What Should I Know about Mexico’s Drug Cartels?
96
Please click on these links for other relevant stories
Mexico’s Drug Cartels are everyone’s problem
In a world with numerous conflicts, Mexico’s drug cartels seem to be at war with everyone else. Sophisticated and deadly, these drug armies have spread their dastardly trade throughout Mexico and into many other countries in Latin America. Incredibly ruthless and vengeful, the cartels’ paramilitary units kill tens of thousands of people each year, while controlling much of the world’s supply of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana, generating an estimated $40 billion per year in profits.
The tentacles of the cartels have also reached into the United States, where they control as much as 70 per cent of the drug trafficking. (This struggle has sometimes been called America’s Third War.) If a country with the resources of the U.S. can’t eliminate the cartels or at least reduce their strength significantly, what can be done about them?
Please read on to see what the world is up against in this herculean battle against perhaps the most formidable army of organized criminals the world has ever seen:
Origin of the Cartels
The Godfather of Mexico’s drug cartels is former Mexican police agent Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo, who controlled Mexico’s drug trade in the 1980s. Then, in an effort to decentralize his operation and make it less vulnerable, Gallardo assigned the drug trafficking operations of certain regions of the country to various Mexican crime families. But by the late 1980s, this Mexican Mafia eventually became the infamous drug cartels, which fought tooth and nail against anyone or anything aligned against them. Soon, as profits ballooned, they began fighting among themselves as well.
Ciudad Juarez
No city in Mexico has suffered more from the ravages of the cartels than Ciudad Juarez, located just across the border from El Paso, Texas. This entry point into the lucrative drug market in the U.S. has become a battleground where everyone seems to be a target. In July 2010 a car bomb planted by the Juarez Cartel killed 15 people, most of them young people. Drug-related violence has killed thousands of people in Juarez.
As an example of how devilish the Juarez Cartel can be, it has developed an insidious way to smuggle drugs across the border by planting them in the cars of innocent people. The cartel gains entry to the vehicles by using locksmiths who have access to the VIN of automobiles, for which keys can then be made. Using GPS devices, the vehicles are tracked from Juarez to El Paso and then the contraband picked up. Numerous people have gone to jail or prison for smuggling drugs they didn’t know they had in the trunks of their cars!
Also, as cartels tend to do, the Juarez Cartel has been responsible for numerous kidnappings, business extortions and murders for hire, generating sidebar profits to the drug trade. This nefarious “business” has led to a turf war between the Juarez Cartel and the notorious Sinaloa Cartel, also known as the Golden Triangle.
Sinaloa Drug Cartel
According an NPR article entitled “A Look at Mexico’s Drug Cartels” published in April 2009, the Sinaloa Cartel smuggles Colombian cocaine and Mexican marijuana into the U.S. The cartel also operates numerous methamphetamine labs and ships heroin from Southeast Asia, much of this international junk ending up in the U.S.
But trafficking in cocaine seems to be the cartel’s major game. Its operation reaches from Mexico into Southern California and across the country to New York City, moving tons of cocaine into seemingly insatiable markets, overseen by local gangsters working in league with the cartel.
Weapons Bought in the United States
According to an article in the Los Angeles Times entitled “Guns in the U.S. Equip Cartels,” the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) estimates that 90 per cent of all guns seized in raids come from the U.S. Keep in mind, this doesn’t mean 90 per cent of all firearms used by the cartels are of U.S. origin. Many are purchased from countries such as Guatemala and Portugal. The percentage for U.S. origin may be closer to 27% to 44%, according to the Office of Inspector General, in a study done in November 2010. The exact percentage may be impossible to ascertain.
Many of these weapons are military in nature – high-caliber rifles, semi-automatic pistols and assault rifles, including AK-47s. Moreover, many gun shops have opened north of the Mexican border, and area gun shows offer buyers easy access to guns of all sorts. Tom Mangan, an ATF special agent pointed out that as the drugs head north, the firearms flow south, making armies out of the cartels.
Armored Vehicles or “Tanks”
Also called cokemobiles, some cartels have made their own tanks by converting cargo trucks. These makeshift armored vehicles are used to transport drugs, weapons and some can hold as many as 20 men. Antitank weapons are needed to combat them. However, these narco tanks have a weakness: they use rubber tires which can be shot out and deflated. The tracks used on heavy equipment and military tanks would probably be more effective.
On a related note, in July 2008, a 30-foot narco submarine carrying more than five tons of cocaine was confiscated off the southwest coast of Oaxaca.
Drug Cartels in the U.S.
It’s been estimated that 70 per cent of the drug trafficking in the U.S. is controlled by the Mexican drug cartels. But the U.S. appears to have no Mexican-like drug cartels. Why? According to a story entitled “Why the U.S. Doesn’t Have Mexico-style Drug Cartels” on the website Insight.org, the answer is that the U.S. does have drug cartels – they’re called street gangs and prison gangs.
