Who says Mexican drug smugglers aren't innovative? I invite you to read my latest Mexidata.info column entitled Using Drones and Magnets, Drug Smugglers continue to Innovate. Ingenious innovations include the construction of sophisticated tunnels under the border, the use of a trebuchet (a gravity powered catapult)to fling drugs across the border, and the utilization of drones for both smuggling and surveillance.

Smugglers are also utilizing the "trusted traveler" program. This program is officially known as SENTRI, an acronym for "Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection". Applicants for this program pass background checks and then are authorized to use special fast lanes at the border, allowing them to cross more rapidly. There are currently hundreds of thousands of motorists in the SENTRI program. At the busy San Ysidro crossing in San Diego, during fiscal year 2013, SENTRI automobile crossings constituted 40% of the total crossings.

Drug smugglers are taking advantage of the SENTRI program by putting magnetized containers of drugs on the underside of the cars driven by "trusted travelers" to get the drugs across the border. These containers can be attached or removed in seconds. Of course, the cartel operatives have people on both sides of the border observing these automobiles and tracking their movements.

It's yet another example of how seriously compromised our border is. Of course, our government has no intention of getting control of the border.