Drug Cartels Recruit Smugglers Through Classified Ads, Feds Say

It's not unusual for California police or federal drug enforcement agents to catch drug smugglers at the border, with cannabis or heroin hidden, say, in the tires. But early last year, officials in San Diego say they noticed something surprising. A lot of the smugglers they arrested didn't have any idea that there were drugs in the car.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated, according to The Associated Press, and found that drug cartels had been placing ads in the classified sections of local newspapers, advertising jobs at a cleaning company or security guard agency. The work involved driving across the border, parking the car at a specific location, walking away, and not asking questions. For the day's work, the "company" would pay $50 or $100.