Drug Trafficking
In The United States

drug trafficking in the united states

"Drag trafficking is an activity that involves the importation, manufacturing, cultivation, distribution, and/or sale of illicit drags.

In this hierarchical system, narcotics are moved from smugglers, growers, or manufacturers to wholesalers who pass the product down through the chain of distribution to retailers and eventually to the consumer or drug user"

(Desroches, 2007, ¶ 1).

Despite the problems inherent in drug abuse promoted by drug trafficking from Mexico and other countries as well as by individuals living in America, United States (U.S.) consumers continue to spend billions of dollars each year on illegal drugs. Producing and supplying illegal drugs currently comprises a massive global business venture expected to continue to grow; negatively impacting the way a person's mind and body works. Drug trafficking portrays the supply side of the drug trade. In the book, Drug trafficking. What if we do nothing?, Harris (2009) explains…...

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References

Cooke, M. (2010). Tales from the DEA: Project deliverance or project folly?

The American Civil Liberties Union. Retrieved June 30, 2011 from  http://www.aclu-wa.org/blog/tales-dea-project-deliverance-or-project-folly 

DEA, ICE mend fences; agree to share information on drug trafficking. (2009, June 19). The Washington Times (Washington, DC), p. A03. Retrieved June 29, 2011, from Questia database:  http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5031569861 

Desroches, F. (2007). Research on Upper level drug trafficking: A review. Journal of Drug Issues, 37(4), 827+. Retrieved June 29, 2011, from Questia database:  http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5035230201

" Drug trafficking began to finance and impact the politics in Colombia during the time to an unprecedented degree. (Schmid, 2005) as a way to stifle their political adversaries' revenue stream and fight against them, the FAC began trafficking drugs as well. esearchers see the increase of laboratories in the country as evidence to the link between FAC and drug trafficking. The FAC claims publically to not be involved in the drug trade. Any information or physical evidence that could be used to prove their direct involvement is lacking and circumstantial, in the opinions of those who both support and fight against the FAC. (Schmid, 2005)
This group and others like it have changed the game in terms of counterterrorism. Since groups like the FAC began successfully drug trafficking while still conducting terrorist activities, government agencies and other counterterrorist groups have developed a theory of the "narco-guerrilla" and "narcoterrorism." (Schmid, 2005)…...

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References:

Makarenko, T. (2004). The Crime-Terror Continuum: Tracing the Interplay between Transnational Organised Crime and Terrorism. Global Crime, 6(1), 129 -- 145.

Schmid, a. (2005). Links Between Terrorism and Drug Trafficking: A Case of Narco-Terrorism? International Summit on Democracy, Terrorism and Security, January, 27, 1 -- 14.

Drug trafficking provides people with money and power. A lot of crimes are connected to drug trafficking. That is because the activity is often run by criminal organizations that make large profits from the selling of drugs and people. When criminals traffic drugs that frequently traffic humans as well. These people are often trafficked for sex, slave labor, and organs. When drug trafficking mixes with these kinds of crimes, national security can become a big problem. This is because some of these criminal organization could be terrorist in nature and may use the money gained from trafficking to promote and implement a terrorist agenda.
Drug trafficking in the United States frequently occurs in the border. However, there does exist trafficking through the use of drug mules. Human Sex trafficking a frequent pairing to drug trafficking is a serious violation of human rights, but also provides ability for those like drug traffickers…...

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References

Executive Office of the President,. (2013). NATIONA L DRUG CONTROL STRATEGY. Retrieved 26 September 2015, from https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/federal_support_for_local_law_enforcement_equipment_acquisition.pdf

Ivan, K. (2015). Drug Cartel War as the Major Security Challenge in the U.S.-Mexican Relations: Centre for European and North Atlantic Affairs -- Analysis. Cenaa.org. Retrieved 26 September 2015, from http://cenaa.org/analysis/drug-cartel-war-as-the-major-security-challenge-in-the-us-mexican-relations/

Seelke, C., Wyler, L., & Beittel, J. (2010). Latin America and the Caribbean: Illicit Drug Trafficking and U.S. Counterdrug Programs.

State.gov,. (2013). Volume I: Drug and Chemical Control. Retrieved 26 September 2015, from  http://www.state.gov/j/inl/rls/nrcrpt/2015/vol1/

Iran Contra and Drug Trafficking
An Analysis of Our Government's ole in Drug Trafficking

American foreign and domestic policy has long been shaped by more than what is reported in the mainstream media. Yet, sometimes events transpire that the mainstream press cannot ignore -- such as the Iran-Contra Affair in the 1980s. The Iran-Contra Affair revealed an intricate web of CIA black ops, arms and drug trading, smuggling, and regime change -- none of which the American people were supposed to know about. In fact, Iran-Contra exposed the vein of hypocrisy that is bulging on the forehead of American politics: the fact that the war on drugs is waged on citizens who are being furnished with drugs by the very government that condemns them. This paper will analyze how Iran-Contra is just one example of the way the American government uses black ops to support hidden agendas (like drug trafficking) to finance…...

