Police corruption at the border involves officials accepting bribes to facilitate illegal activities like drug trafficking and human smuggling

. This corruption is a major concern, and law enforcement agencies like the FBI and Department of Justice investigate and prosecute these cases, which can involve anything from accepting money to looking the other way or directly helping criminal organizations. 

Types of border corruption

• Bribery: Officials accept money, watches, or other valuable items in exchange for allowing illegal goods (like drugs) or people to pass through checkpoints.
• Misappropriation: This includes officials embezzling or stealing from other agencies or travelers.
• Providing assistance: In some cases, officers have been recruited by criminal organizations to act as moles, helping smuggle items through checkpoints. 

How it is being addressed

• Investigations: Agencies like the FBI have task forces to investigate corruption and work with local, state, and federal partners to combat it.
• Prosecutions: Corrupt officials are prosecuted and sentenced to prison. For example, a Customs and Border Protection officer was sentenced for receiving bribes to allow drug-laden vehicles through his lane, as reported by the Department of Justice.
• Internal accountability: Departments like U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have internal affairs offices to investigate corruption within the agency, often working with other agencies like the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General.
• Public reporting: The FBI encourages the public to report suspected corruption, whether they are frequent travelers, truck drivers, or other law enforcement officials, notes the FBI. 

Examples of corruption

• A CBP officer was sentenced for accepting bribes of tens of thousands of dollars to let drug-laden vehicles pass through a checkpoint.
• A former border patrol agent was sentenced to five years in prison for receiving thousands of dollars in cash, Rolex watches, and a car to look the other way regarding illegal crossings, according to the FBI.
• A CBP officer was sentenced to 240 months in prison for smuggling tons of drugs after being recruited by a cartel and paid $5 million, as reported by ABC News.