The Relationship between Criminal and Terrorist Organizations and Human Smuggling

Abstract

This thesis sought to expand on the literature that has been written on the possibility and impact of a relationship forming between criminal and terrorist organizations in terms of human smuggling. These entities could form a strategic alliance and leverage existing narcotics, weapons, and human smuggling corridors that exist south of the U.S./Mexico border to smuggle terrorist operatives into the U.S. thereby threatening U.S. interests and national security. The analysis of the scholarly literature, interview data, and case studies point to a relationship between criminal and terrorist organizations and the fact that they have worked together to smuggle terrorists into the U.S. Additionally, corruption efforts by these organizations places a weak link in U.S. border security that can be exploited for nefarious purposes. Enhanced information sharing between law enforcement entities may be the single best way to detect the relationship between criminal and terrorist organizations and prevent them from smuggling a terrorist operative into the U.S.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 2009
Accession Number
ADA514191

Entities

People

  • Joseph A. Lanzante

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Border Security
  • Crime
  • Criminal Investigations
  • Criminals
  • Drug Trafficking
  • Employment
  • Fluids
  • Geography
  • Homeland Security
  • Information Exchange
  • International Organizations
  • International Relations
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Terrorism
  • Terrorists
  • Undocumented Noncitizens

Readers

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  • Strategic Security Studies