Running Head: THE DRUG TRAFFICKING CONCEPT 1

The Drug Trafficking Concept

Selena Teran

Arizona State University

Abstract
THE DRUG TRAFFICKING CONCEPT 2

This paper focuses on illegal drug trafficking and how it is a complex system that has led to

various developments within society today. The developments range from technology,

communication, law, and the direct impact within the communities of its origination. Included

are reasons to why it has led to many attributing characteristics of the trade. It also includes

arguments that are against the spread of drug trafficking in the originating countries and others.

The ultimate purpose is to give individuals that are directly impacted by drug trafficking that see

it in a negative way a new perspective.. This new perspective is the drug trafficking trade as a

complex system and the benefits that have come from it.

Keywords: latin america, law enforcement, drug trade

The Drug Trafficking Concept

THE DRUG TRAFFICKING CONCEPT 3

The drug trafficking that originates from Latin America is a topic that has been prevalent

in the knowledge of the U.S and Latin America’s government and public. According to the Drug

Policy Alliance, the war against drugs has been going on now for up to forty years (Drug Policy

Alliance). The U.S and other countries have been trying to combat the trade through different

methods in an attempt to stop it. Much of the attempts have led to failure in struggle and that is

because of many other reasons. Even though illegal drug trafficking is seen as a plague that is

hard to get rid of it has still caused various developments in the countries that it’s impacted

directly as well as the countries that it has impacted indirectly through the actions taken by them.

For this reason the concept of drug trafficking is what it makes it is a very complex system.

The spread of drug trafficking throughout Latin American and other countries has

increased significantly over time. As a result it has led to a globalization through extensive

networking and always changing drug routes. The United Nations Press Release and Media

Coverage mentioned that the use of new technology such as satellite communication this

complex system has been able to develop new ways of communicating without being interrupted

(United Nations, 1998). Drug trafficking is very influential in countries such as the United States

of America, United Kingdom, and Canada because they are known as developed countries.

Developed countries have a better economy, health, education, and a more up to date use of

technology such as phones and other communication devices (United Nations, 1998). Since there

is a correlation between the use of technology there is a greater amount of individuals who

consume drugs because it is more accessible. Another reason is that the advancement in

technology has allowed drug trafficking to become easier to move product because of the new

ways to communicate. Therefore, the drug trafficking system has caused technology to advance.
THE DRUG TRAFFICKING CONCEPT 4

A contradictory argument in the spread of drug trafficking throughout the world is that it

has led to detrimental effects. This argument is given mainly by those who oppose illegal drug

trafficking. For example, it adds violence and crime rates go up higher. In accordance with The

Social Impact of Drug Abuse, crime rates that are attributed to drug trafficking are usually in low

socioeconomic neighborhoods (Smith, 1995, p. 7). This means that there are other factors that

contribute to the rising crime rates other than drug trafficking. The other effects are the physical

and emotional damage to the users and environmental destruction. Since there is an increased

spread of drug trafficking there is also an increase in the use of drugs.In some cases individuals

who consume these drugs may develop addictions and may even begin to seek for help

(Smith,1995, p.8). This not only affects the individual but those around them such as their

family. In which it causes emotional damage due to the fact that their loved ones are dealing with

illness such as addiction. In the end, although this is contrary to drug trafficking it proves that it

is more prevalent in low socioeconomic communities.

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In addition to development in globalisation, the system of drug trafficking has brought

communities together in the countries that it has the most influence in. According to Trinkunas,

the countries that have a high drug trafficking influence are developing countries such as

Columbia, Mexico, Venezuela, and Brazil (Trinkunas, 2016). Developing countries are countries

that are not as up to speed in its economy, technology, health, and education. The communities

that are in these countries are stricken by poverty which almost always includes lack of resources

and employment. The lack of resources usually include but are not limited to poor health care

and access to better schools with good resources equipped to educate children. Communities like

these are also ridden by violence and crime so as a way to get uplift and bring the community

together individuals that rank high within the drug trafficking community give money to the poor

so that they are able to do better for themselves. Casas- Zamora former Brookngs Expert nad
THE DRUG TRAFFICKING CONCEPT 6

Costa Rica’s Vice president stated that, “In Central Latin American countries the youth make up

21% of the population but 45% of them are unemployed” (Casas-Zamora, 2016). In addition to

that one fourth of the young are either not going to work or school. (Casas-Zamora, 2016).

Because of this it sets the opportunity for those involved with drug trafficking to offer jobs to

youth that are unemployed etc. This essentially works hand in hand to combat poverty and give

the communities something to relate to and work together to better themselves. In many ways the

drug trafficking community has given the lower class help in ways that the government or

programs have failed them in. This makes it easier for people to look up to traffickers as leaders

or even characters that parallel Robin Hood.

Another argument against Drug trafficking is that it attracts the youth and floods

communities with violence. In areas that are stricken with poverty such as in developing

countries like Colombia it attracts children that range in ages to do even simple tasks that add up

to a grander scheme in the drug trafficking world. This in return causes the violence to be present

within families. It creates an atmosphere that could become toxic with lies. The way that this

argument is not valid is because there is a choice to become involved or not be involved. It is a

choice to try to gain money from such means and therefore it is a choice to bring in negative

attributes into the home and direct communities.

