The city of McAllen, Texas is located along one of the biggest and most problematic drug trafficking corridors not only in the state, but in the entire US. McAllen is located on the Southern tip of the state and is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the entire country- with a population of more than 1.7 million when adding in the population of Reynosa, Mexico, which is right across the border and contributes significantly to the McAllen economy.
Reynosa also happens to be one of the epicenters of the drug wars between four major drug cartels operating in Mexico and South America, in which they smuggle heroin, cocaine, marijuana and crystal meth across the border, in addition to illegal firearms.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) office is McAllen is increasing the number of agents because of the growing population and the dramatic increase in drug smuggling activity over the last 5 years. The McAllen office is operated under the supervision of the Houston division office, which monitors all DEA activity in Southern Texas.
McAllen DEA Hiring and Recruitment Process
When determining how to qualify for DEA careers and jobs in McAllen, applicants must complete a series of exams and meet numerous requirements. There is also an extensive amount of specialized training that DEA applicants must complete before becoming full-time members of the administration. In addition to the basic requirements, applicants must also have qualify in one of the following categories of experience:
- Must have a bachelor’s degree with a 2.95 GPA, an LL. B Degree or a J.D.
- Must have specialized experience in drugs and narcotics investigations, including testifying in court, surveillance experience and evidence and intelligence gathering
- Must have at least 3 years of experience in mechanical/ technical abilities, maritime or piloting experience, foreign language fluency, auditing or accounting processes or military leadership experience in addition to a four-year degree at minimum
The DEA in McAllen
- March 2013: Police, with help from the McAllen DEA, conducted a two-day investigation, which lead to a record-breaking drug bust for the city of McAllen. Two people were arrested in connection with the possession of 116 pounds of cocaine and 47 pounds of black tar heroin, both of which were smuggled across the border from Mexico. The DEA said that the drugs were going to be distributed throughout the United States had it made it past McAllen and into the interior of the country.
- October 2008: At least 41 people were arrested by the DEA as part of a months-long investigation into a drug smuggling ring that stretched from Mexico to McAllen and then through Texas into Southern Georgia. The bust resulted in more than $22 million in drug money, 223 kilos of cocaine and at least 16,000 pounds of marijuana. All of the suspects were connected to a drug cartel in Mexico, although authorities and representatives from the DEA declined to name which one was responsible for the smuggling operation.