Maria Full Of Grace Cocaine Analysis

The human body is a very unique structure and is extremely versatile, as well as multi- functional. It can run, walk, and digest; on some occasions even be used bring illegal drugs into the United States. A similar story appears in the film Maria Full of Grace by director Joshua Marston starring a young woman from Columbia who gets involved in the drug trafficking industry after losing her job at a rose factory. Desperate and in need for money to support her mother, sister, nephew, and a baby of her own, she does not hesitate at the chance of easy money. On average, a drug mule or a person who transports illegal drugs via ingestion or concealing them on their person makes about $3000 to $5000 per trip. Though the risks are high, the payoff

is good: that is if you dont get caught by Customs and Border Protection or Border Patrol . The penalty for getting caught crossing illegal narcotics varies from a fine to several years in prison. It all comes down to what drug and how much you are trying to smuggle into the United States. This subculture is the one of the huge reasons law enforcement officials such as Customs and Border Protection and Border Patrol exists. Drug trafficking and transportation in general are one of the biggest problems in the criminal justice system and it affects many families and including people in big cities if they witness it or live around it.

Drug trafficking has been a lingering problem, although some time ago it wasn’t exactly considered a problem.

In the 1860’s, a German chemist of the name Albert Niemann isolated the drug cocaine and by the 1880s it was used in “eye, nose, and throat surgeries as an anesthetic and to constrict blood vessels and limit bleeding...As cocaine’s popularity increased in the 1880s and 1890s, reports of addiction emerged, and the potential harm from the drug was soon recognized.” (“Cocaine Overview : Origin and History,” 2013). Once the addiction was noticed, the Harrison Narcotic Act of 1914 emerged and made the importation of coca plants and cocaine prohibited. Just like that, the drug was illegal and drug smuggling surfaced. Today, drugs are transported in a variety of unique ways from cars, cadavers, dogs, and more. The main leaders of the drug cartels that obtain and transport the contraband are often men, but women have participated ever since the 1920’s as small time mules and today continue to do the same. Though men and women don’t necessarily share the same playing field, that doesn’t mean that people of different races cannot. It is a common misconception that drug trafficking is done solely by Mexicans, but according to NBC news, “Government officials say the majority of drug mules are Mexican, but experts say there are plenty of U.S. citizens involved too…”. Caleb Mason, a former federal prosecutor and law professor who consults on drug-smuggling cases, said an analysis

of nearly 4,000 federal busts at Southern California crossings from 2007 to 2010 showed 45 percent of the suspects were Americans, and the rest Mexican.”
Now that it is known that race and gender are not excluded from the drug realm, who are the specific targets for trafficking the drugs? The answer is simple: anyone. From the elderly to small infants, the industry is open to all and the only thing you have to do to get in on this perverse trade is to cross the border with illegal contraband, not get caught, and deliver the drugs successfully on the other side. It is simply word of mouth that will lead you to someone who knows a dealer that can get you the job. Often targets are underage juveniles, such as high school students who want to make a quick buck. According to officer Carlos Fuentes from Nogales Customs and Border Protection, “ The ones we have been getting caught lately are around 15 to 18 years old, both girls and boys. They want IPhones and Jordans and they do it because they think that if they get caught they won’t get arrested because they are minors.” This is regularly a common misconception by those involved. The truth is that no matter the age jail is a given. From people of the age 17 and under the punishment may be a few months in jail as for those who are 18 and older the punishment is vastly different and can range from 5 to 20 years in prison with fines up to $5,000.

We may know some clues to the type of people who smuggle the drugs, but how exactly do they do it?

Referring back to the film Maria Full of Grace, the young woman featured had to swallow small packages of drugs. In other cases, drugs are found taped onto a person's thighs, chest, and/ or underarms. Keep in mind, these packages aren't light and people must remain as natural looking and inconspicuous as they can. One awkward move and a piece of clothing may reveal the uneven distorted shape of a thigh or leg. Customs and Border Protection Officer Carlos Fuentes also stated that, “People carrying drugs are often discovered because of their nervousness and sometimes because of their posture.” A common nickname that law enforcement have for the drug smugglers are ‘mummies’ because they have so many objects and various physical contents taped and strapped on to their bodies. Both males and females vary in the methods of crossing drugs for instance females who cross drugs often have the contraband taped to their breast area, stomach, or groin area. As for the males, they have drugs placed on their calf , in the soles of their shoes, and/or on their waist. In addition to their own bodies drug cartels also use their friends and family (even children) to bring the drugs past the border and often put them in a dangerous position, frequently facing harmful situations or the chance to be caught by law enforcement. Many tools include their own body, weapons, uses of transportation, and

the drugs itself. In one case, according to Officer Fuentes, there was a car with a family who had a baby. The baby was crying constantly and uncontrollably and the officers who witnessed the event took the baby away from the mother to examine why it was crying so hysterically and unusually. Upon inspection, the officers found a small loaded handgun in the baby's diaper and later on the mother as well. In another case, there were three young girls crossing to the United States using the pedestrian line. They were of the ages nine, ten, and twelve, and were wearing their school uniforms. Officers watched them as they came closer to the border and noticed that the smallest sister was walking very awkwardly and conspicuously. Upon further inspection, they searched the three sisters and found that they had packages of drugs strapped to their thighs, therefore making it hard for them to walk normally. A more recent approach to bringing drugs into the U.S. is via something called “ apple juice.” This amber colored liquid looks a lot like apple juice hence the name but what the substance really is is a concoction of various percentages of liquid meth. In both these cases it becomes evident that there is no barrier for the methodology of crossing drugs into the United States.