In the U.S., where law enforcement is more effective and well-funded than it is in Mexico, any large drug cartel would attract the attention of the police and, aided by the military if needed, thereby bring about its own demise. Instead the drug trade is handled by smaller units that work with Mexican partners. In fact, drugs are often distributed on consignment, that is no money is paid up front, allowing the gangs greater latitude in distribution. The cartels operate wholesale, while the gangs manage the retail. According to the World Drug Report, the U.S. drug market is worth an estimated $30 billion per year.
America’s Frankenstein – Los Zetas
In an effort to help combat the Mexican cartels, the United States trained a group of Mexican soldiers that could confront the cartels with advanced weaponry. (Some of these soldiers may have been trained at the military School of Americas.) Los Zetas were among the first cartel thugs to use paramilitary tactics, brandishing weapons such as 50-caliber machine guns, grenade launchers and even ground-to-air missiles.
Unfortunately, the Zetas switched sides, becoming enforcers for the Gulf Cartel, the chief narcotraffickers on Mexico’s east coast. It’s likely the Gulf Cartel paid better than the Mexican government. Evidence of this is that one-eighth of Mexican soldiers eventually desert.
Los Zetas recruits Kids
Throughout the state of Texas, Los Zetas is recruiting children as young as 11 to perform tasks for the cartel. For instance, Los Zetas has children move cars to see if the vehicles are under surveillance; it also has kids sell drugs or act as lookouts. Of course, when children are busted they receive much lighter sentences, a situation which Los Zetas exploits as much as possible. The cartels have a name for these kids: the expendables.
Corruption
As many people know, corruption in Mexico is legendary. But since the rise of the Mexican drug cartels in the late 1990s, corruption has blossomed like a vast plain of opium poppies. The drug cartels are difficult enough to fight, but corruption compounds the battle significantly. Police, military and public officials have been implicated in taking bribes by the cartels. The list of alleged instances of corruption would be too long to list here.
Be that as it may, for example, in December 2005, 1,500 of Mexico’s Federal Investigations Agency’s 7,000 agents were under investigation for possible collusion with the drug cartels. In addition, in June 2007, President Calderon, suspecting bribery among his law enforcement people, dismissed 284 federal police commanders from states throughout Mexico.
Cocaine Economy
In March 2010, the U.S. bank Wachovia paid $110 million in fines for receiving as much as $378 billion from various Mexican drug cartels, in spite of the anti--money-laundering protocols in place. (Many other banks have been implicated in such illegal practices.)
According to the story “How a Big U.S. Bank Laundered Billions from Mexico’s Murderous Drug Gangs,” as provided on the website Guardian.co.uk, Antonio Maria Costa, head of the United Nations office on drugs and crime during the banking crisis in 2008, said he had evidence suggesting the proceeds from drug trafficking and other crimes were "the only liquid investment capital" available to banks facing financial collapse. “Inter-bank loans were funded by money that originated from the drug trade,” he said. "There were signs that some banks were rescued that way."
After Wachovia received pressure from the U.S. Attorney General’s office, the Mexican cartels, essentially in protest, withdrew their money from Wachovia and other banks, and then the world credit crunch began a month later in August 2007. Shockingly, the withdrawal of this drug money from banks around the world may have precipitated the global financial meltdown!
Conclusion
It won’t be easy to beat Mexico’s drug cartels. Their numbers are too numerous, their soldiers too murderous, their armies too well-equipment and their pockets too deep. Harder still to defeat is humankind’s penchant for avarice, power, weapons and drugs. An all encompassing war waged by the Mexican government against the cartels, perhaps in conjunction with units of the U.S. military might weaken them a great deal, but for how long? Wouldn't they grow back like a weed?
The answer to that question, my friend, is blowing in the wind.
Please leave a comment.
vote upvote downshareprintflag
- Useful (10)
- Funny
- Awesome (4)
- Beautiful
- Interesting (18)
CommentsLoading...
We need drastic measures taken. A good scenario that parallels this would be the difficulty in putting out directly a large fire. Difficult and near impossible. Removing any combustable it feeds on is more practical and would allow the fire to burn out. The drug cartels profit by supplying illegal drugs to the US. Remove the demand and there is no profit and therefore no more cartels. Make the drugs legal and keep the most dangerous ones under control by rationing and providing alternatives, and rehablitation opportunities to the most severly addicted. The drugs will be readily available here and the greed and violence of the cartels will be turned against themselves and they will implode. Might be expensive at first but the alternative is to keep funding the never ending war on drugs that has created the monsters in Mexico.
This article is intense. It is sad to see that licensed American gun dealers are supplying the weapons to fight a war that American demand started and still nurtures today. It makes me ashamed of my countrymen sometimes...
Thanks for the comment, SteveW13. The solution to this problem will take many steps. Reducing the demand in the U.S. would be a first step, I think. Kids simply don't get enough drug education in school. Later!
