Justice Department: U.S. Border 'Underprotected,' 'Easily Breached'
The cartels maintain "gatekeepers" -- their own sort of Border Patrol.
"Gatekeepers regulate the drug flow from Mexico across the U.S.-Mexico border into the United States by controlling drug smugglers' access to areas along the border," says identical language in NDIC reports on southern Arizona and West Texas. "Gatekeepers collect 'taxes' from smugglers on all illicit shipments that are moved through these areas, including drugs and illegal aliens. The taxes are generally paid to the DTO that controls the area; the DTO then launders the tax proceeds." http://townhall.com/columnists/TerryJeffrey/2009/07/01/justice_department_us_border_underprotected,_easily_breached