CHAPTER 12
Abstract
Randal C. Archibald in his article Vast Web Hides Mexican Drug Profits in Plain Sights, U. S. Authorities Say, published on March 26, 2014 in The New York Times goes into one very important part of the drug business the drug profits and their realization in recent times. He describes the behavior of Hugo Cuellar Hurdado heading one of the biggest Mexico’s drug cartels Sinaloa replacing the captured leader Joaquin Guzman Loera. It took thirteen years broad cooperation work between U. S. and Mexican authorities. The time necessary to reveal the money – laundry web is vastly longer. Despite Mr. Cuellar and most of cartel’s associates and operatives, appeared on Government’s list of cartel operatives, the money – laundering web continued to operate. We have to admit that it took a long time for the U. S. authorities to concentrate on the money not only the way of drugs. Unfortunately Mexico is still behind the line and has not made the change to money from drugs. Another problematic issue is the fact that Mexico has already laws to oppose money – laundering but in most cases the Mexican officials say that the evidence, provided by U. S. authorities are not sufficient to allow arrests or forfeiting property according to the Mexican legislation. The authorities of U. S. and Mexico have accomplished some common investigations and forfeits of property. Their close cooperation frequently breaks down where it falls back to the cartel’s finance network and operations. It is believed that Mr. Guzman’s cash is hidden in Guadalajara and Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa State along the route of drug smuggling. Mr. Cuellar and others like him were not commented by the Mexican officials whether their assets were investigated and it was not announced if they had faced criminal charges in Mexico. On his part, Mr. Cuellar being Mexican – Colombian, believed he was suspected because of his childhood’s friendship with the big Colombian drug lord Leonidas Vargas Vargas, sentenced to nineteen years penalty for drug trafficking in Spain. Further he stated that if his Ranch business goes on suffering under American sanctions he would consider giving up and starting another business. The most worthy of notice in the article is the outline of how piece by piece the case of drug fighting is built by the U. S. authorities.
The above detailed article offers us small aspect of the situation nowadays. It is in connection with the knowledge we obtain from Chapter 12, section 12. From the Chapter we learn about the reasons for the appearance of Mexico as a major supplier of heroin in the United States after the “French Connection” is collapsed. We realize that the economic and infrastructural circumstances in Mexico have not changed considerably and the country remains the main supplier of drugs in the United States and the struggle carries on.
Reference
Archibold, Randal C., Vast Web Hides Mexican Drug Profits in Plain Sight, U. S. Authorities Say,
The New York Times, The Mexico’s Drug War, March 26, 2014, Wednesday