The role of being involved in drug trafficking is appealing to communities that are highly

influenced by drug trafficking because it has created an enterprise that involves people from

different social classes. According to a study by UNDCP (United Nations Office on Drugs and

Crime), the disparity between the income levels of people who are rich and poor is growing

larger. Due to the lack of unemployment it leaves people in poor developing countries to find

work wherever they can. Those that want to become involved in the drug world do not need to
THE DRUG TRAFFICKING CONCEPT 7

have experience to join it. Individuals that are in developed countries and have higher

socioeconomic statuses are also involved in the system. In the same way that the trade is

appealing to them it is appealing to those in developing countries because it is a way to get out of

the low socioeconomic status that they are in. There these types of communities are tight knit

and hold high values of loyalty to what they do.

Another rebuttal of those opposed drug trafficking is that the reason why developing have

poor economies is by drug trade that has permeated poor countries. For example, the arguments

are that corruption has stopped from there being sustainable growth. Corruption is said to happen

through bribery and it allows for the continuation of the bigger problem. Another hindrance to

the economy is said to be because the government has become questionable because according

Transparency International, 53% of Latin Americans have reasons to believe that their

government officials are failing to address the problem of corruption. So because of this it could
THE DRUG TRAFFICKING CONCEPT 8

be said that the government officials are to blame for the economy in certain countries and not

drug trafficking because they allow it to continue and have a role in it.

Another benefit of drug trafficking has been the development and growth of law

enforcement. Police departments and the narcotics bureau have came up with new strategies in

order to combat the growth of drug trafficking. Mark Moore, faculty chairman in Criminal

Justice Policy and Management, mentions that some of these strategies include supporting the

communities that drug dealing is present in (Moore, Kleinman, 1989). This means that the police

are preparing by learning the sources of support that drug system has available in the

communities are prevalent in. In this way they are able to dismantle the problem before it

reemerges. Another strategy developed used by law enforcement is investigating drug trafficking

networks to be able to decipher the ways the networks work (Moore, Kleinman,1989). In

addition, these strategies were seen from a different angle in the approach that saw the drug trade

organized as a business enterprise. So this trade created the use of informants through criminal

prosecutions, payments, and witness program, heavy reliance on electronic surveillance and

other ongoing investigations, and the use of special statutes that criminal liabilities for

conspiracy, or engaging in criminal enterprises and extortion (Moore, Kleinman, 1989).

Others say that law enforcement has had to become involved in various countries and in

their government which in turn has led to conflict. But the case is that countries like the U.S and

Columbia have disagreed in policies and have become large enough issues that are not able to be

amended. But it has also caused various countries to communicate more together and form

alliances or commitment with each other. The conflict that countries that are being affected by

drug trafficking may continue but it does not mean that it will completely take the focus away
THE DRUG TRAFFICKING CONCEPT 9

from the original problem. The drug trade has brought more countries together than apart

therefore it has become a benefit rather than a negative.

As a result of drug trafficking there has been many developments that has allowed

globalization, development in law enforcement, and bringing communities together in adversity.

Globalization has had the effect of the spread of drug routes that started out in developing

countries of production and went on to developed countries overseas where they are mostly sold

and consumed. The rise of this system also caused the implementation of different strategies

from the law enforcement group that in return caused for better security in border, cities, and at

risk neighborhoods. One of the biggest developmental benefits that has risen from drug

trafficking system is way it has brought at risk communities together and allowed them to have

something to work towards and given them an opportunity to get out of the low status and

situation that they are in. Therefore, the drug trafficking system has led to new developments that

would not have happened if it weren't for the creation of this type of business enterprise so it is

important to have awareness of it and not easily disregard this concept.

References

Casas-Zamora, K. (2016, July 28). Paying Attention to Central America's Drug Trafficking

Crisis. Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/paying-attention-to-central-

americas-drug-trafficking-crisis/
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Drug Policy Alliance. (n.d.). The International Drug War. Retrieved from

http://www.drugpolicy.org/issues/international-drug-war

Floyd, L. J., & Alexandre, P. K. (2010). Adolescent Drug Dealing and Race/Ethnicity: A

Population-Based Study of the Differential Impact of Substance Use on Involvement in

Drug Trade. U.S National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health.

doi:10.3109/00952991003587469

Moore, M. H., & Kleiman, M. A. (1989, September). The Police and Drugs. Retrieved from

https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/117447.pdf

Smith, J. P. (1995, March 6-12). The Social Impact of Drug Abuse. Retrieved from

https://www.unodc.org/pdf/technical_series_1995-03-01_1.pdf

Trinkunas, H. (2016, August 12). The network effect: Trafficking in illicit drugs, money, and

people in Latin America. Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-

chaos/2015/12/03/the-network-effect-trafficking-in-illicit-drugs-money-and-people-in-

latin-america/

United Nations. (1998, June 9). EFFECTS OF GLOBALIZATION, MARKET

LIBERALIZATION, POVERTY ON WORLD DRUG PROBLEM AMONG ISSUES

RAISED AT ASSEMBLY SPECIAL SESSION | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases.

Retrieved from https://www.un.org/press/en/1998/19980609.ga9416.html

Revision Statement

This draft needed to be further developed in it’s APA format and a clearer voice so that its

purpose could be more direct. The first thing that I corrected was the APA requirements that

needed to be met because they were not there for the first time. For example, I changed the prior
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Arial font to the correct font. Another aspect of the APA format that needed to be clarified was

the keywords in the abstract part of the essay. The keywords need to be words that were able to

be explored further. Instead I had words that were general and too vague. The other corrections

were the introductions for the information and evidence given. The last correction was adding

the appropriate details for the in text citations. Most of the changes that were made were so that

format was correct and precise to be readable. The introductions for the information serve so that

the reader can understand were my input starts and where the paraphrase does. The revisions

created display improvement from original draft now because they are able to put the whole

essay together. It is now more functionable and is now better understood that what it was before.