Drug Smugglers’ Use of Mail to Transport Contraband on the Rise

Using the U.S. Postal Service and commercial carriers to transport contraband is becoming an increasingly popular choice among South Florida drug smugglers.

The Sun-Sentinel reports drug dealers see mailing drugs as a way of evading the Border Patrol along the U.S.-Mexican border. According to the newspaper, many shipments of marijuana and cocaine that arrive in South Florida come from the Southwest U.S., where Mexican drug dealers cross the border to mail their packages.

While the number of intercepted drug shipments has remained steady or dropped nationally since 2009, Florida has seen an increase in both cocaine and marijuana shipments. Broward County, which includes the Fort Lauderdale area, reports an increase in cocaine and prescription pill interceptions, according to the Sheriff’s Office.