The Prevalence Of The Problem Of Drug Smuggling

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.

Drug trafficking in the United States has established itself to be one of the most profitable businesses in today’s world (U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, 2004). There is such a high demand as more people buy, use and sell drugs for a variety of reasons, not really knowing all the risk that are at stake. With new laws in affect and more determined citizens of the U.S. everyone can help keep the streets clean. Drug trafficking is at an all-time high and must be brought to a halt.

Substance abuse and consumption have become an epidemic in America. The use of drugs results in countless drug-related deaths and causes states to spend billions of dollars to combat drug trafficking. Drugs are shipped in by sea, air, automobile, and even smuggled in by person. These drugs are supplied by drug cartels. These criminal organizations where formed to promote, control, produce, and distribute narcotic drugs. While these cartels operate from all parts of the world, some of the most infamous are the Mexican and Columbian Cartels. America has put policies into combating drug trafficking, however these policies are not

Multinational character of drug trade requires law enforcement being close to the source of the drug production. Given that many local governments in drug producing countries are weak and lack resources, an outside power, like DEA is necessary to train local law enforcement, cooperate with them, and provide intelligence to address the problem. Moreover, expansive character of drug trafficking networks and the traffickers opening new routes to accommodate new markets might complicate interception of the drugs as they leave the country of production. Therefore, DEA’s operations might have more success being in such countries and try to intercept the drugs before they leave their countries of

For many years the United States has made an effort to restrict the importation of drugs. The United States has developed activities related to drug trafficking. To stop the importation of drugs, the Department of Homeland Security has gathered an estimate of $2 billion, or as Hart and Ksir (2015) states, 20 percent of its overall budget for drug control. Although there have been drug smugglers who continue to success in becoming uneducated by law enforcement, the United States is doing more to enforce drug laws and stop from importing drugs. The United States has used Air Force radicand aircraft and Navy patrol boats to detect and track aircraft and boats that might smuggle drugs into the country (Hart & Ksir, 2015).

Drug trafficking is a major problem in the United States. When this trade reaches third world countries, it usually spreads incredibly fast and law enforcement is more easily corrupted. It is the illegal trade involving cultivation, manufacture, distribution, and the sale of substances which are illegal under the law. The drug trade is estimated to bring in more than $100 billion every year from the U.S. The number of global deaths each year due to illegal drugs is over 200,000.

Human and Drug trafficking are huge global problems and it affects millions or people, even if they do not know about it. Mexico’s drug and human trafficking are huge issues, and people tend to different methods in how the problems should be solved. However, the main reason in why these two things are such an issue is all because of money. They both bring in major profits and “benefits” into Mexico and those in charge of this industry, it also brings in revenue into the United States for those that a part of these two cartels. Both the Drug Cartel and those in power of the Human Trafficking concerns, keep this things going because of the politicians that are placed into power of their regions. Many people keep saying that they should fix what is happening; however the problem is much more difficult than that.

With globalization of trade, it is simple for crimes between criminals in the U.S and other countries to occur. For example, drug dealers from one country sneaking illegal substances and other contraband into packages and ship it off to the U.S. Drug dealers think and plan this smuggling well, in attempts to successfully enter their product into the country to sell and distribute. In 2016, there were large shipments of narcotics coming from the Caribbean to areas of Southwestern U.S. The task force comprised of the U.S Coast Guard, The Drug Enforcement Administration and other agencies. This task force managed to interfere with drug smuggling from the Bahamas and denied traffickers access to do so. (Homeland Security, 2016) There are also products

Given its geographic location, Mexico has long been used as a staging and transshipment point for narcotics and contraband between Latin America and U.S. markets. Mexican bootleggers supplied alcohol to the United States gangsters throughout the duration of the Prohibition in the United States,[94] and the onset of illegal drug trade with the U.S. began when the prohibition came to an end in 1933.[94]

The Mexican drug trade is a very lucrative business, resulting in numerous factions fighting for territory and profit to be had. The United States populace is the largest consumer of illicit drugs in the world and the demand is never-ending. The main Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTO) continue to provide the service of manufacturing and distributing illegal drugs and in turn earn billions of dollars each year in profit. Violence and greed from the drug trade has turned Mexico into a war zone for the foreseeable future with no end in sight.

Unfortunately for the illicit drug market, disrupt in the supply chain does not just occur during production, but can also be intercepted during transportation. According to the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (2015), “the U.S. Coast Guard, seized one submersible and two semi-submersible vessel for transporting drugs [from Colombia]” (138). The threat of confiscation without compensation, due to drugs being a part of an illicit economy, compels traffickers to utilize more covert and inventive methods in the movement of substances. An example of a preventative measure commonly applied by organized crime groups is a monetary bribe provided to customs officers for purposefully overlooking drug smuggling across country borders, “higher levels of income inequality are also known to provoke drug trafficking and corruption… members of marginalized groups may view corruption and involvement in criminal organizations as a viable way to improve their lives” (The Drug Problem and Organized Crime, Illicit Financial Flows, Corruption, and Terrorism 33). Comparatively to members of the illicit narcotics market, individuals a part of the criminal justice system may succumb to bribery for financial gain as a result of perceived income inequality. Consequently of globalization, an enhancement of

Drug trafficking is one of the most serious problems in the world.It is indeed an international concern, especially in the American continent. Sadly, this apparently shows no signs of changing anytime soon. Researchers believe that it will end when the UNODC (United Nations office on drugs and crime.) pressures and investigates corruption into Mexico and the South America‘s Governments leading to intervention and effective punishment. First of all, the US is trying to end corruption within their own borders. It is not known if the full impact of this “disease” or “habit” has been fully recognized. It is not a secret that drugs and illegal immigration is crossing everyday through the borders of the United States, then they must pressure and investigate corruption into Mexico and the South America‘s Governments. what really make the attractive is that the drug business is that it is so productive that it had grab the attention of thousands of people, which have got involved all kind of societies. the rich people wants more money and poor people

Large organizations called cartels reign over the illegal drug economy in Mexico which are in constant violent competition against U.S. law enforcement officials and members of the Mexican government. According to Campbell (2008), there are four main cartels including the Chapo Guzmán Cartel, the Tijuana Cartel, the Gulf Cartel, and the Juárez Cartel. Attempts to control the multi-billion dollar drug trafficking trade leads to dangerous and often fatal circumstances that have evolved from the “informal, unregulated, underworld nature of smuggling” (Nordstrom 2007) created by pressures from the Mexican government and the United States’ “War on Drugs”.

In a country of struggling economies, many have viewed the drug trade as one South American’ s most successful businesses. Latin America 's drug trafficking industry has been depicted in United States popular culture through motion pictures such as Scarface and Traffic. The purpose of my research is to take away society’s perception of what Hollywood has depicted drug trade to be and bring out what narcotics trafficking really is, as well as trying to coincide with the motivations of those people who take part in this. I will present the origins of drug trafficking, case studies regarding two countries (Mexico and Colombia), as well as the overall effects of the business on South America and United States. Drug Trafficking in South America starts in the early 19th century.

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”