The Border Environment – From the Outside In Helmoed Rőmer Heitman

2 National and regional borders have two purposes: Protection and Control. Protection, to keep undesirable people and activities out. –Absolute protection is impossible, so the role of the national borders is to serve as an obstacle to those people. Control, to monitor the flow of people and goods, to build a picture for planning purposes. –This also provides a filter to guard against unintended, potentially harmful infringements.

3 This may be an international border, but it is hardly an obstacle

4 An Obstacle is only an obstacle if it is covered by observation and fire…..

5 Smuggling has been good business for a long time….

6 Those who cannot get through borders…go under them….. From Egypt into Gaza… …or from Mexico into the United States

7 or over them… Drug cartels and terrorists have used ultra-light aircraft, flying at night using a hand-held GPS…. …and some innovative Mexicans have turned to history to find a new delivery mechanism

8 The World Narcotics Trade

9 Counter-Narcotics Operations – Not Much Different to COIN

10 ‘Air Cocaine’ Mostly using small aircraft - sometimes a little overloaded, like this one that failed to take off in Costa Rica. Larger aircraft are used to fly the product to Africa; mainly old airliners. Some are used just on one-way trips; like this Boeing 727 in Mali.

11 ‘Go Fast’ Boats in the Caribbean – from rather basic to very modern Hunted by helicopters... …dumping cargo before being boarded

12 The Next Stage – submersibles and towed ‘torpedoes’. ‘Torpedoes’ are towed submerged by fishing boats Submersibles come in many shapes and sizes…

And beyond, to the true submarine

14 Illegal logging is major business in Africa, Asia and South America… An illegal industry on a scale that is hard to believe passes unnoticed by authorities – Madagascar, Indonesia, Cameroon.

15 …and the environmental damage is equally major.

16 Illegal mining is another lucrative business – and just as damaging to the environment…

17 Illegal mining is so lucrative that diamonds, gold and are flown out…in the DRC even Casserite ore

18 Terrorism – increasingly transnational; and making common cause with crime

19 And terrorists come in all shapes and sizes…

Thank You Questions?

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