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PDB Afternoon Bulletin | February 12th, 2025: Drug Cartels Using Tunnels To Avoid Detection & An American Returns Home
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- [00:01]
Mike Baker
Have you ever spotted McDonald's hot crispy fries right as they're being scooped into the carton? And time just stands still? It's Wednesday, the 12th of February. Welcome to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. We'll start things off with a look at the Trump administration's border crackdown. Now, on the surface, the numbers show real progress. But when you dig into it, get below the surface, the cartels are still finding ways in. Later in the show, American teacher Mark Fogel is back on US Soil after spending three and a half years in a Russian prison on drug charges related to a small amount of medical marijuana. We'll bring you the details of his release. But first, the afternoon spotlight. The Trump administration's border crackdown appears to be making a serious impact, if the numbers are anything to go by. According to a report from Fox, the daily average number of known gotaways, that's the illegal migrants who successfully entered the US without apprehension, has dropped to just 132 per day since the beginning of February. Now, that's a staggering 93% decline from the peak numbers seen under the Biden administration, according to a senior Department of Homeland Security source. But while the numbers above ground look promising below the surface, well, there's another battle playing out, one that's been going on for decades. Mexican drug cartels have been using tunnels to smuggle drugs, people and weapons into the US for years. And even with enhanced border security, these underground routes, well, they remain a major challenge. US Officials believe that hundreds of these tunnels have been built beneath the border over the years. Since the early 1990s, more than 230 have been officially discovered, most of them in California and Arizona. The areas around San Diego and Nogales in particular have seen the highest concentration of tunnels due to their favorable soil conditions. And while authorities continue to find them, many more remain undetected. Some of these tunnels are remarkably sophisticated. Now, we've heard a lot about the tunnel systems running beneath Gaza, but it's important to note that the drug cartels actually have a lot more resources than Hamas. Take the Ote Mesa megatunnel. Now, that was discovered in 2022. The cartel built passage stretched more than 1700ft from Tijuana to a warehouse in Ote Mesa, California, reaching depths at times of 61ft. Unlike the crude smuggling tunnels of the past, this one had reinforced walls, a ventilation system, electrical wiring, and and even a railroad track to efficiently move the Drugs. When authorities finally found it, they seized over a ton of cocaine. That's a lot of coke. The Ote Mesa tunnel led directly to a warehouse in an industrial park. What's known essentially as a cover up. Now, cover ups are a key part of the cartel's smuggling operations. They're seemingly normal buildings, could be storefronts or warehouses or abandoned homes used to disguise tunnel entrances. Cartels go to great lengths, of course, to make sure these sites blend in, using trap doors or fake floors, even hydraulic lifts to conceal the tunnel openings. They're designed, of course, to evade detection for as long as possible, allowing smugglers to move the drugs without drawing attention. And it's not just the gear that's moving through these tunnels. Human smuggling operations are taking full advantage of this underground network. Reports from last year indicated that Mexican cartels were offering VIP smuggling packages for as much as $15,000 to help illegal immigrants enter the US via these tunnels. One senior Mexican official told USA Today that the La Linea cartel has allegedly been moving around 1,000 VIP migrants every month from Ciudad Juarez into El Paso through its tunnel system. These VIP clients reportedly include individuals who want to avoid detection at all costs, either because they have criminal records or because they fear deportation upon capture. For law enforcement, well, these tunnels are a nightmare. They're difficult to detect, they're costly to investigate, and constantly evolving in sophistication. Unlike surface level smuggling routes, these tunnels bypass traditional border security measures entirely. US Authorities have invested in ground penetrating radar, seismic sensors and intelligence operations to locate them. Well, but the cartels are always adapting, always working to stay one step ahead. After all, they are highly motivated to protect their revenue streams. Coming up next, American Mark Fogel is back on U. S. Soil after three and a half years in a Russian prison. I'll have those details after the break.
- [05:32]
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- [07:02]
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- [07:25]
Mike Baker
Welcome back to the Afternoon Bulletin. In a significant victory for the White House, the Trump administration secured the release of Mark Fogel, an American teacher detained in Russia for three and a half years, in a prisoner exchange that could signal a shift, could signal a shift in Washington Moscow relations. Trump personally welcomed Fogle at the White House late Tuesday night, where the teacher arrived draped in an American flag, visibly emotional. Fogle expressed his gratitude, stating, quote, thank you all and I love our country and I'm so happy to be back here. Trump, standing beside him, called it, quote, an honor to have played a role in securing his freedom. Fogle, who taught history for nearly a decade at the Anglo American School in Moscow where the children of US Diplomats were among his students, was arrested in a Moscow airport back in 2021 on drug charges. Russian authorities charged him with, quote, large scale drug smuggling. Oh really? After discovering 17 grams of cannabis in his possession, medication Fogle maintained was prescribed for severe spinal pain. In June 2022, a Russian court handed him a 14 year sentence in hard labor camp, the same court that had sentenced professional basketball player Brittney Griner before her high profile release later that year. The deal to bring Fogle home was spearheaded by Trump Special envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff and a team of senior presidential advisors. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz described the exchange as, quote, a show of good faith from the Russians and a sign that we're moving in the right direction to end the brutal and terrible war in Ukraine, end quote. While Trump did not disclose whether he personally negotiated with Russian President Putin, a senior US Official confirmed on Wednesday that the United States is set to return Russian cybercriminal Alexander Vinnick as part of the trade Now. Vinnick, a convicted cyber criminal, pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy charges related to the cryptocurrency exchange BTCE, which US authorities allege laundered over $9 billion in illicit transactions. The Justice Department maintains that under Vinnick's leadership, the platform became a financial haven for cybercriminals looking to funnel dirty money across the globe. Kremlin mouthpiece Dmitry Peskov declined to identify Vinic, but confirmed that a, quote, citizen of the Russian Federation had been released in exchange for Fogle and that he will return in the coming days. Trump framed the deal as, quote, very fair and very reasonable, hinting the exchange could contribute to broader diplomacy. Trump stated, quote, there is goodwill in terms of the war, referring to Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Addressing Fogle directly, Trump added, quote, you could be a big part of it, actually, because it could be a big important part of getting the war over with Ukraine, end quote. The President confirmed that another American is expected to be freed soon, though he withheld details. Among those still detained in Russia are American citizen Stephen Hubbard and Russian American dual citizen Ksenia Carolina. The State Department designated both as wrongfully detained. The execution of the operation was almost as notable as the swap itself. Special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, who had not previously been involved in U.S. russia negotiations, traveled to Russia to escort Fogel home. It was the first known high level American visit to Russian soil since the war in Ukraine began with Putin's invasion in February of 2022. Witkoff reportedly leveraged his Middle east connections, particularly through Qatari intermediaries, to facilitate the exchange. Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that while Fogel's release was not directly linked to broader efforts to end the war in Ukraine, it may hint at Moscow's shifting calculus. America's top diplomat stated, quote, it's a long way to go between here and there. It's not going to be easy. Rubio went on to add, quote, I do think it's a good sign that the Russians were willing to do something in this regard and hopefully we can build on that in the days to come. End quote. And that, my friends, is the PDB afternoon bulletin for Wednesday 12th February. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdb@the first tv.com and of course to listen to the show ad free should you be so inclined. Well, it's simple. Become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief by visiting PDB premium.com I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back tomorrow. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool. It.