The Security Of The Maritime Environment

The homeland security mission and goals face many roadblocks and challenges in today’s world. The Quadrennial Homeland Security Review lists six strategic challenges which the Department of Homeland Security feels are of exceptional concern to the nation. Of these outlined challenges I believe that transnational criminal organizations

Organized Crime in the Americas”, an article written by Bruce Bagley has opened my eyes to

An obstacle that arises in securing ships and ports is that of travelling to foreign ports. Security professionals are are encouraging the United States government to extend U.S. boundaries to foreign ports, which would put much emphasis on security at loading points (70). The fear is that attackers will board a ship at a foreign port and sail to American soil where they could practice terrorism. A way that shipping security has changed is that of the plan of the Container Security Initiative (CSI), which calls for international security criteria to identify high-risk cargo containers for pre-screening at their point of shipment (70). The Coast Guard has also increased patrols in the U.S. ports and waterways, specifically around the nation’s critical petro-chemical facilities (71). By 2004, The International Ship and Port Facility Security Code took effect requiring ship operators to develop security plans, appoint ship and company security officers and maintain a minimum level of on board security, while port officers are required to develop similar plans and hire a port facility security officer (71). This code made it mandatory for all ships to be secure both while still in ports and also while travelling. Not only does this protect passengers aboard the ship, but also citizens of the United States as threats cannot enter the country through shipping

Summary: The southwest border region is the most significant national level storage, transportation and transshipment area for illicit drug shipments that are designed for markets throughout the US. The south west region is the biggest drug smuggling zone in the US. More illegal drugs are seized in this area than in any other arrival zone. Mexican cartels have developed expensive drug transportation networks extending from the Southwest border to all regions of the US. Drugs gets smuggled between ports of entry along the southwest border and are stored all throughout the US. The threat posted to the nation by the Mexican cartels that operate in Mexico and the southwest border region extends well beyond drug trafficking to other criminal activities including border

The second federal agency, the U.S. Customs & Border Protection Agency, functions beneath the Department of Homeland Security (Levinthal, 2012). The responsibility of the Customs & Border agency is to limiting movement of illicit drugs across America’s borders (Levinthal, 2012). In addition, branches are also employed to assist the agency of the smuggling and money laundering due to the interdiction of illicit drugs (Levinthal, 2012). The branches aid in the interdiction, due to covering many avenues, smugglers interchange of importation (Levinthal,

The CBP has an extremely important role in protecting the United States border and that most certainly involves protecting the maritime and port operations within the United States. Under the Homeland Security Act of 2002, which

The recommendations include risk assessments to ensure that efforts are carried out to improve security and security data management to ensure that data is properly handled and disseminated to appropriate agencies and stakeholders. MTS must ensure that all U.S. personnel in domestic and international ports are appropriately trained for their job function. Along with all personnel working at ports, related infrastructure sectors, on vessels, or operating vessels must have proper identification. DHS further recommends developing more advanced security technology to enhance and identify gaps in security. It is also suggested that MTS examine industry, national and international transportation safety frameworks to determine if enhancements would improve MTS security. Furthermore MTS should create and manage a collaborative system of stakeholders to maintain security as well as make efforts to lessen security vulnerabilities. Finally, MTS must constantly amend and improve the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 and the International Ship and Port Facility

However, it is integrated within other strategies the multiple agencies are currently using. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP estimates the 70,000 foreign boat arrivals recorded in the Pleasure Boat Reporting System (PBRS) was only a small portion of the small boats that arrived in the U.S. The risk is small vessels are also risky. It is possible to configure them with Waterborne Improvised Explosive Devices (WBIEDs) writes Department of Homeland Security (2008). Most security policies are set up to reduce the security risk of larger vessels. The intent of the strategy was to inform the public on measures that they can take to keep the waterways and the country safe. Since there are a large number of small vessels in the waterways, it is possible for them to see suspicious activities before law enforcement agencies see it. They should understand what actions to

The purpose behind this research paper is to analyze how transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) are able to exploit the land and sea borders of the United States in order to produce billions of dollars annually. There will be a background completed not on just one specific TCO but the ways that these organizations produce substantial amounts of money. The methods in which they conduct their operations utilizing border crossings or getting through sea ports, as well. Then, finally, an overview on how these TCOs exploit the vulnerabilities of the United States law enforcement agencies and the security personal that are in place to protect the citizens of America from the illicit activities of these TCOs.

For many years the United States has made an effort to restrict the importation of drugs. The United States has developed activities related to drug trafficking. To stop the importation of drugs, the Department of Homeland Security has gathered an estimate of $2 billion, or as Hart and Ksir (2015) states, 20 percent of its overall budget for drug control. Although there have been drug smugglers who continue to success in becoming uneducated by law enforcement, the United States is doing more to enforce drug laws and stop from importing drugs. The United States has used Air Force radicand aircraft and Navy patrol boats to detect and track aircraft and boats that might smuggle drugs into the country (Hart & Ksir, 2015).

The Unites States has made some changes to the way we handle Security with respect to the effects of 9/11. We began to be much more vigilant looking at every aspect of transportation from enhancing our airline security, railroad to include maritime operations. One particular area of focus is our ports and how we support our trade and make it safer against the threat of another terrorist attack. The ports are extremely vital to the U.S. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 14 percent of U.S. counties that are adjacent to the coast produce 45 percent of the nation's gross domestic product

This research paper is intended to argue that effectively and efficiently securing the United States borders will ultimately help disrupt and dismantle transnational criminals to include: narcotics traffickers, human traffickers, Human, weapons, and bulk cash smuggling, and prevent terrorists and their weapons from entering the country and wreaking havoc. These transnational crimes are extremely profitable and are in no means going to stop unless enforced at the United States borders. The benefits of securing the United States border will outweigh the costs and is crucial for increasing national security. Transnational criminals pose a major threat to the American people and negatively effect the nation. This subject is highly debated and political in nature, and there is no one perfect solution. So in order to keep a broad audience this paper is not attempt to offer a solution to the problems, nor will it attempt to focus on political issues, but rather attempt to identify the threats and argue the benefits of a more secure and efficient border system for the United States. This paper will discuss the severity of these transnational crimes and explain that these crimes will continue to grow if not enforced. This research paper uses the information obtained from scholarly sources that have experience within the topic of argument.

Drug trafficking has become an increasingly growing problem in the world today. Illegal drug trade is a worldwide black market consisting of production, distribution, packaging, and sale of illegal substances. Although today’s "War on Drugs" is a modern phenomenon, drug problems have been a common problem throughout history. The market for illegal drugs is massive, when we consider the estimated global drug trade value is worth $321 billion (Vulliamy). The most drug trafficking happens on the border between Mexico and the United States. Former Mexican President Felipe Calderon said, “Our neighbor is the largest consumer of drugs in the world. And everybody wants to sell him drugs through our door and our window”

The largest US law enforcement presence aboard is staffed by ICE under the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Homeland Security Investigations International Affairs Office (HSI-IA). DHS has 69 offices situated in 47 countries to include staff situated at seven US military combatant commands. HSI-IA’s mission is the protection of the US through augmentation of its security with the utilization of global investigations involving those TCOs responsible for the illicit movement of humans, counterfeit products, and technology.

Transnational crime is a growing problem. Transnational crime is defined as “self-perpetuating associations of individuals who operate transnational for the purpose of obtaining power, influence, monetary and/or commercial gains, wholly or in part by illegal means, while protecting their activities through a pattern of corruption and/ or violence, or while protecting their illegal activities through a transnational structure and the exploitation of transnational commerce or communication mechanisms.” (National Security Council, n.d.) . Transnational crimes are known under other names such as cross-national crime, global crime, international crime, and