Drug cartel organizations and operations

Drug Cartel

The need for drugs has led to a new industry as some people prefer get-rich-quick schemes by selling illegal substances. With more and more people getting caught up in the business, conflicts began to appear because of a competitive market. Mexico is a battleground for the drug lords inhabiting it, as they have constantly fought for supremacy in the drug world. The authorities had tried to put an end to the drug business, but have failed in most occasions because of the power that drug lords possess. The U.S. had begun a war against drugs within its own borders, but, in spite of the numerous captures that have been made the war has proved to be ineffective. As Mexico is one of the main countries that provide the drugs for the U.S. market, U.S. authorities have gotten involved in the Mexican war against drugs.

Mexico is notorious for being home to plentiful drug producers and for being one of the countries that have their territories transited by large amounts of drugs. According to Colleen W. Cook, Mexico is responsible for supplying the U.S. with most of the Marijuana and Heroin that is being consumed in the states. "An estimated 90% of cocaine entering the United States transits Mexico." (Cook) the situation is critic with the U.S. border being under pressure from the act of drug trafficking. Moreover, the border between U.S. And Mexico is already hassled because of the high numbers of illegal immigrants crossing it every day.

The drug trafficking and production businesses in Mexico have become more intense consequent to the elimination of the Columbian cartels. Mexican drug lords are aware that their main drug consumer is the U.S. And they are willing to do anything to keep their businesses going.

The Mexican and American authorities have worked together and have apprehended several drug lords hoping that they would put an end to the presence of drugs in the U.S. However, the illegal business did not end in Mexico, and instead it grew stronger than before. Drug lords felt that they had been provoked, and, as a result, they've started a war on the streets of Mexico.

The Mexican state also suffers from the drug business with drug barons posing a threat for the well-being of every citizen in Mexico. Drug cartel leaders are willing to resort to any means possible in order for their interests to be accomplished. People involved in the drug industry often try to intimidate honest Mexicans into cooperating, by using violence.

Efforts are being made by the Mexican government to eradicate the Mexican drug business which has reached alarming proportions. Authorities have indentified the three major drug cartels operating in Mexico. Gulf, Sinaloa and Juarez are words that almost any Mexican is acquainted with. They are the three drug organizations which provoke most of the chaos in Mexico as they have members spread all across the country. Mexico is home to much more drug cartels which are as dangerous as the other bigger organizations. Another notable drug cartel that has its members laid out in Mexico's most important areas is the Tijuana cartel. (Cook)

Subsequent to the authorities declaring war to the drug lords, most Mexican cartels have joined forces in fighting the system. With the cartels now being more powerful, the chances of getting rid of the Mexican drug industry have experienced a significant fall. Drug lords are known for their ruthlessness and for the punishment that they apply to those that stand in their way.

The collaboration between the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and the Mexican authorities has paid off and tens of thousands of drug-related persons had been arrested through the years. In spite of the fact that most of those captured had been petty criminals, several important drug leaders had also been arrested. (Cook)

Drug cartel members respect hierarchy and this makes the organizations even stronger. Cartel leaders do not lose their influence once they are imprisoned, as they have been reported to also give orders from behind bars.

It is extremely hard for the Mexican system to fight the drug lords. The authorities virtually have to fight a well-organized association which has unlimited power. Drug leaders have hired small armies of professional killers that are ready to fight on command. Moreover, influential Mexican officials are involved in the drug business and they support drug leaders in destroying the country. Corruption is thriving in Mexico, as most high officials find it difficult to resist the benefits that the drug business might bring. (Andrew Reding) According to Reding, there are even members of the federal judicial police involved in the Mexican drug business. It is not just the financial benefits which make officials get involved in the drug industry. There have been several important Mexican people that chose to reject the thought of collaborating with the drug barons. Sadly, most of those that didn't cooperate had been murdered by the merciless cartels. Curiously, wanted drug lords are often sighted on the streets of Mexico accompanied by their bodyguards as they simply walk along the streets without being arrested. (Reding) Their attitude is an insult to honest people everywhere.

The Mexican drug industry is getting more powerful with the passing of time and more and more people become drug abusers as a result. The increase in the arrest of drug lords doesn't seem to stop the evolution of drugs in Mexico and in the U.S.

The U.S. is one of the countries with the highest rates of drug abuse and drug sale. Drug lords worldwide are aware of the fact, and they struggle to get their businesses into the United States. U.S. authorities have used substantial energy in order to keep the drug war going and in order to make it effective. However, they've failed in most occasions, reaching the conclusion that the drug war has to be fought with all possible means. "In the United States, wholesale illicit drug sale earnings estimates range from $13.6 to $48.4 billion annually." (Cook) Mexico is now the most noteworthy country in South America that brings drugs into the U.S.

The U.S. DEA is one of the main institutions powerful enough to put an end to the Mexican drug organizations. On the other hand, it is difficult for such organizations to act without the help of the common citizen. The war against drugs has to be fought on every front involved in the business.