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Reference List

Chapman, B. (2012). Interview with James Corbett. Corbett Radio. Retrieved from  http://www.corbettreport.com/?s=bob+chapman&x=0&y=0 

Dawson, R. (2011). Why 9/11 Still Matters. Anti-Neocons. Retrieved from http://www.rys2sense.com/anti-neocons/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=26320&hilit=iran+contra

Joint Hearing before the Select Committee on Intelligence and the Subcommittee on Health and Scientific Research. (1977). NYTimes. Retrieved from  http://www.gulfwarvets.com/ProjectMKULTRA.pdf 

Perkins, J. (2007). The Secret History of the American Empire. New York, NY:

This is troubling because, it means that in spite all of the different efforts to disrupt supplies; they have continued to remain strong. As a result, this is showing how the policy approach that has been taken is a failure, by not having any kind of effect on reducing the total amounts of Cocaine on the street (as the level of prices is an indication of this supply). The information from this source is useful, because it provides a total big picture view of the overall scope of the problem. This is important, because it can be used to establish how the current approach and policy are ineffective at addressing the underlying challenges.
Enforcement vs. Prevention. (2010). All About Addiction. Retrieved from: http://www.allaboutaddiction.com/addiction/enforcement-vs.-prevention-and-treatment-solving-our-addiction-problem-requires-all-three

This sources talks about how there is not an emphasis on drug treatment programs in the United States. As they point out how there is no vested interested…...

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Bibliography

Drug Trafficking. (2004). Policy Almanac. Retrieved from: http://www.policyalmanac.org/crime/archive/drug_trafficking.shtml

Enforcement vs. Prevention. (2010). All About Addiction. Retrieved from: http://www.allaboutaddiction.com/addiction/enforcement-vs.-prevention-and-treatment-solving-our-addiction-problem-requires-all-three

Law Enforcement Officers. (2010). Drug Rehab. Retrieved from: http://www.drug-rehab.com/news/law-enforcement-officers-advocate-for-treatment-rather-than-prison-sentences-2087.php

Large quantities of drugs have slipped across the border in large propane tanks, hazardous materials containers, canned food, and drums of jalapeno peppers. One example of the increasingly innovative ways traffickers are smuggling drugs occurred when traffickers smuggled drugs from Mexico, into the United State, and then further into Canada concealed in a special mold of porcelain toilets. Clearly, the present DEA budget is no match for the virtually limitless resources of the drug traffickers disposal (Hamowy, 1987).
According to Massing (2000), governmental agencies would need to spend $783 million more annually, to cut cocaine consumption by one percent. Similarly, prohibition efforts would need to be increased by $366 million, while domestic law enforcement would need to be increased by $246 million, to decrease consumption by one percent. In contrast, relying solely on treatment, the government would only need to spend an additional $34 million to attain that same one…...

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References

"Drug control strategy for 2010." (May/Jun 2010). NCADD Washington Report, 13(5/6). Print.

Drug Trafficking. (2004). Policy Almanac. Retrieved from: http://www.allaboutaddiction.com/addiction/enforcement-vs.-prevention-and-treatment-solving-our-addiction-problem-requires-all-three  http://www.google.com/search?tbo=p&tbm=bks&q=+inauthor :http://www.policyalmanac.org/crime/archive/drug_trafficking.shtml

Enforcement vs. Prevention. (2010). All About Addiction. Retrieved from:

Hamowy, R, 1987, Dealing with Drugs: Consequences of Government Control. Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy: San Francisco.

Drug Task Force
During the investigative process for a suspected drug-related criminal organization, a judge has issued a wiretap order for a suspect's phone. I have been assigned the responsibility of monitoring the suspect's phone conversations. During the course of such monitoring, I have heard the suspect and other individuals, who may or may not be involved in the drug ring, discussing other types of criminal activity. I have to decide whether the wiretap warrant allows me to take action against the suspect(s) based on what I have heard in those phone conversations. In order to do so, I must investigate the constitutional issues involved in the issuing of a wiretap warrant, as well as the scope of the material covered by that warrant. I need to understand that if I arrest the other individuals not associated with the reasons for the wiretap, what may happen to any future evidence obtained…...

