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Drug Trafficking In Costa Rica

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Drug trafficking is the worldwide manufacturing, distribution, and selling of illegal substances. Organizations called drug cartels are the illegal businesses that conduct this trade. According to the UNODC, Afghanistan is the world’s largest producer of heroin and other opiates, and the majority of opiates produced in the world are trafficked through Afghanistan’s surrounding countries. North America accounts for 40% of the world’s cocaine consumption, and Colombia is one of the largest cocaine suppliers for both North America and Europe. Peru, Bolivia, and Central American countries are some of the main cocaine suppliers in Europe. One of the first global drug conflicts were the Opium wars (beginning in the early 1840’s), a series of conflicts …show more content…

1,700 kilos of cocaine are approximated to be dealt through Costa Rica by the end of 2016. In 2014, more than 20% of the country's GDP was being used for drug trafficking, drug production, corruption, tax evasion, and other crime. For most of the 2000’s Costa has led Central american countries in drug confiscation, and the country’s police organizations have been coordinated to focus their efforts on patrolling ocean and sea routes for smuggling. Costa Rica is also working with the US, Colombia, and Panama to diminish this problem. Unlike many other countries, especially in Central America, it is not a criminal offence to possess drugs for immediate personal use. Many Central American countries including Costa Rica are wanting an international debate to reform drug legislations. In 2013, Costa Rica allied with the US to prevent drug cartels from infiltrating the country. Besides improving security measures, Costa Rica has not proposed any major resolutions to the drug trafficking problem. One method of prevention that the Costa Rican government would be in favor of is focusing their efforts on shutting down drug cartels. Drug cartels in particular pose large threats to many Latin American countries around Costa Rica, and disbanding these cartels should be the main focus for this region. If drug cartels were no longer a threat, Costa Rica would not have to fear being overtaken by these organizations, and the drug supply around the rest of the world, especially Central America and the US, would be greatly

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