War On Drugs And Drug Trafficking

Criminal organizations operating from South America smuggle cocaine and heroin into the U.S. via a number of routes.

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.

Harsh, cruel, and unusual is an understatement to the punishments given to drug dealers for their drug related offenses. Mandatory minimum drug sentencing was arguably established to target higher level drug dealers but recently the majority of cases have been low level drug dealers. Distributing narcotics is a serious offense, but do these people who are trying to support themselves, a family, or an addiction deserve to spend close to a lifetime incarcerated?

Drug Cartels are large highly sophisticated organizations composed of multiple Drug Trafficking Organizations-DTOs and cells with specific assignments such as drug transportation or security. The Cartel is the highest on the drug ring chart and these organizations are highly defined with control structures that produce, transport, and distribute large quantities of illicit drugs (US Drug Enforcement Agency, 2004). The criminal groups operating in the U.S. controls drugs in the ranges of small to moderately size groups. The top three levels of the drug trafficking chart show how organized the criminals are and how much is at stake. The trafficking ring has affected so many lives, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). These trafficked drugs affect people on every socio-economic background, region, and people with any level education. Early use of illicit drugs leads to unhealthy behavior and it is also associated with unwanted pregnancy and premature sexual activity which results in exposure to STDs and or HIV. The U.S. suffers an annual loss of about 70 billion dollars due to

Organized crime can be narrowed down to five unique areas of criminal activity. The first being racketeering, an umbrella term, meant to describe when any group or groups conduct one or more of the other criminal activities. One of the most successful ways the federal government has been able to hinder the actions of hardcore criminals is through the formation of the RICO Act (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations). The second area of major criminal activity is vice, or vice operations. This has to do with victim-less crimes such as drugs, gambling, and prostitution. Again, these crimes are highly problematic because it is the public that decides whether or not they prosper. It’s all too easy to build a case against someone breaking a law by importing huge quantities of controlled substances across a border, but it becomes much more difficult to stem the sale or need for such drugs once they have reached their intended destinations.

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

Narcobusiness is entrenched in economies and in lives of people in the drug producing countries. It provides much better income than traditional jobs. Weakening of the state, its inability

Drug trafficking is a major problem in the United States. More than 100,000 people are killed each year and everyone is affected. Communities are destroyed, families split apart, and billions are spent trying to keep it out.

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.

In 1971 President Richard Nixon declared a War on Drugs stating that drug abuse was “public enemy number one”. Four decades later America is still waging this war that many say can never truly be won. The goal of this campaign has always been the prohibition of drugs, military aid, and military intervention with the stated aim being to define and reduce the illegal drug trade however the tactics used thus far have done little to solve the problem of drugs in the United State. The use of military to combat this issue has resulted in billions of tax dollars with little results. Since 1970 the drug addiction rate has stayed consistent while the U.S. drug controlled spending has dramatically increased. Illegal drug trafficking thrives and violence escalates as this war against drugs wages on. The call to end the war on drugs has been made but can we really end something that should be treated like any other social issue?

Drug trafficking is the worldwide illegitimate trade, which involve the cultivating, producing, distributing and the selling of materials that are subject to the drug proscription laws. There are a number of drugs which are trafficked into the United States. These include, but are not limited to heroin, marijuana and cocaine. The system of drug trafficking in the United States as well as in other countries and continents remains very complex. Although the government and non-government bodies have set important laws to exclude the practice, drug trafficking has been a disturbing problem for many years. Many people who venture into this dangerous and prohibited business do it in search for money. It has been a belief that drug trafficking gives people a

Organized crime is often committed by highly controlled criminal groups that participate in illegal activities for financial benefits. Indeed, organized crimes terrorize multiple facets of the American nation, which include the US’ economy as well as national security. The FBI assigns the costs of organized crime globally at one trillion dollars per year.

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

America, Mexico, and drugs have had a lengthy relationship. In addition to acting a main illegal drug producer, Mexico also provides routes for the transit of drugs originating in other Latin American countries (“Mexico 's Drug War Heats Up”). The U.S. National Drug Intelligence Center reports that Mexican drug trafficking organizations are "the single greatest drug trafficking threat to the United States." Ninety percent of the United States’ cocaine enters from Mexico. Mexico is also a main supplier of marijuana and methamphetamines in the U.S. Mexico really started taking over the reins of the multibillion-dollar drug traffic in the 1990s when several powerful Colombian cartels dissipated. How much does “multibillion-dollar” refer to? From drag sale in the United States alone, it is estimated that Mexican cartels make between $19 and $29 billion every year (CNN Library). Recently

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”