Drug Smugglers on Drug Smuggling: Lessons from the Inside

Appendix 1. Instrumentation Study Design

❖ Appendix 1 Instrumentation Study Design ID # ___________________________________________________________ Drug Smuggling Questionnaire for Interviews Hi. My name is ________________________________________________. [Read informed consent.] I understand that you are in prison as a result of a drug trafficking charge.This study seeks to understand how people become involved in drug trafficking. I. First, I would like to begin by asking you a few questions about your background and contact with the criminal justice system. [Answer all questions in this section.] 1. Age ________________________________________________________ 2. In what country were you born? ________________________________ Citizenship _________________________________________________ Ethnicity ____________________________________________________ 3. Education Highest Grade Completed _____________________________________ 164 b Appendix 1 4. Prior Criminal Justice Contact with U.S. Law Enforcement Officials Age at First Arrest ___________________________________________ _ Offense at First Arrest ________________________________ _________ Number of Prior Arrests _______________________________________ Age at First Conviction ________________________________________ Offense at First Conviction _____________________________________ 5. Prior criminal justice contact with non–U.S. law enforcement officials Age at first arrest _____________________________________________ Offense at first arrest __________________________________________ Number of Prior Arrests _______________________________________ Age at First Conviction ________________________________________ Offense at First Conviction _____________________________________ 6. Age at First Drug Smuggling Arrest _____________________________ Offense at First Drug Smuggling Arrest __________________________ Number of Drug Smuggling Arrests _____________________________ Country of Residence at First Drug Smuggling Arrest ______________ Location of First Drug Smuggling Arrest _________________________ Age at First Drug Smuggling Conviction _____________________ Offense at First Drug Smuggling Conviction ______________________ Number of Drug Smuggling Convictions _________________________ Country of Residence at First Drug Smuggling Conviction __________ Location of First Drug Smuggling Conviction _____________________ [10 MINUTES] Instrumentation Study Design b 165 II. Now, I would like you to describe the drug smuggling offense that resulted in your incarceration, in general terms. [Answer all questions with underlines.] 7. Current Offense Date of Arrest ________________________________________________ Charge at Arrest ______________________________________________ Date of Conviction _____________________________________________ Sentence Length ____________________________________________ Conviction Offense ___________________________________________ 8. What type of drugs were you smuggling? _________________________ What was the size of the load (kilos)? _____________________________ How was the load packaged? ___________________________________ What was its estimated value in the United States? ____________ Did you pay for it? __________________________________________ If so, how much? ____________________________________________ Where did the load originate? ___________________________________ What was the final destination point? ____________________________ What were the routes and types of conveyances that were going to be used to get the drugs to the final destination point? (locations of pick-up points, trans-shipment points, stash points, delivery points, POE) _______________________________________________________ Who was the original owner of the load? (Specify whether an organization and/or single or multiple owners) __________________________ Did ownership of the load change at different points in the smuggling operation? ___________ If so, when? ___________________________ What part of the smuggling operation did you participate in? (Specify shipment points and method) ___________________________ Therefore, which of the following would you say best describes your role in the offense for which you are currently serving federal time? 166 b Appendix 1 Smuggler Source Financier Pilot Air Crew Boat Captain Sea Crew Lookout offloader longshoreman Courier (Specify Route) Air Sea Land Other (Specify) ______________________________________________ Lawyer CJS (employee) __________________ ___________________ A. How were you recruited for this role? _____________________ What payment and instructions were provided to you? _____________ What were you told would happen if the load were stolen/lost/ interdicted? __________________________________________________ What was the nationality of the driver/boat captain/pilot? ___________ Was s/he trained to counter law enforcement entities? ______________ Were the drugs hidden in a compartment specifically manufactured for drug smuggling or were you using an existing void or space? _______________________________________________________ If modified, how? _____________________________________________ By what type of person? _____________ Where? _________________ And how were the drugs going to be accessed from the compartment? ________________________________________________ What was the level of confidence that law enforcement would not locate the hidden compartment? _________________________________ Was the conveyance owned by someone or rented? ________________ If rented, from what type of company or person? __________________ If owned, by what type of person? _______________________________ Did they know it was being used to smuggle drugs? ________________ If applicable, did they know it had been modified to smuggle drugs? ______________________________________________________ How many runs were made with this vehicle/boat/plane? ____________ What was the make of the vehicle/boat/plane? _____________________ Instrumentation Study Design b 167 How many times was it stopped by law enforcement? ______________ How did you plan to avoid detection? ____________________________ What techniques did you use to try to avoid detection (spot plane, lookout, and corrupt officials)? _________________________________ Did law enforcement authorities inspect you...