Drug Trafficing

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The cartel greatly benefit using gang member because they can freely cross the border to gain

Intel where and when drugs are going to cross into the US and to carry out contract killings. The gang violence has escalated in some of the major cities. There has already been a 30 percent increase in homicides between 2009 and 2012 throughout California. Texas has reported a 90 percent increase in gang violence being related to the cartels (Cawley, 2014). The cartels not only recruit gang members, they have recruited the Mexican law enforcement, federalizes and some government officials to conduct their drug trafficking business.

Public Safety Secretary Gernaro Garcia Luna calculated figures from the municipal police that had been recruited by the cartels. He figured the Mexican Cartels paid 1.27 billion pesos a month in bribes, which is equivalent to 100 million dollars in US currency, to the Mexican municipal police nationwide. Law enforcement officers that refused to be corrupted by bribes from the cartel organizations have paid with their lives. Luna research indicated that during President Calderon tenure there have been a total of 915 police, 463 federal agents and 698 state police killed by the cartels (Mexico: Cartels Pay Corrupt Cops $100 Million a Month, 2009).

US Establishment of Drug Enforcement Agencies

As drug trafficking was on the rise the concern was overwhelming. The need to control this dangerous activity was large and apparent. Drug were being sold and brought into the United States by the truckload. The issue had to be addressed and as a result President Nixon decided to take action. President Nixon created the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on July 1, 1973. This administration would help to aide and enforce specific drug laws in the United States. The agency would also monitor and govern drug control activity solely.

Originally the DEA was located and headquartered in US Capitol, Washington DC. The administration staff began to grow and literally grew out of their current headquarters. They relocated the agency to Virginia, specifically Pentagon City. Due to terrorist attacks and repeated threats to the DEA and other Federal Offices, they are now considered high risk and are policed and protected by various Federal security agencies. The DEA is currently run by Michele Marie Leonart, who was selected by the United States President and supported by the U.S. Senate. Michele oversees many departments including but not limited to; US Intelligence, and US Inspection (USlegal, Inc 2104).

So what exactly does the DEA agent do? Their main job responsibilities are to control the use and distribution of both illegal and controlled substances. They perform these duties both in and outside of the United States. According to an article found in the main duties of a drug enforcement agent are the following; to obtain and gather information related to drug marketing, and to scrutinize local drug operations throughout the US. Both the government and state help to aide in the DEA’s participation with the Drug Intelligence program (USlegal, Inc, 2014). [pic 5]

Any and all drug related activity is handled by the DEA. Since the DEA has been established, drug laws have been strongly enforced. In the early 2000’s, the United States saw a reduction in drug use among young kids and teenagers. Each day the DEA do their best to enforce drug laws and reduce drug trafficking among the United States and in countries abroad.

The enforcement and monitoring of illegal drug trafficking is a dangerous and sometimes fatal job. The appointed drug enforcement agents and local law enforcement put their life on the line in order to protect US citizens against the War on Drugs. President Nixon was not the only United States President to take immediate action on the evils of illegal drugs and drug trafficking.

In the early 1980’s, United States President Ronald Reagan produced and established the National Security Directives which were created to guide the defense and foreign policy of the US government. The president himself produced Directive NSDD 221 to help aide in drug enforcement. NSDD 221 specifically states the following;

“Purpose; To identify the impact of international narcotics trade upon US National security, and to direct specific actions to increase the effectiveness of U.S. counter narcotic efforts to enhance our National security… Background; The Expanding scope of global narcotics trafficking has created a situation which today adds another significant dimension to the law enforcement and public health aspects of this international problem and threatens the national security of the United States.”

The directives are of the utmost power and are to be fully adhered to and enforced. Though President Nixon and President Reagan’s policies and agencies have helped in the fight against drug trafficking and drug control, the need to do more was ever present.

To coincide with the Drug Enforcement Administration and National Security Directives, United States President George Bush unveiled a National Drug Control Strategy on February 12, 2002. This strategy was created to help fight against drugs and the damage it has done to the health and wellbeing of US individuals. The battle against drugs has been a fight we had yet to overcome thus prompting the president to move forward with the national Drug Control Strategy. The goal was to limit the drug supply given and to severely punish those who illegally sold drugs. President Bush budgeted 19 billion dollars to help in the fight against drug use. Included in the 19 billion was 3.8 million to help with drug treatment and rehabilitation for drug addicts. Other funding was issued to help stop the import and sales of drugs in the Andean countries, for example; Peru, Brazil and Colombia. In the unveiling of his strategy, President Bush stated the following;

“Now, one of the things in our strategy that I hope you find interesting and is important is that we're actually going to start targeting treatment spending for those who are most vulnerable -- people like pregnant moms, the homeless, people with HIV/AIDS, and teenagers. So while we've asked for an increase in treatment, there will be some targeted people we're trying to help, to make sure that those get special attention and special help in our treatment programs.” (Pres. Bush, 2001-2009).

The purpose of the programs is to provide long-term development and support to community based organizations. These programs place an emphasis on prevention, treatment, counseling and care for drug addicted individuals. The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS