Generally, when people think of high rates of drug trafficking, they probably think of the Mexican border and the many DEA agents who are needed to work there. But sources report that drug trafficking will likely become more common in a different area of the world: Miami, Florida.

Authorities have put so much effort into arresting drug smugglers between the U.S. and Mexico that groups will need to find other ways to get cocaine and other illegal drugs into the country. Florida's U.S. Attorney General is confident that that other way of getting drugs here will lead smugglers right into South Florida.

As a result of the changing patterns of drug trafficking, authorities have created what they call the "Caribbean Basin Initiative." It's based on the theory that now more drug smugglers from Colombia will go through Haiti, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas as opposed to Mexico in order to get narcotics into the U.S. via the Caribbean.

The initiative puts two more federal prosecutors devoted to narcotics cases in the area. Within the past several months, the amount of prosecutors for that purpose has already increased, and they have teamed up with the DEA, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and the FBI to combat smuggling from Colombia into Florida.

The new, intensified focus on drug trafficking through Florida will put more people in the position of facing drug charges. Just because trafficking trends might change, however, does not mean that suspects have fewer rights. Working with an experienced, effective lawyer ensures a defendant a far better chance at protecting his or her future.

Source

UPI.com: "U.S. targets smuggling through Caribbean," Aug. 26, 2011