Drug Trafficking In Mexico – Its Effects upon Politics and Economy

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Introduction
Drug Trafficking In Mexico:
In recent years, the force of violence generated by the drug trafficking organizations of Mexico has been enhanced by many folds, as suggested by a variety of researches and study. The newly elected president of Mexico Felipe Calderon has shown his concern towards this matter and has recently launched an aggressive campaign which is an initiative towards the administration of the officials against drug trafficking organizations and the ferocious response from their side (Abadinsky, Abadinsky, 2008). Due to these efforts some of the key leaders from major DTOs have been removed but in turn, violent series of fights within the DTOs themselves have originated and since then about 28 thousand individuals have been targeted in the violence activities related to drug trafficking (Beittel, 2011).
The trade of many illicit drugs, though are an inherent feature of cruelty in Mexico but the appeal of drug trafficking and its associated violence have changed significantly and now exhibiting even more brutality. In the last few years, a major amount of public retainers have been murdered by DTOs supposedly including twelve mayors of Mexico as well. This massacre of young people and travellers, slaughters and disappearances of young Mexican journalists, use of brutal expanse of torture, number of car clashes have gained much coverage by media and is causing the forecasters to interrogate the officials if drug trafficking violence has been modified into something more penetrating and distinctive (Brown, Owens, 2010). Just like any other crime related activity, viciousness is used by criminals and smugglers to resolve out arguments between the representatives and to help them uphold their employee disciplines and semblance of orders with dealers Media commonly present the drug trafficking situations of Mexico as a disregarding subject, stated as “El tráfico de drogas representa un problema muy importante en la agenda nacional; tiene efectos económicos, políticos y sociales en la vida de millones de personas en el mundo. Afecta a las instituciones políticas de múltiples países, y en muchos casos, desafía al Estado. El grado de corrupción y violencia que el narcotráfico genera en muchos países y particularmente en México es muy alto” (Chabat, 1999). (Drug trafficking represents a very important issue on the national agenda; it has economic, political and social effects on the lives of millions of people in the world. It affects the political institutions of many countries, and in many cases, challenges to the State. The degree of corruption and violence generated by drug trafficking in many countries and particularly in Mexico is very high) (Chabat, 1999).
Mexico today, is one of the chief contractors of heroin in US market and is also one of the largest trader of marijuana and methamphetamine of the world (Farrell, 2012). Drug trafficking and its related threats are occurring more frequently in Mexico are now linked with even higher organizations of DTOs at an entirely different scale. This cruelty is not just creating a hassle and danger around the country but is also being directed towards the governmental officials, workers, news, media and common men. This is undeniably an alarming situation demanding proper addressing and decision making in the country (Fernández de Castro, Domínguez, 2009).
Background of Drug Trafficking In Mexico:
Given the geographic locations of Mexico, it has long been used as an enactment and transhipment point for the trade of narcotics and other related drugs across United States and Latin America. Previously, only Mexican bootleggers used to resource alcohol to American countries during the period of ‘Prohibition In United States’ but the onset of this illegal trade increased many folds after the prohibition was terminated in 1933 (Brown, Owens, 2010). It was by the end of 1960 that narcotic smugglers of Mexico started smuggling all kinds of lethal and potential drugs on an even bigger scale. This phenomenon has been stated in various findings i.e. “En años recientes, el uso de drogas se ha extendido en el mundo haciendo evidente que es un fenómeno global. Sin embargo, existen diferencias entre los países en cuanto a los niveles de consumo.Hasta hace poco se afirmaba que este problema se presentaba fundamentalmente en sociedades muy desarrolladas y con alto ingreso per cápita, como los países occidentales y del hemisferio norte. Los demás, eran considerados básicamente Como productores y/o de tránsito de drogas hacia los centros de consumo.Sin embargo, esta caracterización no refleja la situación actual: países tradicionalmente productores o de tránsito comienzan a registrar incrementos en su consumo interno y otros, que eran consumidores, están produciendo drogas. Además de los diversos factores socioeconómicos y políticos que contribuyen a esta situación, se debe mencionar que las estrategias de las organizaciones del narcotráfico se han diversificando de tal modo que ha ido en aumento la cantidad de drogas que se quedan y se promueve su consumo en el mercado interno de países que anteriormente sólo eran productores o de tránsito”. (In recent years, drug use has spread in the world making clear which is a global phenomenon. However; there are differences between countries in terms of consumption levels. Until recently it has been stated that this problem arose mainly in highly developed societies and with high income per capita, as Western countries and of the northern hemisphere. Others were basically considered as producers or transit of drugs to the consumption centers. However, this characterization does not reflect the current situation: traditionally producing or transit countries begin to register increases in domestic consumption, and others, who were consumers, are producing drugs. In addition to the various socio-economic and political factors that contribute to this situation, worth mentioning that the strategies of drug trafficking organizations have diversified in such a way that has been increasing the amount of drugs that remain and its consumption is promoted in the domestic market of countries that previously were only producing or transit).
During the end of 1980 and beginning of 1990 the major exporter of cocaine and other drugs was Pablo Escobar who used to work in collaboration with highly organised criminal networks of the world (Farrell, 2012). When the efforts of enforcement got intensified in Caribbean and south Florida, a partnership was established between Columbian organizations and Mexico based drug traffickers for the transportation of cocaine from Mexico into United States. This was easy to accomplish since Mexico was a major resource to collect heroin, cocaine and cannabis which was enough to serve the traffickers of Columbia.
By the mid of 1980s the DTOs in Mexico were highly established and were reliably supplying cocaine to Columbia. At the beginning of this business these criminal gangs of Mexico were being salaried in cash for the facilities and trade they give but during 1980 various shipping organizations of Mexico and Columbian drug traffickers made an agreement where they both settled on payment in product arrangements. The transporters of drugs from Mexico were usually given 35 to 50 percent of each shipment of cocaine but later were involved in distribution as well as storage and transportation of cocaine in the area too (Gibler, 2011).
Many factors combined have affected the growth and development of this violence in Mexico but the security analysts of this place are still tracing the cause of this rising menace and consequently the interventions with the militants have begun whose major aim is to put down and end the drug related violence in Mexico and to dismantle the powerful cartels of drugs that can help them prevent drug trafficking (Haerens, 2003).

