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B. Terrain/Weather: 22 '/2 miles of relatively unincorporated Florida coastline coupled with the short distance to the Bahamas, Indian River County provides virtually unlimited opportunities for organizations to use maritime conveyances to smuggle humans, drugs, and other contraband. The Gulf Stream flowing between Florida and the Bahamas is one of the most powerful ocean surface currents in the world. Mariners take full advantage of these currents and prevailing easterly or southerly winds when departing the Bahamas to arrive at the Fort Pierce and/or Sebastian Inlets. C. Criminal Element: The United States Department of Justice National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) has designated South Florida as a high intensity drug trafficking area (HIDTA). Because the country has been more diligent in protecting inland borders in recent years, criminal organizations are returning to the seas more to smuggle humans and contraband. Indian River County's economic climate, largely dependent on agriculture and tourism, renders it an ideal destination for human trafficking victims. The rich demographic composition of Florida, ranking third for the number of immigrants living within its borders, provides a steady supply of vulnerable victims for traffickers to prey on. From prostitution to indentured servants to migrant farm workers, Florida exhibits a uniquely high demand for traffickers to profit from. From human smuggling to drugs, criminal organizations have been increasingly targeting the Treasure Coast. While the Miami area and Florida Keys still remain popular destinations for human and drug smuggling, heavy enforcement and prosecutions in those areas may be one reason criminals operating primarily out of the Bahamas are trending north more often. Currently, the U.S. Government has an incomplete knowledge of the international recreational boating public, their travel patterns, and limited information available regarding fishing fleets and the multitude of small commercial vessels operating in or near the U.S. waters adjacent to Indian River County Florida. Small vessels are vulnerable to potential exploitation by terrorists to deliver weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) or Waterborne Improvised Explosive Devices. The ability to track and gather intelligence has become increasingly difficult and the criminal element has become sophisticated with increased counter-intelligence capabilities. This vulnerability is compounded by a very limited advance notice of arrival requirements for most recreational small vessels arriving from abroad and the inability to screen for weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). D. Friendly Forces: Federal: Customs Border Protection (CBP)/Border Patrol (BP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), United States Coast Guard (USCG), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) State: (FWC), Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Central Florida Regional Domestic Security Task Force (CFRDSTF), Central Florida Information Exchange (CFIX), Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Local: Indian River County Sheriff's Office (IRCSO), Vero Beach Police Department (VBPD), Sebastian Police Department (SPD), Indian River Shores Public Safety Department (IRSPSD), Fellsmere Police Department (FPD). 2 177