The mode of transportation can also affect earnings. While the Rio Grande Valley in Texas has the second largest number of border-related deaths, these deaths may not necessarily be related to drugs. I ended up reading a lot, I read the entire works of Shakespeare which my mum had sent me. So what do you do for a living these days? Drug lords can make 100 times more than that if they sell drugs brought in by mules. 1st time by DEA, 2nd time by Border patrol . How much were you being paid? You could die. If you get a 20-year sentence, that would mean a payment of 32c for every day you spend behind bars. 1 lead car, followed by me, a buyer behind me and my bosses in the back. So basically you might want to reconsider going on a quick trip to Indonesia for three days to deliver a hold-all to your friend's brother's cousin outside the Metropole Hotel. If they really had bought off airport staff, or their methods are foolproof, why are they recruiting other people to do this job, rather than saving the money by doing it themselves? Adj. Harrys now back in the UK, having checked out of the drug world, he says, for good. I was given a state lawyer who was very reassuring and had worked on similar cases before. . And also, the most important thing to remember is many countries impose the death penalty for drug mules. Huge psychological damage. Instead of replying to each of you with one small story, I'll share my experiences and what it felt like. After about 10 minutes they hand me my I.D. Visit, https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6450a3.htm, https://apps.washingtonpost.com/g/page/world/southwest-border-drug-seizures/1543/, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/colombias-youngest-ever-drug-mule-11-is-captured-smuggling-104-cocaine-capsules-in-her-stomach-9870257.html, https://www.fbi.gov/news/testimony/drug-trafficking-violence-in-mexico-implications-for-the-united-states, http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Drug-Tunnel-Discovered-Near-San-Ysidro-Port-of-Entry-Mexican-Authorities-412764863.html, https://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104872, http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2014-04-05/news/fl-drug-smuggling-routes-20140404_1_central-florida-south-florida-cocaine-shipments, https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs40/40381/40381p.pdf, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3224221/, http://www.businessinsider.com/mexico-smuggling-tunnels-2017-5, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34934574, http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/border-patrol-cartels-use-kids-to-divert-agents/article/2582404, http://www.cbsnews.com/news/drug-traffickers-use-clone-vehicles-to-smuggle-drugs/, http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-ff-immigrant-border-deaths-20151021-story.html, http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/immigration/2017/04/21/drop-border-apprehensions-mean-fewer-migrant-deaths-summer/100717008/, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/oct/04/us-mexico-border-patrol-trump-beautiful-wall, coastal states as secondary channels for trafficking drugs, https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2019-Mar/bp-southwest-border-sector-deaths-fy1998-fy2018.pdf, https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2018-07/2015%20NDTA%20Report.pdf, The Cost of Addiction: The Real Price You Pay for Drugs and Alcohol. But the seed for Clint Eastwood's "The Mule," which opens Friday, was planted by the infamous Michigan bust of an elderly drug mule for a cocaine pipeline between Mexico and Detroit. In fact, if having to kill you is part of the operation, then it is. The Mule has represents a nice bounce back for the actor-director following his last directorial effort, 2018's The 15:17 to Paris, which made $57.1 million worldwide and could be considered a bit . Our attorneys at Monroe & King, P.A. Drug mules typically transport cocaine heroin or methamphetamine. Agent 1: Ugh, we're not DEA. Both claimed armed gangsters had . When did you decide to do it again? , even beyond car accidents and death by firearm. The lead car was purposely speeding in case there was any cops, they'd pull him over and not me. Rating: 2 out of 5 . I go with my gut feeling and ditch going inside the room. The going rate for a kilogram of cocaine in the United States is $25000. However, I want to stress that the people I worked for werent living particularly luxurious or sordid lives, they were just doing what they had to do to get by. Then they dropped me at the airport. How much does a drug mule make in a lifetime? Your family won't know where you are or what has happened to you. They ended up towing the car. Nobody will come forward to help you. How many different aliases did Leo Sharp use as a mule? The average amount a drug mule makes is a couple hundred to a couple thousand dollars. The women are often from poor communities and are viewed as . SA prisons are like 5-star luxury hotels in comparison to what you would find in countries such as Venezuala, Mauritius and Thailand. Years of being behind bars in completely inhumane conditions will affect you permanently. During my time I was caught a total of 3 times. Data from the U.S. Border Patrol show total border-related deaths spanning a 20-year period, including migrants attempting to cross who succumbed to environmental conditions including dehydration, injury, and other non-trafficking-related incidents. 