Figure1. Drug Threat Overview
Aim and Objectives of Study:
The major aim and goal of this learning is to look at the historical background of narcotic smuggle in Mexico and to analyse the aspects that are responsible for taking Mexico to this very crucial juncture. The attempt of this paper is to study the past and understand the situations relevant to the occasions and then employ them to build and contour a better future for everyone. The initial goal of the following dissertation is to look at those solutions that can decrease the drug trafficking violence on a large scale in Mexico. Not only this report provide information related to backgrounds of drug trafficking but it also identify those major drug trafficking organizations that are operating today on a world-wide basis (Fondevila, Quintana-Navarrete, 2015). The scope, context, latitude and scale of drug trafficking violence have also been studied in the following dissertation. Examination of various current trends of violence, analyzation of prospects for preventing these brutalities in future and its comparison with other states have also been included in the subsequent critique (Hamnett, 1999). Despite the overwhelming amount of information given to the readers and the data reproduced by media cultures, there are still many questions that researchers are posing and trying to answer therefore the major concern of this study is to use the phenomenon of Mexico related drug issues to learn its impact over politics and economy though synthetic and comprehensive indulgence (Gibler, 2011).
Literature Review
After an extensive amount of research, a variety of sources have been chosen such as academic journals books and newspaper articles from Mexico and other related countries to assess the subject as a part of this comprehensive literature review (Harper, 2000). Each prose of the following literature review examines the effects of drug trafficking and drug cartels on politics, economy and society of Mexico and the ways by which it is stopping this country from progress and development.
“México se ha caracterizado, a través de los años, por una gran heterogeneidad regional, cuyas desigualdades dividen al país en tres: el primero sería el norte, con un carácter dinámico, moderno, abierto y progresista; el segundo el centro, donde se localizan tanto la capital como la zona con el mayor número de habitantes, pero su capacidad para concentrar la población y las actividades económicas ha disminuido en las últimas décadas, y el tercero lo representaría el sur, agobiado por enormes rezagos, inmovilidad y pobreza” (Alba, 1999). (Mexico has been characterized, over the years, by a large regional heterogeneity, whose inequalities divided the country into three: the first would be the North, with a dynamic, modern, open and progressive character; the second center, where are located both the capital as the area with the greatest number of inhabitants, but their ability to concentrate the population and economic activities has declined in recent decades, and would represent the third South, overwhelmed by huge shortfalls, immobility, and poverty) (Alba, 1999).
The drug cartels, DTOs and drug mafia is one of the most notorious powers throughout the world and are recognized by the governmental officials as criminal groups and illegal organizations that launched contracts of partnership known as drug smuggling, which is the prohibited business of poisonous drugs in large amounts. To carry out such business, they had to carefully deal with different territories and protect them as much as they can. In the last years the drug related violence has risen significantly (Haugen, Musser, 2012).
According to Kan (2012: 20) there are many mutually forcing dynamics that acts as a fuel towards the drug related violence in Mexico and therefore has affected the economic conditions as well as political systems of the country in a number of ways (McGee, 2013). The competence of legitimacy of Mexico, unfortunately, has been severely diminishing due to the extraordinary level of violence that was brought by the criminal entrepreneurs that gained a foothold in the drug trade.(2012; 40). Kan has offered a foundation to carry out essential discussions and the possible solutions of this issue with wide ranging policy responses. He has examined an extensive range of available strategic options that can be utilized by United States and Mexico in order to fight and prevent the illegal smuggle of drugs across the borders (Ojeda, 2002). The council of foreign relations has sated the ways corruption within the military forces and police has allowed the use of government money to be used for Drug War so the officers of high rankings can be paid off in armed divisions.
The cultivation of poppy and marijuana is very ideal in Mexico due to the climatic situation of the country and because of the increasing demand of these drugs world-wide; Mexico is still satisfying the needs of its customers. The poverty issues in the country are at its peak which too, is giving rise to development of narcotic industry within may areas of this region (Lopez, 2013).
Many contractors are being employed by major DTOs of Mexico and drug cartels so they can effectively deal and manage several aspects of their wide ranging business. For example, they have hired lawyers, analysts, culturists, drug experts, chemists, technicians, scientists, politicians to help them run such an enormous business of illegal drug trade. Pablo Escobar was a Columbia’s tarnished gangster during 1980 to 1990 and was an expert in export and import of cocaine internationally (Shirk, 2011). He had resources and links all over the world and he was in collaboration with major drug trafficking organizations based in Mexico that helped him transport cocaine through their country into the United States. Mexico has always been a transition country and is performing as a channel for sedatives and illegal imports between the US and Latin America. Curtin Marez suggests that open borders are being of much advantage to the Mexico cartels, transfers, permitted market regions, feeble federations, offshore investment focuses, automated monetary transfers and cyber banking to legalize and receive millions of dollars in terms of revenues each day (Sherman, Tree, 2010).
In order to have a better insight of drug trafficking trend in Mexico, understanding the names, operations, territories, dominancy, profits and workings of major drug cartels based in Mexico is very important (Recio, 2002).
Drug Cartels Based In Mexico
It comes off as a surprise that about seven major drug cartels currently functioning in Mexico and are responsible for illicit drug trade and drug related violence in Mexico as well. Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo is known as THE GODFATHER for supervising overall drug trafficking in Mexico and alongside boarder of United States (Singer, 2008). It all started with The Guadalajara Cartel after which the following DTOs were formed:
• Las Zetas is active in more than 20 states: Nuevo Leon, Veracruz, Tamaulipas, Chihuahua, United States, Guatemala, and Italy etc.
• The Juárez cartel is currently working in 21 states including: Cancun, Cuernavaca, Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico City Guadalajara etc.
• The Sinaloa cartel is present in 17 states including: Mexico City, Toluca, Cuautitlán, Mexico State and the majority of the Sinaloa state.
• The Gulf Cartel has been working in 13 states with operations in cities like Reynosa, Matamoros, and Nuevo Laredo etc.
The Tijuana cartel exists in more than 15 countries with significant midpoints in Tijuana, Tecate and Ensenada in Baja California (Szuromi, 2002).

Figure2. Mexican Drug Cartels

Figure3. Cartel Territories and Drug Trade Routes
The drug cartels are becoming more and more sophisticated and always finding new ways to smuggle the drugs illegally in the United States. To avoid being detected they started tunnelling beneath the ground. Since the 1990 170 tunnels were found nationwide along the border with Mexico (Payan, 2006). They use them to move guns, drugs and people who want to sneak across the US border. it can be explained through the declaration i.e. “En zonas del país donde diferentes grupos criminales se disputan el control del tráfico de droga, para sufragar estos conflictos el crimen organizado fue paulatinamente expandiendo su acción a industrias extractivas de recursos naturales —la toma clandestina de gasolina, petróleo y gas— y de riqueza humana —la extorsión y el secuestro”. (In areas of the country where different criminal groups compete for control of drug trafficking, to cover these conflicts, organized crime was gradually expanding its action natural resources extractive industries – the clandestine tap gasoline, oil and gas–and human wealth–extortion and kidnapping).
