Mexico's Role In Organized Crime

The United States is the world’s number one consumer of narcotics and thus 90% of cocaine seized in the U.S. comes from Mexico due to the close geographical boundaries it is easy to smuggle illegal drugs into the U.S. from Mexico. The U.S.’s demand for narcotics and other drugs creates an 18-39 billion dollar market each year, all coming solely from drug sales. Drug violence is a direct result of protecting each business 's product. Cartels like the Zetas use violence to create a “brand” for their franchise. The violent cartels create a sense of fear so no one gets in their way and so others will comply with their wishes and demands.

The changes in key government leadership positions have had significant implications on Mexico 's drug trade business (Lupsha 1995). Take the example of one of Mexico 's leading drug traffickers, Juan Garcia Abrego who is widely known as the inventor of Mexican drug trafficking. Abrego 's drug smuggling operations flourished under former President Salina 's administration. When former President Zedillo entered office in December of 1994, Abrego lost the high-level protection provided under the former President Salina. Without this level of protection, Abregos influence in the drug trade industry decreased dramatically to the point of bankruptcy, in a traditional business sense. During this transformation, other well-connected cartels gained uncontested access to large drug trafficking corridors once controlled by Abrego. Despite Abregos deteriorating drug influence in Mexico, President Zedillo put a large bounty on him, making Abrego the most wanted drug smuggler in Mexico. Nevertheless, Abrego 's eventual capture was highly celebrated by the United States as a sign of Mexico 's increasing efforts and dedication to the elimination of illicit drug smuggling operations. In my opinion the example of Abrego 's lost influence and highly celebrated capture directly relates to the politic rhetoric and corruption that is associated with

Mexican Drug Cartels have been a problem for many years. The cartels are an organized crime organization and they don’t just deal drugs; they commit murders too. The Cartels origins are traced back to the Columbian Cali and Medellin mega-cartels who were responsible for the majority of drug trafficking into the United States. Crime has existed for many years but it surfaced more when Pablo Escobar was popular. Pablo Escobar was one the main transporters for cocaine throughout Mexico and the United States coming straight out of Columbia. Law enforcement tried to stop the drug trade but Escobar formed a relationship with Mexico-based traffickers who smuggled drugs into the United States. Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo also known as “The Godfather” of the cartels. Seeing how he established the Guadalajara Cartel, which is recognized as the first Mexican Cartel, and were the first to link up with Escobar and started the transportation of cocaine

An author, Francisco E. Gonzalez, discussed one incident that took place, “A grenade attack on September 15, 2008, left eight dead and more than one hundred injured on the central square in Morelia (the capital of the state of Michoacán), on a night Mexicans were celebrating the 198th anniversary of their country’s independence.” (Gonzalez 72). This incident shows that safety is never guaranteed with the cartel’s violent and erratic behavior.

The report by the group of narcotics control that govern the democrat and republican party, Grassley also criticized the environment in Mexico that favors the activity of criminal organizations. “In spite of endeavors to build aversion and treatment programs, the united states remains the largest consumer of illegal drugs on the planet,” said the study. He clarified that in the country they are 22.6 million registered older consumers in the range of 12 years in the study made in 2010, representing 8.9 percent of the US population. The report, entitled “Responding to violence in Mexico,” Guatemala and Honduras were other countries who have also harshly been affected by drug trafficking organizations because of the high consumption of drugs in the united states said the study. The report highlighted the high rate of homicides in Mexico the last year, which averaged 77 murders per 100,000 people in the year 2010. This was a well written report showing the reason people have come to the conclusion that the main reason to the drug war and the one to blame is actually not Mexico but the united states. Another of the main reasons of the drug war in Mexico are the weapons brought from the united states to Mexico. After a decade of decline in the national homicide rate, Mexico today suffers an epidemic of gun violence. At least 120,000 people have been shot dead since 2006. Most of these murders are not committed with assault rifles, but rather pistols and revolvers. Many are perpetrated by gunmen linked to narco cartels, but also in clashes with soldiers and police. Most importantly, most of the weapons that cause chaos on the streets of Mexico are manufactured in the united states. Curiously, despite its destructive power, no one seems to know exactly how many firearms are in circulation in the

The Mexican Mafia, or “La Eme”, as they refer to themselves, is one of the most powerful and influential organized crime gangs in the United States. The organization has risen through the decades of mass gang wars and violence to become the power it is today. Their control is limitless and they have ventured far beyond the expectations of what was thought that gangs were capable of. They have infiltrated governments and manipulated politics. They have taken over neighborhoods and attempted to ethnically cleanse them. Innocent people have become caught up in the affairs of La Eme throughout its history and many have faced violence and death at their hands. This paper is a continual of the case analysis of the Mexican Mafia and will attempt to provide explanations for some of the crimes committed by this organization. Researching gangs and organized crime is important because of their large influence and control over many aspects of daily life. The significance of attempting to provide causations of their crimes can better provide the criminal justice system a clearer understanding of problems that lead to gang members committing crimes on behalf of the organization. A clearer understanding of problems can help the system to provide solutions to combat situations that inhibit crimes.