1st time by DEA, 2nd time by Border patrol and 3rd time by State Police. The fear of terrorism, brought extensive hiring of border patrol agents, and additional walls were built at key crossing points into the U.S. . I take a bus back home and nobody knows what to think of it. The price of a mule. Especially if it is your boyfriend. I think there were more. Leo Sharp used over 30 different safe houses as a mule. Job well done right? Was euthanising Sheba the tiger the right decision? The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has found. I was promised 1,000 ($1,112) per kilo, that was 2,000 ($2,225). How many different cars did Leo Sharp use as a mule? It's not like I was put on a payroll, I did my best. According to the U.S. Border Patrol, over 811 individual seizures (4 tons) of methamphetamine were seized through the southern border in 2016 alone, comprising 95 percent of all national methamphetamine border seizures. I had a hunger for money and power, ultimately leading me to find someone who could get me in, a "recruiter" if you will." A high volume of trafficking has been found in other major cities including Atlanta, Detroit, and New York City. Between border seizures and the legalization of marijuana in some areas of the U.S., the, cartels are turning toward heroin and meth. Its very twee. Leo Sharp used over 15 different aliases as a mule. There were a total of 4 cars. At first, I was only staying there because it was better than sleeping outside, but then the more I thought about it the more I wanted to do one of his jobs, earn some money and get home. Unfortunately, high heat indexes and a lack of water (or much else) make it a dangerous place to cross. How much money can a drug mule make in a year? People could feel resentful for what you have put them through. Eastwood arguably didn't need The Mule to make too much of a profit, considering his net worth sits at around $375 million. I guess I didnt think theyd look inside. Cartels have even used unaccompanied children as well as clone vehicles to distract and mislead border patrol to get larger shipments of drugs smuggled across the border. And the other mules you met? Possession of MMJ. By Jennifer Savin. Nevertheless its safe to say that Sharp made a significant amount of money from his illegal activity. Leo Sharp weighed over 200 pounds when he was arrested. The DEA puts much of its focus on trafficking from Mexican drug cartels because not only do they control . So how did you eventually get caught? The chances of the SA embassy getting involved are slim. He told me it was easy enough, so that was reassuring. The cartels dont always opt for sophisticated stealth, though. Drug mules are typically paid by the people they are smuggling the drugs for. Again and again. I think that was probably a part of why I kept doing it. He had been on disability and had four heart attacks. I had a hunger for money and power, ultimately leading me to find someone who could get me in, a "recruiter" if you will. So anyway, after I got into Riga, I hopped on the ferry to Stockholm with the handler. I insert my keycard only to find it doesn't work. This increase in drug use is paralleled by the elevated seizures of illicit drugs along U.S. borders, with heroin seizures nearly tripling since 2009, and the number of meth seizures quintupling through 2014. I knew the Dunne Family and Tony Felloni. The meeting between my boss and his clients was a setup. Based on the true story of Leo Sharp, a 90-year-old man who worked as a drug mule for a Mexican . What are the dangers of being a drug mule? Of these cases, 64 were identified as involving criminal drug trafficking charges. Ive got a part-time job in a second-hand shop. I went to meet him in the village where he now lives with his family to ask him about his strange adventure as a "clean skin" drug mule. Hes there to make sure you dont freak out and tell the police or run off with the drugs. You have, after all, broken the law. Here are 10 facts on drug mules: Drugs, such as cocaine and heroin, are often placed in condoms, and are then swallowed by a drug mule in order to evade detection by customs officials. I probably shouldve been scared, but I wasnt, because I felt so removed from what I was doing, it was so alien, it just never felt real. Illegal search incident to arrest. They treat us like a king because they want to keep us around, we dont feel disposable as people might imagine we do. What types of drugs do drug mules typically transport? We also focused on a specific age where people started using these drugs, 18. The city I live in is extremely corrupt. to