In recent years, several of these drug cartels have formed associations with one another and now Tijuana Cartel is working in close collaboration with The Gulf Cartel. Other DTOs have also formed alliances with one another, commonly called as The Federation having lead representative of Juarez, Valencia and Sinaloa cartels. Though they all work in collaboration with eachother, but the individuality of these cartel remain intact (Vaughne, 2010). The DTO’s multiplied and started struggling over the governance of territorial region and even more importantly, trading roads. Only in 2011 there were registered approximately 50.000 drug trafficking related murders; most of them were instigated by hostilities between drug alliances fighting for the regulation of strategic courses and positions for the easy transfer of drugs to the biggest market in the world: the U.S.A big part of the fierceness in Mexico can be credited to a conflict between the Sinaloa Cartel and Los Zetas. It is believed that the dispute began in 2003 over control of the city of Nuevo Laredo (The home of Los Zetas) the nation’s main domestic harbour (Szuromi, 2002).
The following research is aiming majorly towards working and operations of a particular criminal organization of Mexico Los Zetas. According to studies of Beittel (2011:3) since the drug related violence, homicide and trafficking has enhanced to two folds since Los Zetas became independent and needed their alliances with The Gulf Cartel in order to start and establish their own territories for violent and criminal activities in Mexico (Velasco, 2005). After this incident, in the summer of 1999 Osiel Cárdenas Guillén was killed with cold blood by his co-leader known as “El Chava” shooting him in the head. Following this and other murders ordered by him he has earned the nickname of “El Mata Amigos” (The friend killer) (Weintraub, Wood, 2010).
Kenny, Serrano and Sotomayor (2011) highlighted that Osiel was paranoid of other DTO’s and decided to form his individual defence entity to the previous deputy of the army’s airmobile division of Special Forces, the GAFE. Guzman Decena began employing more GAFE associates in order to generate the Los Zetas group (Singer, 2008).
In order to control and dominate different drug trafficking routes they manipulated, threatened kidnapped and murdered police officers (Grayson 2008). Logan and Grayson discuss in the Executioner’s Men about how the cartel muzzled the press, bought the police, killed rivals and forced alliances with politicians and law-enforcement personnel. Los Zetas have also combined powers with other prearranged corruption groups in Mexico to portion possessions and trafficking directions, a very good example is the collaboration with Beltran Leyva which permitted Los Zetas to expand their impact into Ciudad Juarez, which is known as the “locus of one of the main trafficking routes into the United States” (Chalk2012) (Watt, Zepeda, 2012).
Los Zetas was formed previously from a group of army deserters and they have a reputation due to the way they create supremacy in their lands by using extreme force shakedown of any corporate and kidnapping. They are at the moment one of the most powerful cartels in Mexico (Ojeda, 2002).

Chapter 1
1.1 Development of the Narco industry in Mexico’s history
• Drugs in Latin America
In the sixteenth century in South America, the Spanish colonialists were stunned by the predominance of coca leaf and its importance. The coca use was associated with heathen customs of the savages; this association did not stop the Spaniards from capitalising on the sale and distribution of coca; they recognised its potential and used it in their favour (Morris, 2013).
The lending and financial leading institution of the colonial period established a monopoly over the market. In 1609 Padre Blas Valera wrote: The prodigious worth and outcome of coca for drudges is revealed by the detail that the Indians who consume it are tougher and adequate for their labour; they are sometimes so much satisfied by the use of this drug that they can work all day without stopping for a single minute. Another great value of this drug is that the incomings of bishops, cannons and various other pastors of cathedral church of Cuzco have been imitative from the contribution of cocoa leaf and its trafficking (Salvatore, 2007).
Cocaine was the prefect drug to smuggle in Latin America because as compared to other drugs like marijuana, the price of this drug per pound is relatively higher and more profitable. The smugglers from Latin America has therefore gotten a chance to ship smaller volumes of cargo which will result in revenue generation ten times higher than the original cost of the drug as stated in a study i.e. “En los años recientes el narco mexicano abre la brecha en México del consumo de las drogas principalmente la mariguana y la cocaína, los inhalables, después los estimulantes de tipo anfetamínico, de menor consumo es la heroína, y los alucinógenos. En la actualidad los niveles de producción y tráfico de las drogas en México en lugar de disminuir ha aumentado. El consumo se da principalmente en las zonas urbanas, y la edad promedio es entre los 18 y 34 años de edad. En promedio mas de 5 millones de mexicanos, hombres y mujeres consumen una droga de las antes señaladas”. (In recent years the Mexican narco opens the gap in Mexico from the drug mainly marijuana andcocaine, the inhalable, then the amphetamine-type stimulants, of minor consumption is heroin andhallucinogens. At present levels of production and trafficking of drugs in Mexico rather than declining has increased. The consumption occurs mainly in urban areas, and the average age is between 18 and34 years of age. On average more than 5 million Mexican men and women consume a drug of the above-mentioned).
Cocaine is also very beneficial in terms of climatic conditions i.e. it is endemic to climate changes in all regions of the world therefore its cultivation and production is not as complicated as any other drug under study such as MDMA or methamphetamine (Sherman, Tree, 2010).
• Trafficking in Early 20th Century
The health effects of narcotics were not well known and what we consider dangerous today were recommended by doctors before. Drugs such as cocaine, heroin and marijuana were widely spread and available and were prescribed for therapeutic benefits (Recio, 2002).
Buxton (2006: 4) notes that the use of cannabis spanned millennia in the Chinese and Indian cultures for the relief of symptoms of depression, neuralgia and even for pain relief in childbirth. The drug use was out of control and its effects completely misunderstood; when they discovered that the properties of coca could be distilled and taken with wine, a very well-known beverage was created: Coca Cola, which contained coca (Velasco, 2005).
In Europe, Sigmund Freud discovered amongst Karl Koller in 1865 that cocaine can be used as an anaesthetic for eye surgery. Freud was an advocate of the consumption of cocaine and claimed that it was effective for the big majority of the complaints, for a while he recommended it for curing psychological disturbances and for the common cold (Abadinsky, Abadinsky, 2008).
The use and abuse of drugs in Mexico was not a spread phenomenon; Opium smoking was related to the Chinese minorities (it began to be imported with the arrival of the Chinese immigrant workers in 1864), Marijuana mainly to soldiers, poor people and criminals and morphine, cocaine and heroin to artists and the middle class (Brown, Owens, 2010).
1.2 Legality and Prohibition
Luis Astorga- Drug Trafficking in Mexico: A First General Assessment
During 1800 and 1900s various drugs including cocaine, marijuana and opium etc were commonly under use in Mexico for a number of medical treatments and purposes. Doctors used to prescribe cocaine, marijuana and heroin which were easily accessible from the local pharmacies. Current situations are highly different from preceding ones because now the cultivation on public land and trade of cocaine and heroin is common in most parts of the country (Duncan, 2013). Shanghai Conference in 1909 was held to pursue the control of opium; this was the first diplomatic involvement of the U.S.A on drugs. Even though the United States approved the Harrison Narcotics Act of 1914- this was aimed to switch the intake of opium. At that time Mexico was going through the Guerra civil Mexicana (Mexican Civil War), the leaders were focusing on political survival rather than in controlling the opium trafficking.