This is a brilliant hub, very informative and you highlight a very serious problem well. I lived in the states for a while in Chicago and while there befriended a Mexican drug dealer, one of the nicest guys I have ever met but when it came to 'business' he was something else. The problem is so widespread because the demand for drugs is huge in the US and is only getting bigger as the poor get poorer and kids are getting into drugs from a young age. Is there a solution? I honestly don't think so, the problem is beyond the point of no return. Voted up and awesome.
Thanks for the story, Carlos. I wonder if your captain ever sold the goods. Later!
I'm in the navy, we went to South America for six month and came back with 32 metric tons of cocaine. The captain then told us we'd all get 2 million if he sold it. I was wondering how he knew that, but we brought the drugs to America. Put the drugs on the pier and black SUVs came and took them away allegedly to destroy them. This article hit home for me.
Thanks for the comment, Fmr Marine. In a battle between the U.S. Marines and the Mexican Cartels I'd certainly pick the Marines to win. But this battle could quickly turn into another guerilla/terrorist war the U.S. probably doesn't want to fight, though it may eventually come to this kind of action, I wouldn't be surprised. Later!
I stopped caring about the people of Mexico the second I saw a pic of them disgracing an American flag. So leave em be, they wouldnt be thankful if we stepped in anyhow.
@Sinner.Desmadroso.1
Sir or whoever you are, You are probably right, to fight the cartels in their own backyard would be quite stupid. and again, you are right in the fact that they are well armed and well trained. But sir, you forgot the United States Marines. One Marine M.A.G.T.A.F. stationed in the Gulf of Mexico and its game over. More so if the Marines are told to conduct a "RedBox Drill". Sir, a Redbox drill is when we Marines are told to copy down a set of coordinates onto are maps and then given explicit orders that anything that moves in this grid dies. No prisoners, no mercy. Kill everything. Now, If you havent seen Marines in action much less served in the Corps, you would be in for a very rude surprise when they land. oh I almost forgot, in addition to the above statement, itd be a very bad day for the Cartels if the Marines drop in S/Ta platoons and being told its a free fire zone. Very bad day indeed sir.
oh yeah! and by the way, the last time a group threatened the Marine Corps, their whole damn city was leveled. I believe it was called Fallujah. Google it if youre history is a bit hazy.
Thanks for the comment, slcockerham. Yes, policy changes definitely have to be made in the U.S. For instance, possession of small amounts of drugs should be decriminalized. As for the cartels, if they can't make money from the drug trade, they'll simply do something else - sell exotic animals or people's organs. We won't be rid of them easily. Later!
Good hub Kosmo, since the war on drugs started, profits soared to make these cartels the powers they are now! Most of the casualties are American citizens in prison for simple possession charges or dead in the streets of Mexican cities! It's time to look at ploicy changes to take the profits out of the drug trade.
Thanks for the comment, Eric-d-Agustin. The cartels are certainly involved in multiple levels of criminal activity. Later!
Mexican drug cartels -- or wherever are but the mothers of most present-day multipliers of various sorts of crimes.
You can't stop us, we are to many, great numbers, and we backed by other countries :) plus the u.s gave us all the weoponry basically, we have money, weapons, power, and we even work with the u.s CIA.. And if the u.s tries to ever invade mexico, it be worse than when they lost against korea trust me :) we are killing machines, proud of mexico, aztecas unidos, and u can't and will not stop us, unlike u.s people we ain't scared of killing/decapetating ur family and loved ones, we do it as if we were at a meat market cutting up sum meat :)
Extreme situations call for extreme measures: authorize the border guard to use deadly force against the cartel. Heck invade Mexico if necessary, we invaded Afghanistan, but it seems Mexico is more of a thread than the latter.
378 billion, u fuckin right it helped crash the market
they prolly shorted it all the way down and doubled up its prolly in the trillions now hahahahahahahahahahaha
Thanks for the comment, Mikeydcarroll67. I think I'll also stay away from ol' Me-he-co. Later!
Hmm Very important stuff! I think I'll just avoid the country over all. It seems easier.
Thanks for the comment, Eric Calderwood. What to do about Mexico's drug cartels is indeed a perplexing issue. And I'm not surprised the CIA has been implicated in some fashion. Later!
In order to defeat the drug cartels, our country would have to stop certain segments of our government (allegedly the CIA and others) from supporting and working with them. Also, spurious programs like "Fast and furious," which have a different agenda than it's stated one, don't help much either.
Thanks for the comment, Jo Goldsmith11. As you have, I'd certainly think twice before I'd move to Mexico. Of course, the cartels are active here as well, they're simply not as visible. If you want to escape the cartels you'll have to move to New Zealand, I'll bet. Later!
I wish to thank you for doing an outstanding job in explaining what Mexico is like with the drugs and violence. Our family was thinking about re locating to Mexico. And now I have these great facts to argue my point. It would be much safer to keep our feet on USA soil. We have so many rich and wonderful places filled with mountains and the beauty of a sunset over one of the oceans.It appears that because of the situation in Mexico and the people trying to flee. One may draw on several conclusions as to why the USA is having a difficult time with the drug problem in the US. I voted up and shared on twitter. :) Take care
Thanks for the comment, Ivona. Controlling the demand of drugs is the only way to truly stop the problem. Later!