Have you ever wondered how illegal drug cartels have an effect on the Mexican people? For a decade, the drug business has become prominent over the world. Likewise, the company has also influenced the Mexican people more than anything on which they rely for money. As a result, not everyone abominates against the drug cartels as much as the individuals who have to suffer pain from it. Therefore, many people who receive help from the drug cartels has the positive reaction, and other people have endured punishment or unjust deed from the business.

In 2006, Mexico began to crack down on drug trafficking operations in union with the United States. Why all of the sudden? In regard to that question, my paper will include a history of events leading up to this sudden crack down on drug trafficking, from its start in the 1960’s until today. After the history of the drug war, I will discuss the main states involved like the United States and Mexico itself. Along with their main goal of eliminating drug trafficking all together, although it is a very high expectation. Mexico has sent out 50,000 soldiers that are being paid less than a burrito vendor, in attempt to lessen the

As a child when my mother would travel to Mexico there was always minimal extortion, “mordidas” from the judiciales when crossing the boarders. The country seemed relatively safe at the time. The mordidas was a common incident for people who would travel from the United States to their home towns. My mother said that it was uncommon to hear about drugs, massacre, and executions. Nowadays, this is the new norm in Mexico .

During the early 1990’s Colombia being one of the biggest exporters of narcotics in history, led by Pablo Escobar, who had a wide range of organized crime affiliations throughout Latin America. Pablo Escobar was a Colombian drug lord and he smuggled narcotics all the way to South Florida as when authorities tried to capture him. One of Pablo Escobar’s most important alliances was that of the Mexican-based traffickers. Escobar knew that this was an important trade route because of its geography and how it would be easier to smuggle the narcotics into the United States. This allowed a smuggling partnership between both countries and Mexico was to eventually lead their own drug based trafficking system with the help of Pablo Escobar. From the distributed drugs, cartels would take a certain amount of profit, and would use that money to bribe Mexican officials. By bribing Mexican officials it was insured that if smugglers were to be arrested they would either be let go, the case would be dropped or taking action against a rival smuggling group by giving away information about the rival’s plan to carry

The Mexican drug war began in the 1960s, with America’s love for illegal drugs fueling the fire. Narco-violence has claimed the lives of thousands of citizens in recent years. Drug cartels have become comparable to Mafia figures, and have resorted to Mafia-style violence to prove to the Mexican government that they remain in control. The violence caused by drug cartels is rumored to lead Mexico to become a failed state. George W. Grayson, regular lecturer at the United States Department of State, has made more than one-hundred and twenty-five research trips to Mexico, and is considered an expert on U.S.-Mexican relations. A recent book by Grayson, Mexico: Narco-Violence and a Failed State, describes the depressing situation provoked by

This article talks about how drug trafficking was thriving due to the new and unstable Mexican government, as well as drug lords and traffickers being regarded as heroes. This article touches on the fact that drug trafficking in Mexico is so widespread due to alliances between some drug lords and politicians. Overall, this article explains in detail how and why drug trafficking is so popular in areas across

Drug trafficking has become an increasingly growing problem in the world today. Illegal drug trade is a worldwide black market consisting of production, distribution, packaging, and sale of illegal substances. Although today’s "War on Drugs" is a modern phenomenon, drug problems have been a common problem throughout history. The market for illegal drugs is massive, when we consider the estimated global drug trade value is worth $321 billion (Vulliamy). The most drug trafficking happens on the border between Mexico and the United States. Former Mexican President Felipe Calderon said, “Our neighbor is the largest consumer of drugs in the world. And everybody wants to sell him drugs through our door and our window”

This study will also attempt to look for reason why drug trafficking and the subsequent violence is so prevalent in certain places, while also trying to find solutions to abate the power of the cartels and drug lords, and work towards eliminating the morbid amounts of violence and corruption seen both in Mexico and western Africa.

As previously discussed, Mexico is one of the biggest producers, and suppliers of illegal drugs. This market has grown incredibly over the years. It has become such a problem that the Mexican government has declared war against drugs. Drug cartels are very powerful in Mexico because they have such a profitable business going. While most of the country lives in poverty, Mexican drug cartels make around 64 billion American dollars that come just from consumption in the U.S alone. These organizations have created jobs for many Mexicans who have no choice but to get involved in this criminal business.