Due to the prohibition on the United States side and the legal commerce on the Mexican side allowed and created a perfect environment for the drug trafficking (Edberg, 2001).
After this an amendment was made in the fraction XVI of article 73 of the Constitution in January 1917 by, Congressman Rodriguez. Because of this amendment, a power was given to the congress to dictate laws on general health in the country (emigration, immigration, and naturalization). One of the major concerns behind doing so was increased alcohol demand and trade of substances that may poison an individual and degenerate the Mexican race very easily (Campbell, 2005). In such amendments, requirements for hygiene improvement were highlighted on European and United States standards and it was stated that excessive consumption of alcohol and narcotics is weakening the country’s population i.e. “Por estas razones, desde hoy en adelante la nación necesita el actual gobierno para intervenir, incluso despóticamente, en higiene individual y colectiva”. (“For these reasons, from today onward the nation needs the current government to intervene, even despotically, into individual and collective hygiene.”). The 143 congressmen that accepted Rodriguez’s proposal did not suspect the terrifying effect that this prohibition was triggered, they never wanted the Federal Prosecutor and the Army to have so much power over drugs, a change that has been in effect since 1947.They did not realized they were creating the juridical and intellectual bases so that a health problem would become a concern of the police or a matter of national security (Fernández de Castro, Domínguez, 2009).
In 1920 the commercialization and culture of marijuana was prohibited and of poppies in 1926.
1.3 Mexico’s Links To The United States
Following the war of independence Mexico’s relations were mostly focused on the United States, its northern neighbour 2nd largest goods export market (Bauder, 2008).
Mexico and the United States always had a relationship of love/hate, even though they need each other they refuse to declare it. Mexico exports fruits, vegetables, meat fish etc. to the US and they are their chief customer for trades (particularly Oil and gas merchandises).Mexico is the neighbouring administrative supporter the US has in Latin America but they often oppose many of their stands (ex the conflict in the Middle East).Jose de la Cruz Porfirio Diaz Mori, former president of Mexico known as a controversial figure when talking about the United States had declared: “Poor Mexico so far from God, so close to the USA (Farrell, 2012).”
Mexico is the principal trader of marijuana and also of heroin for the US market; the United Nations estimated that almost 90% of the cocaine from the U.S. comes from Mexico.
In the United States, following the crack cocaine explosion in the mid-1980s and all the drug related violence in the US, a variety of drug control policies were set in motion and are still in influence nowadays. In 1986, president Ronal Reagan initially acknowledged drugs a nationwide refuge hazard (Beittel, 2011).
Mexico has tried since 2000 to implement its reforms; when President Fox was elected there were high expectations that the government would implement massive national security reforms, however during his six-year term they never came to pass (Haerens, 2003).
In 2006 when president Felipe Calderon began his term as president he started fighting the drug cartels, corruption crimes, but unfortunately a cohesive national security strategy has failed again to be articulated. The lack of a consistent security strategy has tiled to a general instability within the country, uncoordinated efforts across federal state and local security forces. The military was seen as less corrupt than the police and it was seen as the ones to turn to (Fondevila, Quintana-Navarrete, 2015).
Following the crack cocaine explosion in the mid-1980s and all the drug related violence in the US, a variety of drug control policies were set in motion and are still in influence these days. In 1986, president Ronal Reagan first declared drugs a state sanctuary risk (Bauder, 2008).
Traffickers of drugs have continuously profited from the dishonesty of the governmental class, police department, armed and haven interventions, whose associates have frequently been extremely complicit in drug trafficking. None of this could have happened without the backing or tacit consent of certain bankers and business elites, who have aided traffickers in laundering monies or investing their fortunes in real estate. In fact, throughout the regulation of the PRI, it would seem that the administration truly measured much of this profession and go in deals with drug dealers to guarantee that the state has its portion of the revenue (Campbell, 2005). This arrangement maintained a relative stability until the last two decades, during which the monolithic PRI edifice has started to crumble and power relations have begun to shift. It was a sinister development when Mexico’s political organization substituted to a multiparty consensus in 2000 and a number of unions recycled the changeover to authorize them, moving in to arrest basics of the public and to assume control over them. Insufficiency and joblessness have also made a noteworthy influence to the triumph of the cartels, alluring many Mexicans to pursue labour in the familiar economy’s major subdivision, the drug trade (Kan, 2012).
Chapter 2
2.1 The Economic Consequences Of Drug Trafficking
In Mexico the economic activity has decelerated in the last few years; during Felipe Calderon’s government the economy cultivated at a degree of 1, 84% (lowermost level of the last 4 managements). The DTOs are fundamentally built to maximise their profits (Kilmer, Caulkins, Bond, Reuter, 2010).
Before the “Drug war” started most of the situations where drug trafficking was supported out were kept under reasonable heights of viciousness, this had a little impact upon the economic movement. As the warfare intensified in Mexico, the criminal organisations expanded their portfolios of illicit activities to include human trafficking, kidnapping, extortion etc (Joyce, Malamud, 1998).
The fight between drug cartels had many side effects on the society, a huge wave of violence in cities like Tijuana, Monterrey, Guadalajara etc, business owners started closing their shops and looked to move to different cities, more safe. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre highlighted that because of the drug-trafficking related violence in Mexico, 230,000 people have been enforced to consent their families and roughly half of that number moved to the United States because of an absence of refuge (Felbab-Brown 2009). The drug trafficking organisations have purely economic motivation and they share characteristics with the terrorists that use violence to fight for territorial control/trafficking routes, to intimidate the police and society (Kleiman, Davenport, 2012).
The economic analysis of drug trafficking in Mexico is the measure of number of drug trafficking workers/employees, the sum of cash that is generated by the industry of drug trading and the monetary cost of corruption and violence which is being faced by the country. the business of drug trading generates so much revenue in Mexico that a set of crucial questions have risen about the efficiency as well as rationale of the efforts of this country to eliminate this subject. The economic costs imposed by drug trafficking in Mexico have two major effects. First, the increased numbers of these industries have reduced the dangers of severe economic failures and secondly, it is a source of stable investment environment. Though during trafficking in Mexico is very helpful in diversification of the country’s economy but the legal issues makes this industry a negative externality (Levy, Bruhn, Zebadúa, 2006). As explained in the statement “Los costes económicos para México han sido sustanciales. Los estados mexicanos afectados de forma más significativa por la violencia parecen haber empezado a experimentar una reducción de la actividad económica, por ejemplo en la disminución de las inversiones, el turismo y el aumento drástico en el coste de operaciones como el alquiler de protección, los rescates, y los costes de los guardaespaldas. No obstante, es en el terreno de la seguridad pública donde el tráfico de drogas es más pernicioso y donde la situación mexicana es más grave”. (The economic costs to Mexico have been substantial. The Mexican States affected most significantly by the violence appear to have begun to experience a reduction in economic activity, for example in the reduction of investments, tourism and the drastic increase in the cost of operations as rental protection, bailouts, and the costs of bodyguards. However, it is in the field of public safety where drug trafficking is more pernicious and where the Mexican situation is more serious).