Great hub. I also agree with the comments above that as we can't 'beat' the supply, we should be focussing on the demand. I really do not know how, but on the other hand Portugal is running an experiment at the moment where heroin is provided by the state in controlled conditions. Shall keep my eye on that to see what happens
This is a very wonderful eye opener to the youth today. It's not easy being alive,we know that. But selling drugs and being involve in the syndicate will just make your life worst. It will neither help you out of your misery instead it'll swallow you whole. I have seen a lot of youngsters today getting in jailed,being killed, maltreated,sold as sex slave because of drugs. It's very rampant now. SO it would be best to stop all of this nonsense. Shaira's thoughts..[url=http://www.creativecarpetrepair.com/]carpet patching[/url].
What an eye opening and awesome hub! I had no idea the extent of this problem. Solutions anyone?
I only had heard about the drug cartels through news and this is the first real insight I got about this mafia. Thanks for sharing and very informative!
Thanks for the comment, jobinfo. This hub is very informative and popular so, as far as that goes, I'm happy, but the cartels are filled with monsters. OMG! Later!
Wow this is an interesting read- especially after watching Breaking Bad which deals with the cartels in the plot. Thanks for the hub!
that they all are back by bankers
America's massive drug market, reportedly the largest in the world, is as much of the problem as anything. Thanks for the comment, wba108@yahoo.com. Later!
I guess the answer to limiting the power of the drug cartels is partly one of supply and demand. We have to work to limit the supply of drugs by working with the mexican government more vigorously than we have in the past, maybe applying some diplomatic pressure and even aiding them in the task.
To limit demand in America, penalties will have to increase to anyone connected in any way to the trade. Beyond these efforts, i'm not sure there is any more we can do. The problem is with our own society and its moral decay. We need a national spiritual renewal!
Thanks for the comment, PaulStaley1. You're right, America's relationship with Mexico has not always been the best. The drug cartels are only a part of the whole. Later!
sorry----nice hub and voted up----it is just that I feel strongly about wonderful Mexico and our relationship with that great nation---
The U.S buys the drugs---The U.S. has easy access to guns----The U.S builds the walls----what a nice neighbor we are!!!!!! VIVA NORTE AMERICA---we need to be a better neighbor to our southern brothers---40,000 dead---since Calderon---a healthy mexico is a healthy north america---
Thanks for the comment, bryanbaldwin. The drug cartels in Mexico have ruined many people's fun. What's next - civil war? Later!
I think it's really too bad....I live in Los Angeles and years ago my friends and I would make fun weekend getaways to Tijuana etc. It was fun and safe...nowadays it's a scary ghost town. Bad for both sides of the border.
Thanks for the comment, GoGreenTips. It's hard to know how many people profit from drug money. For instance, does the CIA? I wouldn't be surprised it does. Later!
Excellent article! I really was interested in your statement about how the cartels pulled money out of their accounts which then precipitated the collapse of the economy. It might not be true, but it could precipitate such a collapse, drub money is now and has been for many years big business.
When the CIA wants money, where do they go? Running drugs, right. I think drug money plays a bigger role in our economy than we think.
Thanks for the comment, ImKarn23. The whole drug cartel scenario is fascinating to watch. Who will win, the cops or the mob? I'm putting my money on . . . ? Later!
Excellent article! I just watched a documentary regarding the issues the US border patrol faces when dealing with the drug carttels. While it made it sound as if they had great tools to 'oversee' - and were integrating more all the time - it seemed as if the drug cartels were always one or two..or 3 steps ahead. From catapulting coke over the fence - to digging underground tunnels hundreds of miles long - their determination to get their drugs into the US seems much stronger than the US's to keep them out. Makes one wonder who's doing who behind the scenes! Loved reading this - not the reality of the content!
Thanks for the comment, Sturgeonl. Everyone should know something about Mexico's drug cartels. Drug cartels elsewhere deserve attention as well. Later!
This was a very interesting article. I learned a lot about a topic I knew little about. Thanks!
Cartels are the real terrorist and should be treated like that and no less. KILL THEM ALL
Our govt is fully capable of ridding the USA of the mexican cartel, as well as protecting our borders from drug crossings....they just choose not to.....why is that??? ....Corruption and greed $$. Priorities, Morals, Duty to One's Country....all destroyed by greed$$. Our Culture Must Change Its Priorities or we continue this path of destruction.
Thanks for the comment, billiebender. Keep in mind, in countries such as Colombia, the major cash crop is coca, and California's biggest cash crop is marijuana. Later!
Nice hub. Good point about the origin of guns used by Mexico's cartels. It's true a lot of their weaponry is smuggled from the U.S. but an even greater amount is spillover from Central American countries like El Salvador and Guatemala who fought prolonged civil wars and are overflowing with guns.