cross borders. Recent Statistics on Drug Trafficking. I like it very much. Forget privileges like phone calls or visits. The majority of seizures, according to records. Im quite lazy, so Ill always be more attracted to easy, risky money than to hard-earned risk-free money. You will also have complicated your relationship with your family hugely. How much does a drug mule make? I spent a few days in that house and they fed me well, gave me plenty of cigarettes and all that. With crackdowns by border patrol and government agencies and efforts being made to lock down borders (such as the proposed border wall between Mexico and the U.S.), those involved in the drug trade continue to explore other, more dangerous methods of smuggling. A drug mule can make up to tens of thousands of dollars per trip. A drug mule can make a few hundred dollars by making a single trip. In 2008 drug mules were paid an average of $5000 per trip according to a study by the U.S. State Department. The balloons are made with multilayered condoms and are often force fed to the victim. Leo Sharp typically charged over $100000 per load of cocaine transported. Sharp carted between 450 and 550 pounds of cocaine into his home state of Michigan each month. This was just an added precaution. If you're unemployed, have kids, are camping in your parents' garage, have an out-of-control drug habit, of course the promise of seemingly easy money can be irresistible. These issues are caused by an array of reasons, one of which is the widespread addiction to narcotics. The total estimate for El Chapo's "gross drug sale proceeds" since early 1990s was less than $12.7 . Though most people do not understand this. There is no set salary for drug mules. There was one afternoon I went to the bar to enjoy my day off. Although I really hurt my friends and family, and that upsets me. Arguably, the most dangerous and potentially lethal method of transporting illicit drugs into the U.S. is through the use of drug mules and body packing. An average drug mule can swallow between 80 - 125 of these pellets. Nicolas Cristin, the Dark Web does anywhere between $300,00 and $500,000 in sales per day. What is the most a drug mule can make in a year? Thereafter you will be billed R75 per month. Today. My very first sale, I sold 50k of product, simply by introducing the two parties. Much of the money moved through these third-parties is stolen through Internet-enabled frauds, thefts, and scams. By signing up, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy & to receive electronic communications from Vice Media Group, which may include marketing promotions, advertisements and sponsored content. 1 hour later I still don't recieve a call so I decide to head over to the restaurant downstairs and grab a bite. I was addicted to heroin in the 80s. Drug mules who are caught can face lengthy prison sentences. You're asking why the cartel would allow a mule to explain himself, well that's because I wasn't your average mule. So the job was to drive from Point A to Point B as usual. (Sources: lockedup.co.za; crimelibrary.com), (Susan Erasmus, Health24.com, August 2012), We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred. This data is unsettling given the dangers of illicit drug use, especially the harmful nature of heroin and meth. Areas with the most opportunity to cross, despite being dangerous, are more frequently used including southeast Texas, California, and Arizona with the highest volume of deaths related to border crossing. 20% of mule spawn eggs produce foals. a review of the federal court districts and cases tried for drug trafficking show the problem isnt at all isolated to the southern border. While Arizona has seen a 65 percent decline in border apprehension and deaths which the White House has attributed to political policies and proposals such as the border wall and changes in immigration law 2016 was still a tough year in border-related deaths per our analysis. A. Its that simple. Also, if you're running drugs, you are in contact with a scary underworld of people for whom murder and extortion or hurting your family are simply part of an everyday job. It mustve been a couple of thousand pills, I got about an extra 1,000 for that one. The money's not that great. Of all cases, 51 had information detailing how drugs were transported. They may be promised a large sum of money for their involvement but the reality is that they are putting their lives at risk. . Posted by Hoo-yah. I turned in the car and got paid. The data were gathered from over 150 court cases related to drug mules or drug trafficking charges. Take them to the police? Like Sharp, he certainly did not resemble a felon. They had bought 2 bricks of coke, but wanted it higher up north. Each balloon contained ten grams of coke, and she was being paid 1,000 guilders (about $550) per hundred grams. I think I even ended up berating them for being incompetent sometimes, and theyd be really apologeticlike when a drop-off was too public or something like that. Semisynthetic narcotics include heroin (horse . The DEA agent was wearing a kevlar vest with DEA in gold on the back of it. If the small balloons used to conceal drugs within the intestines rupture, the consequences could be hazardous including cardiac and respiratory arrest stemming from an overdose of the drug as the body absorbs it. When I got out at the airport that first time at Riga in Estonia, I was met by my handler. October 21, 2022. The study found that drug mules were typically given a bonus of $500 for each successful delivery. Mules are bred from donkeys and horses, making them strong pack animals that can carry heavy loads. Seven or eight times, over a six month period. Stupidly I asked the desk if theyd seen it, and they said theyd keep an eye out for it. I remained as calm as possible and started thinking how I'm gonna get out of this one. The purchase cost of a mule generally ranges between $1000 to $8000. It doesn't quite make the list of Clint Eastwood's best movies according to Rotten Tomatoes, but neither does it make his worst. I buy a case of beer and go to my room and wait for my boss. There was no moment of oh my god Im crossing the scanner or any of that. These clients of mine were powerful people who would buy a lot, frequently. One of the ways Congress and state governments use to discourage drug trafficking is by issuing hefty fines. What was he like? The DEA never went after me again after this ordeal. As reported in Lost Rights: "Nigerian drug lords have employed an army of drug mules, those who will swallow as many as 150 balloons and smuggle drugs into the United States. A drug mule can make anywhere from a couple hundred to a couple thousand dollars per month. I came back to the UK and started buying cocaine again. I was lucky enought my clients would only speak to me to set up buys. I had the option to smuggle it myself, but I'd rather hire someone else and just give them a percentage of the sale. Your family gets punished. How many different safe houses did Leo Sharp use as a mule. How many times did you end up smuggling? France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Latvia, Finland, Iceland, Estonia. It starts with the packaging, which takes all night. . So, the first thing that happened was I got put on a plane to Northern Spain and driven to the house where the drugs were packaged. Id tricked myself into thinking that Id never have to work. And what you're doing is going to mess up someone's life further down the line. The supply and demand trends in the market help us make a more appropriate estimate of a mule's cost. No one will even admit to knowing you. Hey, Reddit! What are some of the risks of being a drug mule? During my time I was caught a total of 3 times. In addition to smuggling i also had clients/buyers/customers whatever you wanna call them. Today, overdoses are one of the leading causes of injury and death, even beyond car accidents and death by firearm. A drug mule can make anywhere from a couple hundred to a couple thousand dollars per second. 3. How many different people did Leo Sharp work for as a mule? What is the maximum amount a drug mule can make? Invest in the future today. The Peru Two were 20 year old Michaella from Dungannon, Northern Ireland, and Melissa from Lenzie, Scotland . You will be treated like the scum of the earth, you will be dirty for years, you will be hungry, you will have nothing to do, you will have no privacy, no medical care and will be subject to whatever the other prisoners want to do to you. You cannot trust people trying to recruit you to do this, and you cannot believe anything at all they tell you. . Again, it shouldve felt scarier than it did. attempting to enter the country illegally. The cartels started pointing fingers at everyone, they even suspected me of being an undercover DEA agent. Milly Maria, Illustration: Marilyn Sonneveld, Meet the Man Helping Peru's Foreign Drug Mules Get Home, Here's What It Feels Like to Smuggle 700 Grams of Cocaine in Your Stomach. I remember feeling happy and relieved. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The authors, editors, producers, and contributors shall have no liability, obligation, or responsibility to any person or entity for any loss, damage, or adverse consequences alleged to have happened directly or indirectly as a consequence of material on this website. Sell drugs brought in by mules the dangers of illicit drug use, especially the harmful nature heroin... Your average mule as possible and started thinking how I 'm gon na get out of operation! Wo n't know where you are or what has happened to you because I was met by handler. What types of drugs do drug mules were paid an average of $ 5000 per trip to! The drugs and had worked on similar cases before rate for a.... Cases tried for drug trafficking show the problem isnt at all isolated to the victim because was. Of Shakespeare which my mum had sent me amount a drug mule can up! Illicit drug use, especially the harmful nature of heroin and meth started buying cocaine again 18. 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