Drug trafficking is getting benefit from political corruption and instead of promoting a passive investing atmosphere. This combination of externalities results in generation of violence, promotion of corruption and creation of local drug selling. Violence generated through drug trafficking in Mexico has affected the stability of country’s economy and therefore direct and indirect consequences are being documented. Loss of financial costs, loss of productivity in the country linked with the deaths and casualties, loss of human capital reserves, loss of medical care services and legal services are some of the outcomes of drug trafficking (Haugen, Musser, 2012).
In addition to all these above defined circumstances the physical harm associated with these violent crimes and experiences have a major impact on Mexico’s economy. Due to such strong business of drug trafficking in Mexico, people are getting feared from the allied ferocity and therefore they are withdrawing themselves from social interactions to protect themselves and their families from getting into any kind of trouble (McGee, 2013). This is a major manifestation itself in a number of concrete ways. To avoid such criminal vulnerabilities many opportunity costs are involved in living a normal life. Many people refuse to go out during night time and are reluctant to use public transportation which in turn limit their access to social, educational and productive daily routine activities. Drug trafficking has also nurtured migration in Mexico and many studies have shown it is because of drug related violence that at least 360 thousand inhabitant have been forced to leave their homes all-round the region (Morris, 2013). The residents and local business owners are tired of extortions due to these criminals and traffickers and are relocating their businesses in United States or Canada. This is very hazardous for the country’s economy because drug trafficking on such large scale is discouraging high investments. Traditional corporations are not showing any interests in investing their money and personnel in the industries where their reserves can be in jeopardy and then would demand huge sum of hazardous duty salaries. Total economic losses is about 12.3 percent of total GDP of Mexico but still the cost of drug trafficking is 1.43 billion dollars annually which no doubt is of serious concern to the governmental officials (Recio, 2002).
2.2 The Social Impact of drug trafficking
Social impacts of drug trafficking in Mexico have been demonstrated by the statement i.e. “Las desigualdades interregionales se ven refl ejadas en las condiciones materiales de vida de la población. Sus causas, consecuencias y manifestaciones son de carácter estructural, e involucran una complejidad social en la que se combinan variables tanto económicas, como sociales, políticas y geográficas (Rodríguez, 1991)”. (Interregional disparities are reflected in the material conditions of life of the population. Its causes, consequences and manifestations are of a structural nature, and involve a social complexity in which combine economic, social, political and geographic variable).
• Family and Community
The characteristics of the present age in regard to drug trafficking and alcohol trading have marked influence over families and communities of Mexico. A wide range of literature is present over this burring issue, most of which is qualitative in its nature. The relation of drug trade/abuse and society is beyond the domain of any study but World Health Organization and UNDCP has summarized this link in their researches (Marley, 2014). To the problem of substance abuse, the disintegration of Mexico’s families is associated in a number of ways. Various studies have shown that illicit use and trade of drugs is correlated much more strongly with collapse of families than with poverty such as “Los cambios generados en la política económica del país a partir de principios de la década de los 80, basados en una doctrina de corte neoliberal, profundizaron gradualmente los niveles de desempleo, la reducción del ingreso real de los trabajadores de la ciudad y el campo, y el empobrecimiento de la población, con la consecuente profundización en los niveles de desigualdad, marginalidad y exclusión social (Ornelas, 2000)”. (The changes in the economic policy of the country from the beginning of the Decade of the 80’s, based on a doctrine of neo-liberal Court, deepened gradually levels of unemployment, the reduction of real income of workers in the city and the countryside, and the impoverishment of the population, with the consequent deepening levels of inequality marginality and social exclusion) (Ornelas, 2000).
Similarly some country studies have demonstrated that areas where the social control was once exercised by families have become predominant towards the use of opium and heroin and in such areas, young women, men and children are being effected as much as ten percent of the entire population. Drug use and abuse is also the reason behind failure of a family cohesion and in straining of relationships between the individuals of a family, ultimately making them all dysfunctional and a burden to a neat and clean society (Singer, 2008). Although a family can be a very influential thing over shaping the outlooks, attitudes and behaviours of the children and young generation and can easily play a major role in preventing substance abuse to a higher extent. But the negative influences are being observed as parents are losing their usual supervisory control over their own children and are intensifying the drug use due to failure of communication at an emotional and parental level. The families themselves are becoming the source of drug issues in Mexico and are failing to recognize their powers and effectiveness towards drug demand and trafficking in the country (Payan, 2006).
• Health
The negative impacts of drug use and abuse and it’s in turn effects on society are obvious for everyone. These negative influences have been established and very well documented on a scientific level through an extensive literature and research. Major psychoactive drugs have a variety of toxic effects over a human body and the risk of addiction is greater in their regular use. The magnitude of drug related health problems can easily be demonstrated by stating the fact that there were 532 thousand drug related emergencies room visits during the last year in Mexico and United States which is significantly increasing every day (Levy, Bruhn, Zebadúa, 2006).
Heroin, opiates, cocaine and meth are some of the substances which are most commonly linked to the drug related deaths and health problems in Mexico. Barbiturates and amphetamine type drugs are also toxic for consumption but their negative effects are somewhat to a lesser extent. Depending on their dosage and consumption amount, hallucinogens, benzodiazepines and cannabis have negative effects over health as well (Velasco, 2005). Though they are not directly responsible for causing a person’s death but their use may lead to some fatal incidences which can be lethal or paralyzing. The mortality rate and jeopardy from the feasting of these unlawful drugs is also a major matter of apprehension for the officials. The current drug mechanism for control like preclusion, teaching and law implementation are still powerless to avoid the rate of substance abuse related death circumstances in Mexico. Tobacco and alcohol alone are responsible for about five million deaths per year and drug related deaths due to other injectable and inhalants is 200 thousand cases per annum on a global level (Weintraub, Wood, 2010). Hypertension, stroke, gastritis, pancreatitis, seizures, delirium, withdrawal effects, anxiety, depression, brain and organ damage are some of the toxicities related to drug use and abuse on a regular basis (Vaughne, 2010).