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References

Electronic Frontier Foundation. (2013). Wiretapping law protections. Retrieved September 15,

2013 from Surveillance Self-Defense website:  https://ssd.eff.org/wire/govt/wiretapping-protections 

LaMance, K. (2013). Police use of wiretaps. Retrieved September 15, 2013 from LegalMatch

website:  http://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/police-use-of-wiretaps.html

Drug Trafficking in Italy

Drug trafficking in Italy presents a complex and persistent challenge with deep historical roots and far-reaching impacts on both the Italian society and the global community. As a gateway between Europe, Africa, and Asia, Italy has long served as a strategic locale for the import and transit of illicit substances (Savona & iccardi, 2013). The pervasiveness of organized criminal groups, such as the Sicilian Mafia (Cosa Nostra), the 'Ndrangheta of Calabria, and the Camorra from Campania, has been fundamentally linked to drug trafficking operations within the country (Dickie, 2013). These groups have developed highly sophisticated networks for smuggling and distributing drugs, effectively embedding the drug trade within the social and economic fabric of Italy and beyond (Varese, 2011).

Primary Drugs Trafficked


Cocaine: The 'Ndrangheta is particularly influential in the cocaine trade, with connections to South American cartels that give them a dominant position in the European market…...

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References

Savona & Riccardi, 2013

Dickie, 2013

Varese, 2011

DNA, 2020

Solution to Stop Drug Trafficking and Terrorism in the United States and Abroad
Drug trafficking and terrorism in the U.S. And abroad

Simply put, illegal drugs appear to be one of, if not the most lucrative sources of funds for terrorist activities. Mainstream media, scholars, policymakers, and even the general public commonly believe that terrorist activity is funded by global sales and/or trade in illegal drugs. It has been suggested that terrorist groups use the funds generated from the lucrative drug trade for bribery, communication networks, safe houses, and weapons purchases (DEA, 2014). Furthermore, if true, these funds from sale of illicit drugs also enable planning and execution of even more attacks. Advantages of the illicit drug market to terrorists might include ease of entry into the drug trade, minimal infrastructure investment needed, and insignificant transportation costs relative to immense profit (allentine 2003; Cornell 2005). Other factors may include the fact that…...

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Bibliography

Bagley, B. (2012). Drug Trafficking And Organized Crime In The Americas. Woodrow Wilson International Center.

Ballentine, K. (2003). Beyond greed and grievance: reconsidering the economic dynamics of armed conflict. In K. Ballentine & J. Sherman (Eds.), The political economy of armed conflict (pp. 159-186). Boulder: Lynne Rienner.

Baruah, S. (1994). The state and separatist militancy in Assam: winning a Battle and losing the war. Asian Survey, 34(10), 863-877

Bibes, P. (2001). Transnational organized crime and terrorism: Colombia, a case study. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice 17(3), 243-258

According to the U.S. Department of Justice there are now 1.5 million individuals in prison facilities in the U.S. For the following types of offenses:

Drug Offense

59.6%

Robbery

9.8%

Property Offenses

5.5%

Extortion, Fraud, Bribery

6.8%

Violent Offenses

2.7%

Firearms, Explosives, Arson

8.6%

hite Collar

1.0%

Immigration

2.8%

Courts or Corrections

0.8%

National Security

0.1%

Continuing Criminal Enterprise

0.8%

Miscellaneous

1.5%

Source Bureau Justice Statistics online at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/

The following table labeled Table 1.0 shows the drug arrested for each year running from 1986 to 2002, the drug categories and the number of arrested in that category as the kilograms or dosage units of drugs seized during the arrest..

Table 1.0

It is clear that the trafficking of drugs in the United States is focused on by the Drug Enforcement Agency as well as other various agencies in an attempt to stop the flow of drugs into the United States. Law enforcements officials are using all available means in order to detect and apprehend those involved in the trafficking of the drugs. A great deal of these…...

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Works Cited

DEA News Release: Operation Jump Start Guatemalan-Colombian Drug Cartel Dismantled Online available at: http://crime.about.com/od/wanted/p/montoya.htm

Cops Use Electronic 'Sniffer to detect Illegal Drugs' U.S. Department of Energy Report 2005 Online available at: http://crime.about.com/od/current/a/case_news.htm

Montaldo, Charles (2005) Online Pharmacy Ring Busted Crime/Punishment Online at: http://crime.about.com/b/a/163989.htm

DEA Statistics: Drug Seizures Online available at:   / statistics.htmlhttp://www.usdoj.gov/dea 

The global cocaine seizures in 2002 indicate a 10% fall from 1999 -- the latest peak year for cocaine production. Although the bulk of cocaine seizures in 2002 continued to be in the Americas (55%in South America; 32% in North America), the most disturbing trend is the rise in European seizures (13% v. 6% in 1990 and 8% in 2000). The increase in cocaine trafficking to Europe is mainly due to the saturated and relatively high-risk market of North America and the relatively higher profits available in Europe. The declining trend in cocaine traffic to North America is attributed to effective eradication programs in the source countries and stricter crack-down by the drug enforcers on the cocaine market in the U.S.

