Utah Senator Mike Lee has put forward a novel approach to combating drug cartels: authorizing private citizens to target them for profit. In a series of posts on X, the senator suggested leveraging the Constitution's provision for "Letters of Marque and Reprisal." Historically, these letters empowered private individuals (privateers) to act against enemies of the state, often during wartime, and receive a share of captured assets as a reward.
Senator Lee believes this concept could be adapted to address the threat posed by drug cartels. He envisions private security companies or trained civilians disrupting cartel operations, particularly drug and human trafficking across borders. Their focus would be on disrupting supply chains, apprehending key figures, and seizing assets like vehicles, cash, and equipment. This approach, Lee argues, would offer a cost-effective alternative to traditional military intervention, as privateers would be compensated from the seized assets.
Lee emphasizes that privateers would only profit from legitimate goods, while confiscated drugs would be destroyed. He acknowledges a potential challenge lies in incentivizing privateers, given that a significant portion of cartel assets consists of illegal drugs that cannot be legally sold. However, he points to other valuable assets like gold and cash that could be seized and used for compensation.
The proposal has garnered attention, with Representative Chip Roy deeming it "worthy of consideration" and Elon Musk suggesting it could yield swift results.