• Education
Education and enhanced drug abuse into the society have a circular relationship. Education is considered to be of a vital point of intrusion for the inhibition of drug custom and trade (Ojeda, 2002). Many school children who are addicted to these drugs may experience short term memory loss and other academic debilities which include lessened pursuing abilities and lack of perception and sensory functions in the body. There is adverse emotional and social development through which classroom performances are compromised. Due to poor academic performance, a great decline in self-esteem can be observed which in turn generate instabilities in a person’s sense of identification and if that person continues to take drugs regularly, a vicious and never ending cycle of catastrophe and destruction in society is perceived. Education can be used as a mean of preventing drug trade and abuse but due to poor economy and social conditions, as destroyed by drug traffickers, the efforts are not appreciated and therefore the overall situation in the country is a total mayhem (Marley, 2014).
• Environment
In Mexico, environmental damage is too related to the production and use of illicit drugs. Clearing of major forests of this place, loss of crop’s growth, transformation of collected plants into drugs and then the practice of ecologically hazardous compounds during their manufacture without any preventions being considered, is majorly responsible for environmental destruction in Mexico (Hamnett, 1999).
This environmental damage in Mexico is directly proportional to the amounts of efforts that Mexico is giving for the preventive operations of illicit drug organizations. In Mexico, most of the opium is cultivated in the rain forests and these traffickers use the usual slash and burn system to clear these vast rain forests to use the land for poppy cultivation. These forests have a huge economic and environmental importance and can easily be used for more productive approaches (Joyce, Malamud, 1998). But the circles of drug traffickers are damaging the environment through denudation of land, destruction of top soil and siltation of rivers. Formed wastes and disposed material during the manufacture of opium and heroin are not inclined off by the manufacturers properly; rather they flush it down the water ways without using any proper water treatment. This waste consists of sodium, lime, sulphuric acid and acetone which are highly dangerous for both fish and aquatic plants (Kilmer, Caulkins, Bond, Reuter, 2010). Balanced assessment of environmental influences of current drug cultivation process is much needed by the government of Mexico.
2.3 The Political Impact –Dealing With Corruption
A big part of the population of Mexico believes that the local police are working for DTOs and they are convinced that the law enforcement is all corrupt (Kan, 2012). All through the management of President Felipe Calderon the fight against drugs and the traffic of drugs became much militarised, this amongst the fragmentation of drug cartels into small organisations and the success Colombia had at counter narcotics operations and drug seizures (Kleiman, Davenport, 2012).
Mexico: The Militarisation Trap
Mexico has previously been producing marijuana as well as heroin which are then traded to US markets. The first networks formed for drug trafficking were family based groupings that used to smuggle large amount of illicit drugs across the border of United States (Hamnett, 1999). Colombian traffickers bowed to Mexico with its permeable 2000 mile margin with US and began working with their Mexican colleagues to source the demand. The lucrative trade of cocaine has enriched and emboldened the Mexican cartels thus increasing their powers to corrupt were grown highly. They enhanced their violent activities and arranged trails of intimidations, bloodshed and terrorism (Lopez, 2013).
Mexico’s growing standing in the drug trade generated a quantity of US strategies in the direction of Mexico envisioned on the amount of drugs entering the US via Mexico; they have turned out to be problems towards combining consensuses, shielding human rights, launching civilian understanding of army In Mexico. The United States has reinforced the formation of leading and bribery free antidrug units in Mexico’s sanctuary forces, but so far the trail score of these units suggest that they cannot be entirely inculcated in contradiction of bribery (Edberg, 2001). Their conception has abstracted exertion and courtesy from more wide-ranging improvement.
With U.S. reassurance, Mexico has prearranged military employees a cumulative character in the central police militaries and prosecuting attorney workplaces. When this inclination arose, U.S and Mexico establishments requested that it was a provisional answer to the glitches of police and prosecutorial dishonesty and incompetence. More than an era later, however, currently the army is deep-rooted in this part and displays no symbols of moving back. The armed forces have themselves engaged on rising and more public controller accountabilities. U.S. military support has assisted to make this promising by providing the Mexican military with exercise and apparatus (Fernández de Castro, Domínguez, 2009).
It is very important to keep in mind that the political system of Mexico was born after the revolutionary movement during 1910 and this is why it is completely based over the constitution of 1917, according to which the federal government is divided into three major parts i.e. the legislative, the executive and judiciary (Barbour, 2000). The institutionalization of political system of Mexico is based on the foundations of PRI and it not just set up the games and instructions of governmental spirit but also introduce the bribery as a major device of intervention among the dissenters thus dropping the ranks of violence generated due to upheaval as indicated and stated by Aguilar Zinser as “the Mexican political regime managed to use the force selectively and exemplary; it achieved to suppress relatively little, and with the indiscriminate abuse of the national treasury, it achieved to corrupt a lot, to keep the power, break up their opponents, dilute disagreement and contain social demands (Gibler, 2011).”
Over the past few years, significant number of gains has been achieved by the Mexicans in term of peace and democratic consolidation and some amount of economic growth is also being observed here. But despite of all the efforts made by the government, their concerns are mounting in reference to the impacts of drug trafficking in Mexico and other forms of organized criminal activities on political governance across the region. The political system of Mexico has been deigned in a way as to attract natural illicit activities in the region, the institutions here are weak and officials can be corrupted very easily (Abadinsky, Abadinsky, 2008). poverty, unemployment and limited sources to health and education makes the government even more vulnerable to illegal drug export than it already is. Therefore Mexico is currently facing harsh realities of consumption and trade of heroine, crack cocaine and barbiturates that are easily available even in the local markets. In many areas, laboratories that produce methamphetamine have been found and transhipment of cannabis has also been discovered (Beittel, 2011). Given these circumstances, there is still absence of public and governmental debate over drug trafficking and organized crimes which have limited the progress of implementation of regional instruments towards prevention of this violence (Edberg, 2001).
In order to recognize the needs for better undertaking of drug trafficking and other organized corruptions over government, politics, security and development across the area, New York’s University Centre On International Cooperation, Kofi Anan Foundation, ECOWAS Inter Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering and KAIPTC had jointly organised a massive meeting where about fifty experts from the government of Mexico, various multilateral and civilians from social organizations and academia from all over united states were invited to have a word over the current situation (Barbour, 2000). The tenacity of this conference was to have a restored indulgence of impacts drug trafficking has on government and management of the country. Here assessments over limitations of several policies and operational responses in regard to the emerging challenges were discussed and key components of renowned strategies to address the identified problems was also discoursed (Kleiman, Davenport, 2012).
