The Scope and Effects of the Illicit Drug Trade Caused by Mexican Drug Cartels
Abstract

As the country’s attention remains focused on whether a peaceful transition of presidential power will take place during a period in America’s history when the Covid-19 global pandemic continues to ravage the nation’s health and economy, it is easy to overlook the profound threat represented by Mexican drug cartels. Indeed, some authorities estimate that as many as one hundred thousand people have died in drug cartel conflicts since 2006, and this figure does not take into account the tens of thousands of American lives that are lost in the federal government’s ill-fated war on drugs. Against this backdrop, it is reasonable to question why tens of billions of scarce taxpayer dollars continue to be spent on a “war” that is claiming thousands of American lives each year without any substantive return on these investments. The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic review of the relevant literature concerning Mexican drug cartels to identify the extent of the problem, its primary antecedent causes, and what steps have been taken in recent years to combat these violent international drug organizations. Finally, in recognition that these past efforts have largely been ineffective in stopping Mexican drug cartels, an analysis of potential solutions is followed by a summary of the research and key findings concerning these issues in the paper’s conclusion.

Mexican Drug Cartels: Present Danger, Future Threat

Today, Mexico shares one of the world’s longest borders with the United States and is one of its largest trading partners (Mexico economy, 2020). Despite some political wranglings over immigration policies, the United States and Mexico have enjoyed an excellent relationship over the years and current indications suggest that this solid relationship will remain in place well into the foreseeable future. Notwithstanding these trends, however, there are still some major challenges facing both countries in terms of violent gangs of narco-traffickers known as Mexican drug cartels that continue to generate billions of dollars in criminal proceeds while simultaneously exacting an enormous toll in human lives. To determine the facts and what can be done, the purpose of this paper is to to provide a systematic review of the relevant literature concerning Mexican drug cartels to identify the extent of the problem, its primary antecedent causes, and what steps have been taken in recent years to combat these violent international drug organizations. Finally, in recognition that these past efforts have largely been ineffective in stopping Mexican drug cartels, an analysis of potential solutions is followed by a summary of the research...…Mexican drug cartels are also far more dangerous than the marijuana that was their main focus in years past. Today, Mexican drug cartels deal primarily in truly life-threatening illicit drugs such as methamphetamines and cocaine, but there are also indications that these organizations are responsible for fueling the rapid increase in opioid addictions and overdose deaths from the powerful drug fentanyl and similar opioid compounds (Dhillon, 2020).

The DEA does not discount the adverse effects of cannabis smuggling, but the agency does acknowledge that times are changing with growing numbers of states legalizing marijuana in some capacity which may account for the change in focus to more powerful and potentially deadly drugs that are easier and faster to produce and smuggle across the U.S. border. As the DEA head points out, “Mexico is an opium poppy-cultivating/heroin-producing country and nearly all of the heroin produced in Mexico is destined for the U.S.” (p. 2). In other words, Mexican drug cartels are already a force to be reckoned with, and recent trends suggest that these problems are going to continue to intensify well into the foreseeable future as the people of the United States are forced to deal with the psychological toll that has been caused by months of combined existential crises and illicit drug use increases as a result.…