精读原文:
Mules
Althoughthetopmeninsmugglingbusinessmustworktogether, mostofasyndicate'ssmallfry, especiallythemules, knowonlytheirimmediatecontacts. Ifcaughtthereislittletheycangiveaway.
Amuleprobablywillnotevenknowthenameofthepersonwhogiveshimhisinstructions, norhowtogetintouchwithhim. Usuallyheevendoesnotknowthepersontowhomhehastomakedelivery.
Hewillbetoldjusttosittightinacertainhotelorbaruntilsomeonecontactshim. Inthiswayifheisblown, comingthroughairportcustomshecannotunwittinglyleadagentstothenextlinkinthechain.
Allthepersonsatthereceivingenddoistohangaroundtheairportamongthewaitingcrowd, andseethatthemulecomesthroughsafely. Ifhedoesnot, heisdimplywrittenoffasaloss.
Tomakeidentificationofmuleseasier, severalsyndicateshavedevisedtheirown "clubties" sothatamulewearingonecanimmediatelybepickedout.
Mulesoftenreceivecarefultrainingbeforeembarkingontheirfirstjourney. OneBeirutorganization, forexample, usesaroomwiththreeairlineseatsinit. Therethetraineemulessitforhoursonendwearingweightedsmugglingvestsbeneaththeirclothes, sothattheybecomeaccustomedtostandingupafteralongflightinanaturalway, andwithoutrevealingwhattheyarecarrying.
AnoutfitinBrusselsmaintainedacomfortableapartmentwherethemulescouldrelaxandgetafirmgriponthemselvesonthenightbeforetheirfirstjourney; theywerehelpedtodressbeforesettingoutfortheairportinthemorning. Moreoftenthannotacourierwillnotknowpreciselywhereheisgoingorwhatflightnumberisuntilheisactuallyhandedhisticketsattheairport.
Thispreventsthecarelessboastinsomebarortoagirlfriendthenightbefore.
Mulesoccasionallyrunoffwiththegoodstokeeptheprofitthemselves. Asinsuranceagainstthis, asyndicateoftensendsahigh-uponthesameplanetokeepawaryeyeoncouriers, particularlynewones. Eventhenthingscangobadlywrong. OneinternationalcurrencysmugglerwhowashavingtroublegettingmoneyoutofBritainwasofferedhelpbyagroupofmenwhosaidtheywereinapositionto "fixthing"一forafeeofcourse. Foolishly, thesmuggleragreedtoaccepttheirhelp.
WhenhegottoLondon'sHeathrowAirport, hehandedovertooneofthemenablacksuitcasecontainingnearly $90,000 incash, destinedforFrankfurt. Justtokeepaneyeonthings, thesmugglerwentalongonthesameplane. WhentheylandedatFrankfurthewashandedbackhissuitcase.
Hebeatastraightpathtothemen'stoilet, openedthecase, andfoundonlyoldclothes. Thecourierhadswitchedsuitcaseenroute, butthesmugglercouldhardlyruntothepoliceandcomplainthat "