The Organization of American States (OAS) has alerted this Thursday that drug trafficking networks are increasingly resorting to people without criminal experience to transport drugs to Europe, mostly individuals who are getting involved for the first time in this type of crime and who were not part of the criminal structures.
According to the study "Human Drug Mules. Strengthening Institutional Capacities," prepared from interviews with more than 400 inmates in origin and destination prisons to trace their profiles and methods of recruitment in drug routes, the OAS emphasizes that 87% of the 'mules' had never been in jail and that 85.9% had not previously participated in the transportation of narcotics.
"We have found that they are not career criminals," explained Antonio Lomba, head of the Institutional Strengthening Unit of the Executive Secretariat of the Inter-American Commission for the Control of Drug Abuse (SE-CICAD), during the presentation of the document, emphasizing that the profile of these 'mules' deviates from the stereotype of "professional trafficker."
The report details that, in many cases, those who cross borders with drugs "occupy peripheral positions in criminal organizations" and only handle a minimal part of the information about the structure. In fact, only 44% of the interviewed individuals admitted to having any type of link with the criminal group.
"They are replaceable, travel alone, have little information, and assume all the risk," indicated the author of the study, who emphasizes that, once arrested, the networks disassociate themselves from them and the arrested individuals must face the legal consequences alone.
How networks recruit 'mules'
The work of the OAS also focuses on how drug trafficking organizations take advantage of the social and economic vulnerability of those they recruit, often drawing from their closest environment to convince them.
Thus, 77% of the interviewed individuals were mothers or fathers, or had economically dependent parents or partners, and although they had some income, they saw the proposal as a significant economic incentive. "The problem is not the total lack of resources, but that the resources are not enough," points out Lomba, who details that the amounts offered for illegally introducing drugs into Europe are equivalent to between seven and eight months of salary.
The study adds that networks habitually resort to friends or family to approach 'mules': six out of ten were recruited by someone from their circle, while 14.3% of women agreed to transport drugs after being persuaded by their partner. "The proposal comes from someone close and sometimes in moments of great need," emphasizes one of the authors, describing people who "do not have an awareness of the risk."
The main countries of origin detected are Colombia and Peru, although organizations employ citizens from different parts of Latin America to carry out the shipments. The methods also vary according to the profile: the most common modalities were air cargo, at 25.8%, and checked baggage, at 23.3%.
In smaller proportions, 'mules' resorted to ingesting packages, 10.3%, transporting in carry-on luggage, 9.2%, or having drugs adhered to the body, 8.3%. The majority of the consulted individuals were involved in the transport of a single substance, mainly powdered cocaine.
The project promoted by the OAS aims to strengthen the institutional response through training programs and awareness-raising actions, such as debate forums, in key areas such as the detection, arrest, and prosecution of human drug couriers.
"To build an effective criminal policy against drug trafficking, we first need to better understand who we are investigating and what role these people occupy within criminal organizations," concluded Sol Purita, another of the authors of the report.