The city of Brownsville, Texas is the fourth most populated border town in the United States, and the third most populous border town in the state of Texas alone. Brownsville is located on the most southern tip of the state and is the last largest town to shared a border with Mexico, as the city of Matamoros is on the other side of the Rio Grande in Mexico. The location of Brownsville makes it an attractive option for drug smugglers, traffickers and cartels operating out of Mexico, which is why it has garnered the attention of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA.)
The DEA office located in Brownsville is under the jurisdiction of the division office in Houston. Since Brownsville is located just south of Houston, and then is also located on the way to the Dallas-Forth Worth metropolitan area, Brownsville is an attractive place to smuggle drugs into the state. Once the drugs are moved across the border, then it is just a straight shot on the Interstate to large cities and other major corridors that connect to the rest of the United States.
High Profile DEA Cases out of Brownsville
The following are some examples of the duties performed by DEA agents operating in and around the Brownsville, Texas area:
- January 2013: In coordination with the Border Patrol, DEA agents in Brownsville helped bust a drug smuggler who was attempting to bring in nearly $1 million worth of cocaine and methamphetamine. The smuggler was believed to be connected to a major drug cartel operating in Mexico.
- February 2011: Slightly more than 220 pounds of marijuana were recovered in a Brownsville home by the DEA in the area. Three men were put into jail as suspects of drug smuggling and dealing in the city. Slightly more than 22 pounds of cocaine were also found on the scene, which was the result of a Crime Stoppers tip given to the DEA by an anonymous source in the neighborhood. The suspects have no clear connections with Mexican drug cartels, but the DEA said that their supplier likely does have direct connections to cartels across the border.
- April 2013: A routine traffic stop resulted in the DEA being called in to investigate a suspect who was in possession of more than 3.2 pounds of crystal meth. The drugs were found in the town of Harlingen, which is considered a suburb of Brownsville.
Brownsville, Texas DEA Hiring Process
Applicants looking to get DEA jobs in Brownsville must first meet a series of basic requirements, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Must be at least 21 years of age
- Must be a United States citizen
- Must possess a valid driver’s license with a clean driving record
- Must be willing to relocate to any DEA office in the country
- Must be in very good physical condition and mentally able to perform the essential tasks
When considering how to become a DEA agent in Brownsville and pursue one of the various careers available with the DEA, applicants must also have experience in one of the following categories:
- Must have a Bachelor’s Degree with a 2.95 GPA or a LL. B Degree or J.D.
- Must have specialized experience with drug and narcotics arrests, busts and investigations
- Must have a bachelor’s along with at least three years experience in maritime/ piloting, military, auditing/ accounting, foreign language fluency, mechanic/ technical operations and procedures
If the applicant meets the basic requirements, they will be required to complete a series of interviews and exams, as well as extensive training to learn the skills necessary to be successful with the DEA in Brownsville, Texas.