Young Americans, particularly college students, are the main buyers of the drugs. "The demand is there," said DEA special agent Misha Piastro. "There's pharmacies down there dispensing drugs, but those people in white coats aren't pharmacists, they're sales people."

According to Piastro, there are about 1,400 pharmacies in Tijuana, which is within walking distance of the U.S.-Mexico border. By comparison, San Diego, Calif., which has a similar population, has less than 400 pharmacies.

The Border Patrol acknowledges that since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, small-time drug smugglers have been a low priority. "Our primary focus is terrorism," said Vincent Bond, a spokesman for U.S. Customs in San Diego. "Terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. That said, we have not abandoned our traditional roles of keeping out dangerous chemicals."

According to Bond, agents focus on cocaine and heroin, as well as Schedule II drugs on the DEA's list that are highly misused and addictive. They include hydrocodone-based drugs such as Vicodin; methlphenidates, like Ritalin; and oxycodone, sold as OxyContin.

"These drugs are highly, highly addictive," said Sara Simpson, supervisor of the RxNet Task Force of the Pharmaceutical Narcotic Enforcement Team. "What we do see coming across is a myriad of everything. We see a tremendous amount of hydrocodone products and Ritalin."

Drug Abuse Warning Network statistics suggest that the problem is only going to get worse in coming years. "Unlike illicit drugs, pharmaceutical drugs cross all socio-economic boundaries," said Simpson. "The people who are addicted to these drugs are people that work just like you and me. We arrest police officers, nurses, airline pilots, school teachers."

Despite enhanced patrols at the border, Simpson said Americans can easily obtain prescription drugs in Mexico. Unfortunately, said Simpson, Mexican authorities are not eager to cooperate.

"It's another country," said Simpson. "We can't impose what we do in the U.S. with what they do there."

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