of bootlegging gangs. It is one of the most critical challenges for customs, border, and law enforcement officials. The logistical elasticity of criminal gangs prevents national authorities from responding quickly to problems and eliminating them.
Frontier Guards’ Strategies to Prevent Drug Trafficking
Australian frontier authorities and customs patrol borders, airports, and ports on a regular. This strategy is required to curb drug trafficking across borders. Thus, preventive measures will make it possible for drug traffickers to understand that the Australian frontier is under close protection (Malins, 2019). At the same time, in order to achieve the plan, it is essential to perform such actions as constant border patrol, an inspection of vehicles entering the territory of Australia, and individuals.
The examination is performed with the aid of specially trained dogs that smell narcotics. However, the cooperation of frontier guards with the customs service and other state organizations represents an essential role in successfully implementing the preventive method. Recently, the efforts of border defenders are not sufficient to guard, so new technologies perform a valuable role (Malins, 2019). Thus, the launch of drones is a highly effective and comprehensive method of surveillance abroad from the air. The application of such an approach provides complete control and visibility of all parts of the frontier, even in hard-to-reach places. Moreover, when there is a suspicion that a certain person may be transporting narcotics, it produces a prompt response.
It is significant to regard that the bulk of drug trafficking occurs across the sea border. Therefore, the Australian border authorities are implicated in a comprehensive action against narcotics trafficking at the national and international levels. Consequently, collectively with border guards, the Australian Federal Police is involved in the struggle against drug trafficking. The organization deals with matters that threaten Australia’s national security.
Therefore, the strategy is to implement operational and training activities with foreign execution agencies (Malins, 2019). Accordingly, training enables the frontier guards to prepare for complex operations. Such assistance is very significant because the arrest of drugs at the borders of the sea gives the chance to seize illicit materials in the most immediate way, as a result, it will reduce supplies to Australia. Thus, this strategy is successful because it interacts with the other countries’ authorities, which increases the chances of stopping the large-scale drug business.
Australia is an effective participant in international drug trafficking organizations. Therefore, another critical strategy at the international level is to maintain and develop a collective policy to prevent drug trafficking. The policy provides to participate in the improvement of international standards on punishment for drug trafficking. This approach also provides Australian border guards to obtain predictive data about the possible crossing of the border with drugs. At the same time, there is an opportunity to take part in a common operational struggle against narcotics trafficking.
References
Australian Institute of health and welfare (2021) Alcohol, tobacco & other drugs in Australia [Infographic]. Web.
Hughes, C. E., Chalmers, J., & Bright, D. A. (2020). Exploring interrelationships between high-level drug trafficking and other serious and organised crime: an Australian study. Global Crime, 21(1), 28-50. Web.
Malins, P. (2019). Drug dog affects: Accounting for the broad social, emotional and health impacts of general drug detection dog operations in Australia. International Journal of Drug Policy, 67, 63-71. Web.
Man jailed for role in 300kg cocaine import to Victoria. (2021). Australian Border Force. Web.
O’Reilly, M. J. A., Hughes, C. E., Bright, D. A., & Ritter, A. (2020). Structural and functional changes in an Australian high-level drug trafficking network after exposure to supply changes. International Journal of Drug Policy, 84, 1-11. Web.