The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) is pleased to announce “Mexican Drug Cartels” training presented by Professional Law Enforcement Training, LLC. 

Course Description: 

Mexican Cartels are impacting communities in nearly every city in the United States. This problem can no longer be viewed as a “Border Issue” as most of the drugs distributed and consumed in the U.S. originate in Mexico. In addition to drug trafficking, the cartels are involved in human smuggling, fuel thefts, money laundering, extortion, and murder.

This course contains up-to-date information regarding the current status of the major Mexican Cartels to include their leadership, structure, territory they control in Mexico and primary crossing locations into the United States. The smuggling routes utilized by the Cartels do not stop once the drugs make it across the U.S./Mexican Border. That is simply first step. It is important for local law enforcement officers to understand the precise smuggling routes of drugs entering their cities. 

Mexican Cartels have continued their strategic relationship with traditional street gangs operating in the United States. Information will be presented to show the current alliances.

Proven investigative strategies will be presented in this course to aggressively target Mexican Cartels. These strategies include controlled buy operations, wire taps, and interdiction strategies. 

The use of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) has been utilized to disrupt and dismantle highly sophisticated Mexican Cartels. Information will be presented in this course to prepare successful OCDETF proposals. 

Mexican Cartel members rely heavily on spiritual protections and patron saints. It is imperative that law enforcement officials recognize the influences of the various saints as well as the influences of narcocorridos and narco-rap music. Information and visual images will be presented so that officers can recognize the patron saints if encountered in the field. 

Topics to be Covered Include:

This training is only available to sworn law enforcement officers in the Commonwealth of Virginia. 

Partial In-service Credit: 

Partial In-service Credit (PIC) for Virginia law enforcement officers will be available. 

Cost: 

There is no fee to attend this training.

Travel, Lodging, and Meals: 

Transportation, lodging and meals are the responsibility of the participant.