Drug trafficking into the United States from South America presents a significant and ongoing threat to national security. Financial gains from smuggling provide drug cartels with funds to increase drug manufacturing and weapons purchases, thereby exacerbating violence on the Mexican border and in the United States. Illegal entry of drugs into the United States involves land, air, and sea trafficking activities. Maritime smuggling from Mexico or the Caribbean to the United States is a critical port of entry that requires additional resources. These activities include the use of cargo containers, fishing boats, low profile ships, fast ships and narco submarines (fully or semi-submersible). Some ships are designed to hint at surveillance through the use of camouflage paint while others feature a low radar cross section to avoid detection. A recent U.S. Coast Guard report noted that “each year, the Coast Guard intercepts more than three times the amount of cocaine seized at our borders and within the United States combined. “It is estimated that 90% of cocaine imported into the United States passes through sea transportation as part of the smuggling process. Despite the significant quantities seized, the Coast Guard is only able to stop approximately 20% of smuggled drugs due to limited resources. Therefore, there is a need for a cost-effective, long-term monitoring capability that leverages available technology and assets. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayA joint program of the U.S. Coast Guard, Navy and Drug Enforcement Agency should be led by the White House to improve Current monitoring and detection of maritime drug trafficking methods. Hydrophones are underwater microphones that can be used as part of a system to identify ships based on their unique sound signature. During the Cold War, the United States Navy created the Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS) to quickly monitor and detect Soviet submarines. Creating a similar program for the USCG would provide a more accurate and cost-effective long-term technique to replace current costly surveillance by aircraft and ships. Past experience in SOSUS will allow the Navy to assist the USCG in establishing a hydrophone network to monitor known or expected high-density drug trafficking routes. After the hydrophones are in place, the USCG will create a database of sounds. Each maritime vessel creates a unique mechanical sound signature. Once collected, the sound signatures will be added to the database and correlated to the vessel responsible for them. This database will be an ongoing project, as new vessels will need to be classified as interdiction targets or not. Those not classified as target are included in the database, so future contacts can be safely ignored, saving resources. Use of the hydrophone network will provide important strategic data, including the identification of emerging routes. When a suspicious vessel is identified by the hydrophone system, a drone will be dispatched to assess the target in order to discriminate non-concerned recreational or commercial vessels from those involved in trafficking. Drone pilots can be obtained from those currently employed by the Navy or DEA..