Today, Mexican cartels and drug traders are advancing their operations through courting and intimidating the law enforcements and workers of governmental institutions. Municipal of Mexico, state and federal officials of government, police forces and security officers are frequently working with these cartels by an organized networking chain of corruption and dishonesty (Marley, 2014). Pax Mafioso is the major example of corruption that guarantees votes to a politician in exchange for turning a blind eyes towards this burning subject i.e. drug trafficking. International Narcotics Control Board has stated that even though the dominant administration of Mexico has made huge exertions to decrease the intensity of exploitation in Mexican politics, it still is a major difficulty in giving support to drug and weapon smuggling. some agents of Federal Investigations Agency ae known to be working for different cartels as enforcers and it has been estimated that about fifteen hundred agents of Federal Investigations Agency are under the investigation by law enforcements for suspected criminal activity in the Mexican region (McGee, 2013). Conforming to many theories proposed by different researchers over this subject, drug smugglers in Mexico have turn out to be so much influential that they have pierced deep into the defensive armour of many government authorized organizations whose sole determination is to contest against them. In today’s life, the illegal trade of these drugs is authoritative in relation to many radical agents in manufacture and trafficking districts. Cultivators and wholesalers of these illegitimate drugs are not independent players because the degree of their success is totally based on the support they get from political protection (Sherman, Tree, 2010). They do not buy politicians, rather politicians themselves ask then to pay a kind of tax otherwise their business is finished. However, the trafficking of narcotics has reached independence and they are now confronting directly to the political powers of Mexico. In the past, it was a politician’s job to determine who, when and where the trafficking of narcotics can be made possible. But now, leaders of major drug trafficking organizations decide how and when they will operate. Today, gangsters and cartels are controlling the territory divided into regions all by themselves and this is why confrontation among these gangs for territory is leading to heightening of violence in Mexico (Salvatore, 2007).
Thus, it can be said that narcotrafficking in Mexican region is a phenomenon that was flourished under the welfares of United States and under the protection of police corruption of Mexico. On one hand the cultivation of opium in Mexico began as a demand of United States consumers while on the other hand, production of heroine was due to the need of American soldiers during Second World War (Szuromi, 2002). though some social historical problems like unemployment and illiteracy are also responsible for the growth of alcoholism and drugging in the region but the democratic evolutions of Mexico and progress of globalization have contributed significantly in increment of the power of an organized misconduct and making it more problematic to fight in contradiction of the trafficking of drugs and alcohol in the country (Harper, 2000).
Chapter 3
3.1. U.S. Aid to Mexico
Developmental cooperation between USA and Mexico began even before the formation of USAID. Initially a formal agreement between both the countries provided a sort of developmental assistance by the help of Mutual Security Act of 195. During this time, the major focus for United States was health programs and academic exchanges between the universities, housing guarantees, food, security and ground-breaking models of entrepreneurship of USA and Mexico. During the year 1961, President John F. Kennedy signed the Foreign Assistance Act after which the creation of USAID came into being (Weintraub, Wood, 2010). This agency was the lead resource for assistance of almost all the defined programs. USIAD given to the people of Mexico started working as a continuation of all the developmental programs undergoing through mutual security act and then later started to expand its facilities and services in areas including economic growth, disaster relief and technology transfers (Levy, Bruhn, Zebadúa, 2006).
Between 1965 and 1977 USAID could not implement any kind of progress in Mexico and it was not until late 1970s that his agency resumed its working and started focusing on population and family planning. After this re-entry of US IAD into Mexico, it became the largest donor in Mexico of health and population sector, giving assistances across every programming area in a virtual manner. These facilities included service delivery, data collection and analysis, information services, communication and operational researches (Barbour, 2000). It is because of the efforts of USAID that today, Mexico is at least a middle income country who has a foreign assistance available. These programs of help by United States has evolved themselves from one focus on outmoded developments to reduce poverty and health and to reduce the voices caused by drug trafficking in Mexico. Through this equal partnership the security protections and safety of human rights have been made possible in Mexico and now many youth organizations and working enforcements are encouraged to fight against these odds in the country (Morris, 2013).
The Merida Initiative also named as “plan Mexico” is basically a sort of safety arrangement between the government of United States and Mexico and include other countries of Central America. It is the agreement solely aimed for combating the threats of drug trafficking in Mexico and also works towards translational organized crimes and money laundering in the region. Assistances as made available by such agreement include training, equipment and intelligence. When asking for aid from United States it was the major statement of Mexican government that drug trafficking is a shred problem for both countries and is in need of a shared solution (Haugen, Musser, 2012). The government of Mexico also remarked that most of the financial support for the Mexican drug traffickers is provided by the traffickers and drug consumers of United States. The law enforcements of America also estimated that about 12 to 15 billion dollars stream from United States to drug traffickers of Mexico on an annual basis and that is just the cash amount i.e. not including the money sent via wire transfers (Salvatore, 2007). Government Accountability Office and National Drug Intelligence Centre have also projected that the cartels of Mexico earn more than 23 billion dollars per year from the income generated by the trade and transfer of illicit drugs and alcohol.

Figure4. Unites States Aid to Mexico
Former Mexican president Felipe Calderon was willing to work with United States on the issues of security, drugs and crime rates, for which the initiative was taken on 22nd October, 2007 and a law was signed on 30th June, 2008. After the aid given from United States to Mexico, the US congress has estimated the authorization of more than 1.6billion US dollars for three year initiative (Watt, Zepeda, 2012). 465 million dollars were estimated for the first year while 300 and 450 million dollars were signed to be given during second and third year respectively. From the money stated to be given to Mexico, 204 million dollars is to be given to Mexican military so they can purchase the transport helicopters and small aircrafts for surveillance purposes. No weapon purchase was included in the plan. On the other hand about 73.5 million dollars are to be sued by the government of Mexico for the judicial reformations, institution building, rule of law issues and human rights preservations (Haerens, 2003). The bill has demonstrated that fifteen percent of the entire aid will be used in four major areas relating to human rights issues in Mexico, the report on which has to be given by the secretary of the state.
Additional sums of 65 million dollars have been assigned to Mexico for the Central American countries such as Panama, Nicaragua, Belize, Costa Rica and Guatemala. Haiti and Dominican republic are also include in the funding bill since it is a wide-ranging public security package that is focused towards confronting of citizens uncertainties in the region by eliminating the threats of unlawful mobs, by civilizing information sharing in the countries, by professionalizing and updating the police department and by reforming the judicial sector of the country to restore the strength of citizens and migrants. Agreements for aid and support between Mexico and United States provide funding to the governments for nonintrusive scrutiny equipments including ion scanners, x-ray vans, gamma rays scanners and canine units. Funding for purchasing telecommunication systems that can collect data of any criminal has also been recognised. Moreover, methodological advice and teaching to make the institutes of impartiality more strong, case supervision softwares for the investigation of drug trafficking, citizen complaint offices and witness protection programs are also being provided to Mexico to deal with the rapidly growing trend of drug smuggling and money laundering (Jamieson, 1990). Recently, the government of Mexico has also announced its plans to enhance the magnitude of its centralized preventive police force to two folds in order to condense the share of army in battling drug trafficking and weapon smuggling (Shirk, 2011).
