Judging from the statements in the article, it's the future of the drug war as well. That's an interesting vision of the future -- increasingly sophisticated autonomous smugglers and coast guards battling it out. It's better than putting human lives at risk, I suppose. Most of the people on these boats are probably low-level flunkies anyway.
Those looking to evade and pass through have a much easier job than subs looking to detect others.
Drug smuggling is astoundingly successful. When there is a "big" bust, it is on the news. That's not very often. They miss 90%+ of the shipments.
The transport is only one part of the equation. Millions are in prison for drug related crimes. The risk to human life from prohibition is far greater than the potential cost of increased addiction (though evidence points towards decreased addiction with programs focused on treatment rather than prison)