I don't know if I'd agree with you so much about the significance of money laundering and withdrawing drug money from banks like Wachovia. While the amount of money is large, in Mexico its still marginal enough compared to the overal legit economy to not have that strong of an impact on the financial sector. Now, in smaller countries like Bolivia where drug money takes up a larger share of the national economy, that kind of effect would worse.
Thanks for the compliment, shomu2009. You're right, there's so much corruption in the army and law enforcement in Mexico that stopping the cartels will be next to impossible. Later!
Excellent article Always was curious about the genesis of Mexico's drug cartels and this articles summarises that perfectly. The law enforcement agencies in Mexico are in cahoots with the cartels so any sort of major crackdown is practically impossible
Tactics, kill counts, weaponry, make for good conversation. But supply chains set policies. It was the crashing of there corn market in the mid 90's (thanks U.S. farm subsidies) that led to so many farmers being forced to choose between planting drugs or going homeless/watching children starve.
Just look at how the Prohibition of alcohol caused everyone to stop growing there own fuel (alcohol) and start consuming gasoline.
the real beneficiary's of the war on drugs are the pharmacutical, military industrial, oil/textile, share hoarders.
Thanks for the comment, Sonny Lento. You have lots of good ideas. The problem with the Mexican drug cartels is indeed a complex one, so simply passing around more firearms to folks won't help. Later!
I don't think merely arming the Mexicans and feeding them their daily dose of conservative will be enough to even slow things down. You're talking about a society, in which corruption has existed at every level of governance since the revolution of 1910. So often we like to delude ourselves into thinking that just giving people weapons is enough. If they don't have the will, the weapon will be taken from them and used against them. American Romance, I sincerely doubt that because you don't have cartels ruling your block is evidence enough. You also happen to live in the USA, I gather, where the local authority, the state police, and the FBI are not so corrupt that you automatically know the price of an appropriate bribe. By the way, before you go blaming the Commander-in-Chief, the cartel war has a whole lot more to do with the president of Mexico not playing ball with the cartels. This all began in December 2006, when he was elected. Mr. Obama was not even on the campaign trail at that point, he was just the junior senator from Illinois.
Before anyone jumps on be for claiming that guns don't solve all problems, I want it on the record that I own a large arsenal of handguns, rifles, and collectors pieces. I am a competition shooter in rifle, pistol and three-gun, and an NRA Benefactor member.
I propose no solution to the problem, as it is one that is without solution unless an upheaval of the entire system were to happen. Mexico has a president willing to stand up to the cartels, and not play ball with them. The mass casualties we've seen are the child born of that strength.
I do think it is irresponsible and morally reprehensible that we as a nation know about this, and still condemn people for running for the northern border, with or without proper paperwork. The sensible thing to do when your country is war-torn, and you are not able or willing to fight, is to flee. We claim we care what happens, and how awful the murders and tortures have been. Yesterday there was a huge story on CNN about a boy from the Chicago area found dead down in southern Mexico, people talked about how awful it is, and so forth. However, we are not willing to provide sanctuary, or even medical care to those who were shot, stabbed, burned, etc. That, if anything at all surrounding the issues of Mexico's drug war says the most about us. We're willing to talk about it, but we will not provide the immediate help to those who come here seeking it. Remember the poem on the plaque at the Statue of Liberty? No? Here it is:
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
We like the sentiment, but I'm afraid we don't act upon it. Shame really, if we did, perhaps less people would be deported back to killing fields.
Kosmo, how do you explain it hasn't stopped them here? Thousands killed just this year in Mexico! You don't see daily shootings in the streets on my block!........we all got guns!
We don't call organized crime in the US cartels. But we have it, even in Texas. You don't have to imagine it happening. The money available in the drug trade also corrupts our law enforcement and judicial machinery, though, fortunately not to the extent present in Mexico. We have a more stable infrastructure than they do, with power more dispersed through the society and more effective means of addressing problems in the system when and where they occur. But it is not the presence of guns in our houses and streets that have curbed the rise of the cartels in the United States. It is the fact that our economy and our sense of belonging to a functioning system is greater. It is linked to the fact that we feel there is a difference between the corrupt policemen and the Police, the corrupt judge and the Law.
Thanks for the comment, American Romance. I'm not sure arming citizens in Mexico would stop the drug cartels. It certainly hasn't stopped them here, has it? Later!
This subject can be very deep! Solutions to the problem are many and varied! I used to drive my truck across the border and eat at restaurants almost every weekend, Now I am too afraid to do this! We used to fish on the mexican side of Lake Amistad but not anymore!
The Mexican people are as tired of this as we are! If Mexico would revise its gun ownership laws so that honest citizens could carry weapons you would see an overnight slow down of the cartels! guns in the hands of honest folks will keep thugs at bay! Imagine a cartel starting up in almost any neighborhood in Texas, Ok, Virginia etc! When every neighbor steps out carrying a rifle it would come to a screeching halt! Next Mexico must do something to build an economy in their country that would creat a middle class! Poverty with no hope is the first reason folks will get involved in drug trade! In other words conservative ideology would do Mexico proud!.............just like it used to be in America before Obama and Pelosi took over!
