Drug trafficking pertains to the illegal trading of drugs worldwide, which includes the actual cultivation, production, distribution, possession, and sale of drugs. All these are subject to federal and state laws that ban the selling of drugs, unless the drugs are used for medical purposes. Usually, these drugs are addictive in nature and with continuous use, it can considerably impair body and mental functions. Drug use could lead to loss of memory, heart diseases, cancer, and immune system deficiencies. It could also result to birth defects among children of drug users. It is also pointed out as one of the reasons for crime, violence, and social disintegration within society. Drug trafficking affects a country socially, economically, and politically.
Countries that engage in the production and distribution of drugs are often the worst affected by drug trafficking. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) constantly screen and research globally known drug markets to have a better understanding about the market and how drug traffickers work and think. As most of the drug trafficking problems occur in countries such as Mexico, Colombia, Honduras, and Afghanistan, among others, the routes where these countries pass through to complete their transactions are carefully watched, including Greece, Turkey, Russia and Western Europe. These markets alone have a market value of about $20 billion dollars annually (UNODC).
In terms of politics, there are Federal and State laws that govern the distribution and manufacture of drugs in countries. However, these laws are often in conflict with one another in the sense that Federal laws consider all types of drugs as causes for drug addiction, making it a risky and potential agent for abuse (Miron & Varela 8). However, with the help of the INTERPOL, member countries are able to monitor and receive drug alerts about “unique cases, new trafficking techniques or emerging trends” (INTERPOL Fact Sheet) as the agency provide analytical studies that focus on drug cartels and how each occurrence in various countries could be linked with one another. Conferences on drug topics, latest techniques on investigation, and how to strengthen the bonds and cooperation of law enforcements also happen in order to curb the drug trafficking problem (INTERPOL Fact Sheet).
In countries where rule of law institutions are weak, drug trafficking can prove to be a huge threat to its political environment, especially when governments are run by corrupt government officials as they can use politics and the country itself for the propagation of their criminal organizations. This is because such organizations can threaten whatever democratic processes a country has by interfering with the legitimate political arrangements in government as well as the country’s political stability. The problem snowballs as politicians involved in organized crimes such as drug trafficking lure others to join in their trade, leading to widespread corruption at the local and national political levels.
In most cases, countries that engage in drug trafficking benefit when politicians in destination countries are corrupt as it becomes staple transactions for corrupt governments and politicians, including the development of organized crimes (Rios 2). Mexico’s drug trafficking industry is, in fact, considered a very profitable business considering the amount in dollars that it pumps into the Mexican economy. Its focus is on the production and distribution of cocaine, marijuana, and heroin (Rios 3). Bagley (2012) states that with the globalization of consumption of illegal drugs, source countries such as Colombia and Mexico would not produce as much drugs as they are producing now had the United States not been a good and high consumer of drugs (1). Despite this, the U.S. cannot be considered as the main consumer of drugs considering the drugs also proliferate in the European countries as well. However, as INTERPOL and the UNODC remain vigilant on their pursuit of drug traffickers, drug cartels become more cautious about their transactions in order to remain on top of their game. This has resulted to dispersion and fragmentation of drug trafficking organizations (Bagley 7) into smaller groups. For instance, Bolivia has been working with peasant cooperatives in producing cocaine and worked with guerilla movements to work as their intermediaries with other regional consumers. At times, even the military served the same purpose. The same thing happened in Peru and in Colombia. With the absence of organizations and a weak military intervention on production and distribution of drugs, drug transactions and criminal organizations proliferated, paving the way for these countries to be known as major drug suppliers (Bagley 7). Fragmentation has even resulted to more difficulties in tracking down drug cartels because cartels acted in smaller groups, thus, dismantling them was arduous than when they were acting as a bigger institution. The main message sent by these drug traffickers is that by acting as a small criminal organization, they become “less vulnerable to law enforcement and state repression” (Bagley 8).
As a result, homicide rates and various types of crimes have increased. As citizens begin to feel insecure, some sectors of society begin to question the government’s stance on drug trafficking considering that organized crime is increasing. This resulted because “transnational organized crime, including but limited to narco-trafficking, exacerbates levels of violence, compromises state institutions, and undermines democratic quality and the rule of law” (Bagley 2).
On the social level, the citizens are bound to suffer more as they fear for their lives because of drug-related crimes. Globally, violent crimes such as murder are associated with illegal drug trading. In addition, this has been linked to the rising unemployment statistics among young people from 15-35 years old, including those who just started working and those who are already in the workforce. There are also those who resort to drugs out of desperation to find favorable work (“Economic and Social Consequences of Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 16). It has also been linked to low levels of employee productivity and accidents in the workplace and reduces employee competitiveness as an individual loses focus, determination, coherence, and ability to make sound judgment at work (“Economic and Social Consequences of Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 21). As a result, businesses are poised to lose more when they employ a drug-dependent workforce.
These issues will continue to occur as the reality about drug control and trafficking continues to be a matter of criminal law worldwide. However, if influential governments continue to support the global drug control system and accentuate prohibition and apply criminal sanctions on drug trafficking, the so-called “war on drugs” could be stopped or demolished. Some Latin American countries have already begun adopting harsh drug laws, including stiff prison sentences; have saved lives that would normally be harmed due to exposure to illegal substances. But the governments must ensure that penalties and punishments are applied on drug traffickers themselves and not only the users who normally comes from the lower sectors of society such as those with low incomes, little to no formal education, and limited job opportunities.
Works Cited
Bagley, Bruce. “Drug Trafficking and Organized Crime in the Americas: Major Trends in the Twenty-First Century.” 2012. Web. 21 January 2014. <http://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/BB%20Final.pdf>.
“Economic and Social Consequences of Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.” N.d. Web. 21 January 2014. <http://www.unodc.org/pdf/technical_series_1998-01-01_1.pdf>.
INTERPOL Fact Sheet. “Drug Trafficking.” 2012. Web. 21 January 2014. <http://www.google.com.ph/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=16&cad=rja&ved=0CFgQFjAFOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.interpol.int%2Fen%2FNews-and-media%2FPublications%2FFact-sheets%2FDrug-trafficking%2F&ei=anTeUt7hNaLoiAeh-IEY&usg=AFQjCNE_-AUxU1lTl_gKb1t4WiU8CEzhBA&bvm=bv.59568121,d.aGc>.
Miron, Jeffrey, A. and Varela, Gladys. “Medical Marijuana: A Status Report.” 2011. Web. 21 January 2014. <http://catalyst.harvard.edu/pdf/chirp/Medical_Marijuana_Report.pdf>.
Rios, Viridiana. “Evaluating the Economic Impact of Mexico’s Drug Trafficking Industry.” 2008. Web. 21 January 2014. <http://www.gov.harvard.edu/files/Rios2008_MexicanDrugMarket.pdf>.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime [UNODC]. “Drug Trafficking.” N.d. Web. 21 January 2014. <http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/drug-trafficking/>.
