CaliToday (09/11/2025): In a new strategic offensive, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced it is deploying a "multi-layered strategy" in close coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to combat a sophisticated tactic known as "parasite smuggling."
This method, which involves attaching narcotics to the underwater hulls of commercial vessels, is being aggressively targeted by the Trump administration as it seeks to harden U.S. maritime ports against transnational cartels.
The "Parasite" Threat
"Parasite" smuggling is a high-risk, high-reward tactic. Cartels hire skilled divers in a source country to attach watertight containers filled with cocaine or other narcotics to a ship's hull, often inside the "sea chest" (water intake valves) or near the propeller. The ship, with its unwitting crew, then transports the contraband to its destination port, where a different dive team is waiting to retrieve it.
According to former DEA agent Brian Townsend, while this method is riskier than traditional routes like tunnels, drones, or international mail its profitability keeps it in play.
"This tactic requires highly skilled divers to attach and remove the cargo, which is extremely dangerous work," Townsend explained. "You're working near massive propellers and powerful intake valves. But the profits are so immense that they always find divers willing to take the risk."
A "Multi-Layered" Shield
CBP's new strategy moves beyond simple random checks. Instead, it relies on a multi-layered, intelligence-driven approach:
Intel-Led Screening: Dedicated intelligence units now vet all incoming commercial vessels, analyzing their journey, flag nation, points of origin, and other classified intelligence to flag high-risk targets.
Technological Deployment: When a vessel is flagged, CBP deploys advanced Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) to scan the hull below the waterline.
Elite Diver Inspection: This is followed by a hands-on inspection from the Border Patrol’s elite BORSTAR (Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue) dive teams, who are specially trained for these hazardous underwater searches.
Rapid Response: If narcotics are discovered, HSI and the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) are immediately notified to take over the investigation and seizure.
Harshvardhan Kumar, a former ship captain turned international maritime surveyor, noted that cartels often try to exploit inspection loopholes. "In many countries, a ship undergoes an underwater video inspection to certify its hull is 'clean' before departure," Kumar said. "But the cartels find the gaps between these inspections. The huge profits even motivate divers to travel with the vessel to the destination to ensure they can retrieve the narcotics themselves."
A Breakthrough Success
This aggressive strategy has already yielded significant results. On September 23, 2025, the CBP BORSTAR team inspected the Hoheplate, an Antigua and Barbuda-flagged container ship, upon its arrival at the Port of Miami, Florida.
During the underwater inspection, the team discovered the first-ever parasitic drug load in the agency’s history. This bust was hailed as a landmark achievement and proof-of-concept for the new maritime drug war under the Trump administration.
Reversing the Decline: A New Era for Border Security
Experts like Townsend warn that the fight is far from over. "Cartels are masters of adaptation," he stated. "They observe law enforcement schedules and procedures to exploit any weakness. Smuggling is a game of adaptation if we don't constantly change our tactics, they will get ahead."
This call for constant vigilance is a core tenet of the administration's new approach, which stands in stark contrast to the previous one.
In an internal interview released in June, U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) Chief Michael Banks was blunt about the challenges his agency faced before the change in leadership.
"Since I put on the uniform, every president has done something to enhance border security," Chief Banks said. "The Biden administration did the opposite they set us back. When I took over, the morale of the Border Patrol was the lowest in history."
Today, under the leadership of President Trump, CBP, BORSTAR, and the Department of War are working to restore the full strength and prestige of America's border forces. The "multi-layered" strategy is being implemented as a steel shield, signaling that U.S. maritime borders are no longer a soft target for international cartels.