Thanks for the comment, cbpoet. It seems tourists are always at risk. When touring in Mexico I advise everyone to stay in the resorts. As for the rhinos in Kenya, good for them - they need all the help they can get. Later!
Informative hub. I'm planning a trip to Mexico with friends soon. Your article does make one think twice about going. While on a tent safari to Kenya, Africa a few years back criminals starting robbing tourists instead of poaching Rhinos.
Unfortunately, in Mexico we are discussing a culture of corruption that pervades almost all social relations and economic connections. In order to fully address the cartels and their power, the government and Mexican society would have to take a hard look at other relationships, similarly tainted by nepotism, profit-sharing, and corrupt practices as the normal way of doing business, than is likely. However, given the extremity of the situation, we may hope that Mexico will do just that, and do something about it this time instead of leaving it to be discussed by touring intellectuals and the game-cocks of the political parties.
Thanks for the comment, Ed Michaels. One of the reasons the drug cartels are so formidable is because they continually bribe the police and political officials. What's to be done about them? Any ideas? Later!
The corruption of the federales and policing authorities in Mexico is old news around here. I don't think most people in El Paso put any faith in the Mexican police as agents of reform, change, or war against the cartels. It is more of a matter of guessing which cartel the cop you are presently dealing with works for & what his interest in you is.
Thanks for the comment, Realhousewife. Kidnapping is big business for the drug cartels. People could stop buying their drugs and they would still present a massive problem which only an all-out war could hope to eliminate. Later!
Kosmo - it is a huge problem. It seems to me like the Cartels ARE running all of Mexico. I was there a year ago and it happened to be during a time when government officials were having a meeting from all over the world. There were police everywhere - you would drive 10 feet and there would be trucks of them - armed and sometimes with guns drawn and pointed. I decided it will probably be our last trip there until they get things staightened out - if ever.
I heard about a large group of men who were on vacation and happened to work together - they were kidnapped off a beach (I think in Alcapolco) and have never been seen since. I keep wondering what is going to happen - but it seems like the cartels just keep getting more power.
Thanks for the comment, Ed Michaels. Your perspective from living in El Paso during the drug war is certainly appreciated. Good luck, and stay in touch. Later!
I live in El Paso, TX. I don't do drugs, sell drugs, go to Juarez (nowadays), or have any contact with the cartels. And that's the scary part. Across the river, the cartel stitched a man's face into a soccer ball, the murder rate is apocalyptic, kidnappings occur at an epidemic rate, and a society barely functions. Yet everyday students cross the bridge to attend university in the US, some of them learning to speak, write, and read English, and go back home. Maybe they'll make it across again tomorrow, but maybe they won't. In El Paso, we are not seeing the spike in violence some people warned us against, but this is merely due to the nature of the war in Mexico--it is about access to trade routes, about control of the way into the money market that is the United States. So El Paso isn't part of that battlefield. But we are growing increasingly cut off from our sister city on the other side of the border because it is, and we are afraid (with cause) to go there.
Thanks for the comment, Becky Swift. The story of Mexico's drug cartels is just beginning. They aren't going away any time soon without a vicious struggle. Eventually there may be a war that makes the conflict in Afghanistan resemble a battle with kids wielding pop guns. Later!
War on drugs has been a losing one for many years and years to come.
I wasn't fully aware how bad it has got in Mexico with the cartels.
Great hub :)
Thanks for the comment, hailei. Many cops have gone bad; there's simply too much money in drug trafficking for them to ignore, although many do, I'm sure.
As for you, htodd, we'll never get rid of drugs, but perhaps we can deal with people's need for them. Thanks for stopping by. Later!
This is really sick ..Drugs are really great problem for us ..we have to remove that ...Well, Thanks for the information
The outcome of our childrens future is on our shoulders. Do nothing and throw their lives away, or stand up and be counted as a responsible earth member to solve problems. I believe the Occupy Wall Street movement is a positive contribution for our childrens future, where greed is spotlighted for all to see.
Ronnie
The thought of this horrendous threat hanging like an axe above my future children's head, it gives me the creeps. The world has gone so mad. And come to think that an ex-police man was the "father" of it all.. wow.. Great article.
Thanks for the comment, pharmacist. I'll bet the problem isn't under-reported in Mexico. Many people are paying attention to this hub as well, for which I am very pleased. Later!
Kosmo,
Such a well-written article on such a devastating (though under-reported) problem! Well done!
Nowadays, violence is endemic throughout Latin American; the drug cartels are just part of it. Eventually everyone there will be carrying assault rifles and machine pistols. OMG! Later!
CZCZCZ, Consider all persons are born with a clean slate. Rogue attitudes are incidental of how they were brought up. Our largest problem is the people in power are most interested in their wealth and power than the growth environment of the youth and future results.
Ronnie
Thanks for the well researched and written hub. This was very interesting information about a very big issue. Regardless a persons position about drug use, it is hard to argue that the cartel guys are just bad dudes and need to be controlled so that ordinary citizens can live there day to day lives without this extreme violence everywhere along the border.
