Dismantle Cartels Case Study

Over the last several decades, violence has consumed and transformed Mexico. Since the rise of dozens of Mexican cartels, the Mexican government has constantly been fighting an ongoing war with these criminal organizations. The cartel organizations have a primary purpose of managing and controlling illegal drug trafficking operations in Central America and South America to the United States. Violence on a massive and brutal scale has emerged due to the nature of the illegal drug trade. Because the drug trade is vastly widespread, cartels are often fighting one another and competing in business. Mexican authorities count at least 12 major cartels, but also talk of an untold numbers of smaller splinter groups. (Taipei Times). Five cartels

The problem of drugs coming over into the United States from Mexico is not new, but it is serious and in spite of many efforts by American law enforcement and border authorities, it continues day after day. This paper reviews the problem from several perspectives and brings to light attempts the U.S. has made to stop drug trafficking on our border with Mexico. The biggest issue regarding border security is the power of the drug cartels, and the majority of emphasis in this paper is directed towards the cartels.

Due to drugs-related gang violence since 2006, when Mexican President Felipe Calderón entered office, more than 100,000 people have been killed (CNN Library, 2017). Among the major Mexican cartels - Los Zetas Cartel, Gulf Cartel, La and La Familia Michoacana, the Sinaloa Cartel is the most dominant drug trafficking organization in Mexico with an increasing presence in the United States. Roughly 80% of illegal substances like heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana are supplied by the Sinaloa Cartel (Woody, 2016). There have been several attempts of increased pressure from both the U.S. and Mexican governments to disrupt drug trafficking organizations and this has led to significant instability and violence escalating into a national security crisis.

In the twenty-first century there is a plethora of drugs distributing from Mexico to the United States all the way to Canada causing numerous people to be sentenced to prison, to depart from their families, and to even die. Luckily, there is one law enforcement agency created by the U.S. government to banish these horrible facets, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Breaking down and destroying drug empires, arresting the kingpin leaders of illegal narcotics, and trying to put an end to this terrorizing crime. Drug cartels have always been an enormous issue all across the globe, but the DEA is like the superhero trying to fight

The country’s borders make the most important part in the process of reducing drug trafficking in the U.S. Drug law enforcement agencies face enormous challenges when it comes to

To begin, The U.S. for decades, has been a target for major drug trafficking. Between the 1960’s and 1980’s, Mexico was a well traveled country, in which it brought to rise the Columbian drug-cartel into Mexico, led by Pablo Escobar and Ochoa Vasquez. Mexican gangs were being used to transport the number one selling drug at the time, cocaine. This led to the formation of the Sinaloa Cartel, the Juarez Cartel, Los Zetas and many more. The U.S. has been developing strategies to try and capture narco lords.

During the mid-2000’s former President of Mexico Felipe Calderon announced his war on the cartels and led to a crackdown against these organizations, along with assistance with

The government has made some gains, but at a heavy price. A total of 34,612 people have died in drug-related killings in Mexico in the first four years (Siddique). Most of these killing are between cartel rivals fighting for the control of territories. There are five cartels operating in Mexico: the Sinaloa, the Gulf, Juarez, Tijuana, the Zetas. The major cartels are the Gulf, Sinaloa and Juarez (Cook 21). Many of these cartels have joined together forming powerful alliances known as the “Federation” (Cook 17). The cartels work together, but they remain independent organizations.

While the Ms-13 gang members continue to grow through the United Stated becoming a great influence in almost every state, they were becoming more focused on recruiting the younger populations more than ever. At the same time, law enforcement and government officials became aware of the dangers these individual brought into cities and communities. They realize these violent criminal acts were causing serious problems and decided to take action. In 2004, in order to get a handle on this increasing growth of individuals as well as the vicious acts of violence, the FBI put together the MS-13 National Gang Task Force. The goal of this task force would be to put together resources from jurisdictions on the federal level that would be able to investigate

The homeland security mission and goals face many roadblocks and challenges in today’s world. The Quadrennial Homeland Security Review lists six strategic challenges which the Department of Homeland Security feels are of exceptional concern to the nation. Of these outlined challenges I believe that transnational criminal organizations

Summary: The southwest border region is the most significant national level storage, transportation and transshipment area for illicit drug shipments that are designed for markets throughout the US. The south west region is the biggest drug smuggling zone in the US. More illegal drugs are seized in this area than in any other arrival zone. Mexican cartels have developed expensive drug transportation networks extending from the Southwest border to all regions of the US. Drugs gets smuggled between ports of entry along the southwest border and are stored all throughout the US. The threat posted to the nation by the Mexican cartels that operate in Mexico and the southwest border region extends well beyond drug trafficking to other criminal activities including border

Drug trafficking is something that is hard for law enforcement to keep up with. The federal government has developed agencies in order to combat this problem. “The primary agencies involved in drug interdiction include the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency, U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Military” (Levinthal, C.F., 2012, p. 120). The DEA is responsible for enforcing illicit drugs laws and regulations. And bringing to justice any person or group that has any part in engineering, delivery or growing of an illicit drug with the intent to sale. The DEA are sometimes work undercover and are frequently out of the country conducting investigations with foreign leadership. The U.S. Custom and Border Protection

Due in part to September 11th attacks the federal government established the taskforce “National Joint Terrorism Task Force” (NJTTF). NJTTF represents 41 government agencies, collocated at the national, which operates a Counterterrorism Center and Domestic Terrorism Operations Section. Its mission is to cooperatively communicate with the following communities: Defense, public safety, homeland security, and intelligence. They share information such as terrorism threats and intelligence, support the Counterterrorism Division and support and manage JTTF. JTTF is the origin NJTTF originated. This will allow for addressing issues concerning radicalization and recruitment of domestic terrorist in the United States prisons and jails.

Tackling the War on Drugs (CD) and Combating Transnational Crime Organizations (TCO) is an important national security problem. While addressing this issue in a scholastic forum, I immersed myself into this problem set using the guidance of assuming the role of Colonel Tim Killian. Utilizing the provided case and the ADIA framework and course concepts, I reviewed and assessed the information presented. The goal of Joint Task Force North (JTFN) J-5 is to develop a “strategy for military support to counter drug efforts and more broadly fight transnational organized crime.”

The United States has led the fight against criminal activities from Mexican borders for many years. Criminal activities along the United States and Mexican border range from drug trafficking, human smuggling and an economy that disruptive. These are illegal activities scholars have argued could lead to the failure of Mexico as a country and the spread of violence to the United States. The illegal activities are not only a threat to the economy of Mexico and United States but also to the rest of the world due the impacts associated. The border between Mexico and US is of essential significance because it provides the link between the two countries. The border provides passageways through which either country can access the other via land or air means. Although the border is of significance to both countries, smuggling of drugs and trafficking human are main causes of violence between the countries. Drug cartels in Mexico smuggle drugs into the United States and this drives a war between them and the US government. The economy and the peace between Mexico and US is also affected significantly due to the illegal activities. To minimize the violence caused by these illegal activities, the US government need to act against the activities. The United States needs to increase the economic aid and military intervention to Mexico to fight the drug cartels, otherwise it could become a failed state; spreading more violence across the US border.