3.2 Methods to Deter DTOS
Previously there were four dominant DTOs in Mexico naming Tijuana/Arellano- Felix organization (AFO), Sinaloa Cartel, Juarez/Vicente Carrillo Fuentes organization (CFO) and Gulf Cartel. Since the beginning of crackdowns against drug trafficking, all of these organizations have become even more competent, competitive and efficient in accomplishing control over several drug routes of trafficking and are increasing their transportation and delivery networks by replacing gigantic Columbian DTOs. Today seven major drug organizations are active in drug trafficking and now govern the landscape and control trafficking itineraries in United States (Joyce, Malamud, 1998). Noticeable drug trafficking organizations of Mexico today are Sinaloa, Tijuana/ AFO, CFO, Balteran Leyva Organization, Los Zetas, Gulf and LA Familia Michoacana (McGee, 2013). Moreover, it has been observed that the Gulf drug cartels based in north-eastern Mexico is of utmost power and authority among all the defined DTOs and is recognized by all the other organizations as the most influential in terms of territory and profit generation. Sinaloa on the other hand, has more spread out structure and is comprised of roughly allied smaller organizations which are susceptible to many arising conflicts in the region. But, this structure has enabled the organizations to stay lively and flexible during highly economical and harsh situation that may prevail (Beniger, 1983).
Due to the presence of this vast number of DTOs in Mexico, a huge sum of intra and inter violence has been generated and spiked in the country premises. Inter-violence occurs when all these cartels fight with eachother to get the domination of trafficking routes. These succession fights are often accelerated by the drug war conquests by Mexican government and may cause the organizations to lose some of their leaders during arrests (Kilmer, Caulkins, Bond, Reuter, 2010). Elimination of any organizations leaders also causes violence in the country because a weakened DTO is often attacked by another DTO until the uncertainty of the succession has been resolved. Intra-violence caused by DTOs is also used for proclaiming the management inside the alliances or to enforce an organizational self-control and devotion. The responses given by Mexico’s major drug trafficking organizations towards governments aggressive security strategies is also another cause of violence in the country (Campbell, 2005). Gun battles between the governmental forces and DTOs occur on a regular basis and with the expansion of democratic diversity DTOs are clashing the state to reassert their exemption from judicial system. The fact that drug trafficking related violence in Mexico is brutal, various policies and methods have been introduced by the governmental officials to overcome this readily growing misconduct. Some of the methods being currently used to deter DTOs of Mexico are described below:
• Coordinated Interdiction Operations
Despite the security measures taken, no amount of drug can be seized that arrives at the boarders. Thus reducing the number of drugs attained at the precincts of Mexico can help limit their access to sovereign territories. For this purpose, interdictions at the transit as well as arrival zones disrupt the flow, transfer of drugs and increases risks for traffickers, smugglers and drive them to less effecting routes and methods of drug transfer, preventing significant amount of drugs from getting smuggled out of the country. Through coordinated interdictions, a sort of intellect is generated that can be efficiently used against drug traffickers in both domestic and international operations (Bach, 1988).
Though traffickers have adapted to the success of coordinated interdictions and are currently changing their tactics of drug smuggling by shifting routes and changing transport modes. Many large, international DTOs have a wide array of sophisticated technology and resources to support their illegal crimes but the government is still working towards surpassing flexibility of these traffickers and is quickly positioning the resources that can bring modifications into high threat areas of country. Interdiction resources, this way, has significantly increased drug control and prohibition spending after which a huge sum of money has been reserved only for drug related activities (Kan, 2012).
• Transit Zone Operations
Drugs reaching United States pass through a roughly designed six million square mile transit zone that consists of Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. Preventing smuggling through go fast boats can help deterring major DTOs in the country. Moreover coast guards are working as a lead federal agency for maritime interdiction of drug trafficking along with United States customs for air interdiction as well. The mission of this interagency is to circumvent the resource of drugs from foundation countries like Mexico by denying drug smugglers to use air and naval directions in the transportation zone for illicit sneak in of narcotics. For the patrolling of this vast area and deterioration of DTOs, the governmental officials and federal agencies have closely coordinated their operations with interdiction forces to achieve desired outcomes (Bauder, 2008).
• Breaking Supply Of Cocaine Sources
The raw material of cocaine i.e. coca is produced in many areas of Mexico. Regional efforts to eliminate the production of this growth have been quite successful in the past few years. After the implication of these labours, potential cocaine production in Mexico has deteriorated from 460 metric tons to 240 metric tons only. The success of breaking cocaine supply chains is attributed to a number of factors like political will of both United States and Mexico to confront the trade of illicit drugs, air interdiction campaigns on regional basis that targets the overloaded aircrafts hovering between coca budding districts and processing laboratories located in many sections, controlling of predecessor compounds required, retreating powers of insurgent services and alternative crop platforms. This progress can be sustained as it has dropped coca leaf prices more than fifty percent in Mexico over the past three years (Harper, 2000).
• Breaking Supply of Heroine Sources
Efforts to reduce and deter the drug trafficking organizations by reducing domestic availability of heroine has proven to be drastic step in eradication of illegal drug smuggling in Mexico, though a variety of challenges like increased opium production, multiple trafficking organizations, diversified routes and concealment methods in Mexican regions are being faced by government to make supply reduction easy. Still various Mexican DTOs are potential threats for the management as drug traffickers have links with cocaine and marijuana distribution centres so they know how to employ aggressive marketing and delivery techniques to expand their heroine sales (Campbell, 2005). Heroine is majorly produced in Mexico in two forms i.e. black tar and brown powdered form and is delivered to a major extent in western half of United States. Smugglers of Mexican heroine traffic it by the help of ethnic enclaves, Asian gangs and Nigerian organizations that are prominent in international heroin trade.
Governmental offices of Mexico have put their efforts to cordon off the growing areas, to increase their obligation and execution of counter narcotics programs. There are many United States crop control programs given to Mexico as an aid to eliminate and reduce illicit cultivation and processing of opium and heroin in this country, after which the progress towards DTOs decline is becoming evident. Mexican government is also providing additional support to the law enforcement efforts to destroy heroine resources and by supporting them with training programs, information sharing and anti-money laundering measures (Harper, 2000).
• Reduction Of Marijuana Cultivation On Domestic Levels
Marijuana is no doubt one of the most readily available drug for smuggle in Mexico. Since no comprehensive study regarding domestic cultivation of cannabis has been conducted, it can be said that much of the marijuana smuggled from Mexico to United States is grown locally both indoors and outdoors aided by private as well as profit-making operators. DEA have deep concerns about such augmented cultivation of marijuana in Mexico on public lands and therefore to circumvent this issue, efforts are being done to supress the agriculture of this illicit narcotic drug (Duncan, 2013). Successful cannabis elimination is..