Hey, RJ Lefebvre, your writing seems fine. Don't worry about it. Later!
Kosmo, 10-4! Can we share critism to improve writing skills in contents, skills, etc? So far Idon't see much fault with your hub. We should critize how its writen, less on differences in opinion, thanks.
Ronnie
Ps, I do have a fault in being dyslexic, on occasion I will have some problems, spelling, etc.
The U.S. government should be spending much more time and money fighting the drug cartels rather than keeping troops in Afghanistan, hoping to prop up a corrupt regime that will continue to fight terrorists long after we're gone. No chance! Our priorities need adjustment. Later!
Kosmo, There are complications: re, our national and local governments are lacking by not wanting to spend the time and money on the root problems. Sometimes I feel like they could not care less about citizens behaviour, as long as the consequences don't affect them. I feel like we are in a society of a pyramid; when the bottom crumbles to dust and to late to consider options. Occupy Wall Street people are trying to do something about it.
Ronnie
Thanks for comment, R.J. Lefebvre. Greed and the causes of drug addiction are the two biggest problems in this scenario. Later!
Kosmo, I believe the root of the problem is the social life of people who do not feel secure and use drugs to mask those feelings. The second problem is greed, where life is not a venture, but rather a maze which often becomes a dead end.
Ronnie
You're welcome, Xenonlit. Please read more of my hubs. Later!
This is an incredibly important article. Thanks for the information.
Mexico Is just the Bridge.
US is where business run and money made. :D
But as allways in US nothing bad happened we are clean and pure and the others are tha "Bad boys"
But American Cartels or drug lords are taboo on US
http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sociopolitica/so
http://www.madcowprod.com/01052010.htm
Or this video is interesting.
Illegal drugs come from all over the world, but Mexico certainly seems to "export" more than many. Thanks for the comment, style-of-life. Later!
It keeps amazing me. I can't help wonder how it is that most drugs originate in such a small part of the world...
Thanks for sharing your theories, Concerned. I'm glad somebody is taking the time to write at length about this pressing issue, which is probably much more important - to Americans anyway - than chasing terrorists in Afghanistan. Later!
Kosmo I also Agree the Cartels make money in various ways, Murder guerrillas,kidnapping , extorsion among others, but mostly now when Mexican goverment, started to hunt them.
The scary issue is that as pointed by Intresting.
No one dared to Call them "American" or "US" Cartels.
And again those Mexican Cartels are on the spotlight because is violent nature.
But the whole thing and business is done on US soil by US citizens and organizations.
I don't even think Americans are too dumb and let Mexicans run the show. Even more when so much money is involved. A true fact is United States media does not want to stain america's reputation, they makeup news or not even publish them.
Okay, Interesting, I agree that the United States is also to blame for the ravages of the Mexican drug cartels. Without the American drug market, the cartels wouldn't be making near as much money. Then again, the cartels make money various ways, don't they? Later!
Still I cant beleive that you are too naive to claim that 70% of drug cartels are not Northamerican, you have to really understand that despite the fact, that Northamerican well small cell organized system of deployment of dealers and gangs is actually Huge organization and consider these facts:
A) The end consumers are US citizens
B) The street dealers are leaded by some organization or leader who knows the area, system, laws, and how to bring protect and hide the merchandise.. That is a Cartel.
C)The fact that US law enforcement is well prepared, armed and trained does not save them from corrupt units which actually most of the time are the ones that help get in the drugs safely, this not mentioned that US corrupt servants, are part of the system. The difference here is the discretion and overall the easiness to hide the money, you would never question why a LA policeman goes on vacation to Bahamas with its family, instead you will suspect without doubt from a Mexican policeman, doing the same.
There are cultural and economical differences which are not even considered as background, on the way of operating the whole distribution, because of the merely fact that business side is totally controlled and operated on the US side, and the production and distribution which is the dirtiest and violent one is done on the south, abusing indian farmers kidnapping entire comunities and isolating them. The violence has escalated nearer to US due the fact that latin-american countries are tired of the US Drug Cartels.
D) Money Laundering is one step of hiding the drug money which most of it never leaves the country, is amusing to think that none has made the math the of amounts of money seized and the amounts of millions of dollars calculated to be transacted for drug money daily, and the difference is beyond our comprehension. The amount seized is less than 1%, and what about the properties and armament? There are another 1% on investment, So where is the rest of the money? Do you really believe that Drug lords can take out 50 million dollars in the back of their trunk crossing the border just like that? that would be too darn risky and too darn stupid, and if they do someone on both sides are corrupt, not just Mexicans.
The most of the money is gone to laundering on casinos, legally clean companies, banks , corporations and even stock market. Which the might be it leaves US , but most of it is there and remain on US, just because would be too darn risky to move it out.
Who is behind ? Who knows the way of doing those things?, Who is protecting them? One thing is 100% sure a Mexican wont. And must be US citizen therefore will be American Cartel lord.
