EL PASO, Texas – Santos says he became one of the thousands of American and Mexican teenagers recruited into the dangerous world of drug smuggling.
Santos’ journey into the underworld of teenage drug smuggling offers a glimpse into how drug cartels lure teenagers into doing their dirty work.
They’re often called mules. These teenagers are usually hired only to smuggle drug loads across the border. It’s a short drive or walk that offers quick cash but can carry serious consequences.
Drug cartels “just need someone who can legitimately cross the border,” said Bill Molaski, the El Paso Port Director for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
As an American, Santos could freely cross the El Paso-Juarez border and not raise suspicion. At age 15, Santos says, he met “a guy” at a party who introduced him to drug kingpins in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.
“You start off as a driver,” Santos said. “People feel like they can trust you, then you move up to something bigger.”