Most of the worldwide cocaine traffic is managed by deeply entrenched criminal groups / drug cartels based in Columbia. These organizations use a sophisticated infrastructure to move cocaine by land,…...

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Works Cited

Bitter-Sweet Harvest: Afghanistan's New War." IRIN Web Special. February 20, 2005.  http://www.irinnews.org/webspecials/Opium/weblinks.asp 

Drug Trafficking in the United States." U.S. Drug Enforcing Administration. February 20, 2005.  

International Drug Trafficking
One of the most prominent international issues regarding drugs is the ways in which these substances are illegally moved across borders. It was originally believed that the drug trade could be adequately controlled by enforcement. However, after roughly forty years of the failure to win the "war on drugs," it is becoming undeniably obvious that enforcement is not the effective solution to this situation. The role of globalization in the international community has worked to facilitate the exchange of information and goods, including the illicit drug trade; illegal markets have reached a level of complexity that no one previously thought possible and the value of the illegal drug market is valued at over five hundred billion dollars a year (Jenner, 2011). This hidden market has created innovative methods of subverting any effects of increased international enforcement and in many cases uses violence to ensure local compliance.

The drug laws…...

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References

Ahmed, A. (2015, August 29). Young Hands in Mexico Feed Growing U.S. Demand for Heroin. Retrieved from The New York Times:  http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/30/world/americas/mexican-opium-production-rises-to-meet-heroin-demand-in-us.html?_r=0 

Drug Policy Alliance. (N.d.). Drug Laws and Drug Enforcement Around the World. Retrieved from Drug Policy Alliance:  http://www.drugpolicy.org/drug-laws-and-drug-enforcement-around-world 

Felbab-Brown, V. (2012, August). Organized Criminals Won't Fade Away. Retrieved from Brookings:  http://www.brookings.edu/research/articles/2012/08/drugs-crime-felbabbrown 

Jenner, M. (2011). International Drug Trafficking: A Global Problem with a Domestic Solution. Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies, 901-927.

Introduction With a total population of over 130 million people and being one of the major economies across the world, Mexico seems to be a nation that is all set to develop into a global superpower (Statista, 2018). Nonetheless, the country is unable to control proliferating corruption and violence emanating from drug trafficking. According to Kim (2014), Mexico is ranked 97th out of 178 in regard to the Failed State Index owing to its properly broadcasted problems with drug cartels. In addition, based on the corruption perceptions index, Mexico is ranked position 138 out of 180 with only a score of 28 percent (Transparency International, 2019). On an everyday basis, Mexican cartels partake in money laundering of millions of dollars. Mexican cartels have significantly and adversely impacted Mexico as a whole.
Mexican Cartel Operations
Mexican cartels are the biggest suppliers of various illicit drugs including cocaine, heroin and methamphetamines to the United States.…...

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References

Bender, J. (2014). Nearly Eight Years Into The Drug War, These Are Mexico\\'s 7 Most Notorious Cartels. Business Insider. Retrieved from:

Blackstone, S. (2012). The amount of money Mexican drug cartels spend on bribes is staggering. Business Insider. Retrieved from: https://www.businessinsider.com/mexicos-drug-war-the-incredible-costs-of-corruption-2012-6?IR=T

Gutierrez-Romero, R., Oviedo, M. (2018). The good, the bad and the ugly: the socioeconomic impact of drug cartels and their violence. Journal of Economic Geography, 18(6): 1315 – 1338.

Kim, J. J. (2014). Mexican Drug Cartel Influence in Government, Society, and Culture (Doctoral dissertation, UCLA). Retrieved from: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6tg3z64q

Lee, B., Renwick, D., Cara Labrador, R. (2019). Mexico’s Drug War. Council on Foreign Relations.

Statista. (2018). Mexico: Total Population. Retrieved from: https://www.statista.com/statistics/263748/total-population-of-mexico/

Transparency International. (2019). Mexico. Retrieved from: https://www.transparency.org/country/MEX

https://www.businessinsider.com/mexicos-7-most-notorious-drug-cartels-2014-10?IR=T

Domestic Drug Trafficking
The illegal drug market in the United States is one of the most profitable in the world, and attracts the most sophisticated and aggressive drug traffickers (Drug pp). According to U.S. Customs Service, sixty million people enter the United States on more than 675,000 commercial and private flights, and another 6 million enter by sea, and some 370 million by land (Drug pp). Moreover, 116 million vehicles enter by crossing the Canadian and Mexican borders, and more than 90, 000 merchant and passenger ships dock at U.S. ports carrying more than 9 million shipping containers and 400 million tons of cargo, with an additional 157,000 smaller vessels docking at various coastal towns (Drug pp).

Amid all this trade, drug traffickers conceal cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine shipments for distribution into U.S. neighborhoods (Drug pp).

The traffic and distribution of illegal drugs involves diverse groups (Drug pp). Criminal groups operating…...

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Work Cited

Sesin, Carmen. Caring for 'drug mules' who perish on the job: Colombian aids forgotten victims. NBC News. May 25, 2994. Accessed from MSNBC.com web site on May 05, 2005.

 http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5050399/ 

Humbles, Andy. Dealers get creative when hiding their drugs. The Tennessean.

February 15, 2004. Accessed from The Tennessean web site on May 05, 2005.

Traffic Film Analysis
Traffic is a 2000 film directed by Steven Soderbergh that focuses on the drug trade between the United States and Mexico, the factors that encourage individuals to promote the drug trade, and what steps are being taken to curb the drug trade. The film relays a very realistic interpretation of the proverbial war on drugs and demonstrates that drug culture has becomes so ingrained in society that it may be impossible to completely stop the drug trade between the United States and Mexico, or the United States with any other country.

Traffic seeks to investigate the ideologies of those that attempt to stop the trafficking of drugs between the United States and Mexico and those individuals and/or groups who promote drug trafficking either out of necessity or because they want to expand territorial claims. In the film, ideologies can be divided based on nationality and further divided based upon…...

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Works Cited

Gaghan, Stephen. Traffic. Screenplays For You. Web. 7 October 2012.

Grillo, Ioan. "Top 10 Notorious Drug Lords." Time Specials. 22 June 2011. Web. 7 October

2012.

Just, Sara. "Nightline: Traffic -- The Reality Behind the Movie." ABC Nightline. 19 March. Web.

## Navigating the Labyrinth of Gang-Related Essay Topics

Investigating gang-related topics for an essay can be an intricate and illuminating endeavor, allowing you to delve into the complexities of this societal phenomenon. From the historical origins of gangs to their impact on communities and potential solutions, there is a multitude of angles to explore. Let's embark on a journey through ten potential essay topics, each offering a unique perspective on the multifaceted world of gangs:

### 1. The Genesis of Gangs: A Historical Retrospection

Immerse yourself in the historical backdrop of gangs, tracing their origins and evolution across different epochs and geographical regions.....

One recent news story related to drug trafficking in Italy is the arrest of Italian mafia boss Raffaele Imperiale in Dubai in November 2021. Imperiale has been on the run since 2016, when he was convicted in Italy for drug trafficking and sentenced to 30 years in prison. His arrest highlights the global reach of Italian organized crime groups and the challenges law enforcement agencies face in tracking down and apprehending these powerful criminals.

Another potential essay topic related to drug trafficking in Italy is the increasing use of cryptocurrency by drug traffickers to facilitate their illicit activities. In recent years,....

Drug Trafficking in Italy: A Complex and Evolving Problem

Introduction

Italy, located at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Sea, has long been a strategic transit route for drug trafficking from producing countries to consumer markets in Northern Europe and beyond. In recent years, the country has faced significant challenges in combating drug trafficking, with organized crime groups playing a major role in the illicit trade. This essay will explore the current state of drug trafficking in Italy, examining its impact on society, the efforts of law enforcement to combat it, and the need for comprehensive strategies to address this complex problem.

The Role....

1. The impact of drug trafficking on the Italian economy
2. The role of organized crime in drug trafficking in Italy
3. The effectiveness of Italian law enforcement in combating drug trafficking
4. The influence of drug trafficking on Italian society and culture
5. The rise of synthetic drugs in the Italian drug trafficking market
6. The connection between drug trafficking and violence in Italy
7. The role of international drug cartels in the Italian drug trade
8. The challenges of addressing drug trafficking in Italy's border regions
9. The relationship between drug trafficking and political corruption in Italy
10. The future of drug trafficking in Italy and potential....