E) The fact that CIA has created trained and violented latinamerican countries with the stop comunism excuse is just a curtain. Not to go far on history Recently a CIA plane loaded with cocaine crashed in Mexico http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oszATUJ4IRE , Can anyone tell me why the urge to cover-up? Until when US public will notice the drug operations had been long time ago run by "US Cartels"?
You are on the right track on your article, but its common sense to understand who is really behind and why.
The nature of Cartels violence and evident corruption of authorities is that Mexican authorities for example have publicly making an effort to fight back the Drug problem.
While US not for many reasons.
Neither is profitable for the US due many top Organizations On US government like CIA and the control Drug has on Corporations and law enforcement and Politics.
And publicly acknowledged the problem would revamp on a wave of scandals and the risk to scare investment as well trust on Northamerican institutions, which has been the main way of manipulating public opinion.
Those journalists or activists whom had raised the alarms and claims of corruption, many times had been blamed of anti-patriotic and that is unacceptable on American culture or under the new anti-terrorist law sent it to Guantanamo.
True is that who is pulling the strings of drug dealing and operations on US is too darn powerful and is hiding behind legal operations, media and a horde of lawyers and politicians who rule laws out. Due Cartels on Mexico had been violent makes perfect smoke curtain for US cartels, because what you don't see does not exist.
Until now seemingly when Mexican cartels are outraged that US Cartels had left them alone and haunted as much as Mexican government and authorities can.
There is also a risk that Mexican Cartels try to take control of US operations. Now seemengly now are moving in running from Mexico.
Its common sense.
To win the drug war you will need to stop consuming.
Put on Jail everyone involved regardless its rank, or economic position.
Something that greedy america wont see happen soon, its too darn good business its too much money and can be hided so well under respectable business. And powerful politicians.
Its a work must be started by citizens, reporting drug use, dealing.
Make it attractive give 10,000 reward that leads to detention.
When the hunt stats on US you will see them start running all around, and you will be surprised who will be the ones running, it wont be the stereotype Latin or black dealer, no sir , from white pride gangs to Harvard educated lawyers, judges and politicians, corporate CEO'S, priests, Bankers and Rich famous and powerful guys will be running out. To even the innocent housewife on the gym is dealing ...
You will be scared really to notice the enemy had been so long, so near and you wont even think about it.
Good hub, very interesting and well written
Yes, elucidator, perhaps the biggest part of the drug market is the demand; otherwise the cartels would have to find another way to make money, which they have done to a certain extent anyway. Thanks for the comment. Later!
Good read with lots of interesting information. I wish I could wrap my head around it all. What I can't grasp is who is buying it all? My guess is that most sales are very small dollar amounts, so the idea of millions buying small amounts is astounding, as it adds up to billions of profits for the cartels.
Thanks for the comment, funmontrealgirl. The drug cartels are certainly a worldwide problem, perhaps as bad as anything the U.S. has encountered in Afghanistan and Iraq. Later!
This is really quite unbelievable. I have seen the stories of late of the violence from the cartels. It's really quite a large problem in the world.
Thanks for the comment, Cardisa, the Mexican drug cartels definitely make their own rules - that is, no rules. Later!
I don't know much about the Cartels but I do know they are dangerous and they operate like an army on their own terms.
Thanks for the info Kosmo, well done.
Thanks for the long comment, golffitnesshelp. You're definitely right about one thing: only all-out war will defeat the Mexican Drug Cartels - all-out war against human nature, that is. Later!
Drugs are an evil that blight society from all cultures. However we have to remember that, like any business it is built on supply and demand.
If there was no demand then there would no supply. It is, in my opinion, the want of our society to get 'high' that creates this problem.
The solution is, as ever, simple but probably impossible; stop the need or want for this poison and their business is killed off.
How we do that is another topic completely.
It is also important to consider the lives, at the other end of the drugs trail, that would be ruined to.
Most of the world's Cocaine comes from South America. There the people that grow the crops pay the local farmer s to do so. They pay them more than they would get for the produce they would normally grow. Yes this practice is being reduced, but only in favour of more covert methods of crop growing.
My point here is these farmers in South America are therefore being forced into poverty. A position that no one would want to see another human being in.
We have been trying to win the war on drugs for years. All this time we have been using the same tactics, force! It has not worked.
A definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing and expect different results.
Perhaps it is now time to change our tactics? That change would be to cut off the demand.
I do agree that drugs are evil, the people that take them are stupid, but unfortunately as long as there is a human being the want to get light headed or feel euphoric will always exist. And as long as this does so will the drugs trade!
One last inflammatory comment, if the USA wanted to win by force then it would have done so already. The only reasonable answer here is that it either can not win or does not want to. I say again, change of tactics is what is needed not more guns. The world makes too many weapons.
The best weapon of mass destruction is the human being especially politicians!
Rant over :)
Kosmo Hub Author 5 days ago
Thanks for the comment, cuttingxedge. I'm also ashamed of some of my own countrypeople for selling guns to drug terrorists. OMG! Later!