Drug Cartels, Research Paper Example

1. Introduction 3
2. Defining Drug Cartels
   1. Law enforcement definitions 3
   2. Members of organized crime 4

• Hierarchy of Drug Cartels
  1. Cells (positions) within the cartel 5
  2. Protection within the cartel 6

1. Examples of Cartels
   1. Mexican Cartel 8
   2. Russian Crime Group 8
2. Trafficking & Crime
   1. Transportation 8
   2. Money Laundering 9
3. Conclusion 9

An Overview Of Drug Cartels

Drug cartels have been a growing problem and concern for society for many years. With increased technology and high levels of media, there has been an increased focus on organized crime. Much of societies concern and worry has come from fear by the public. This happens because there are reports of heinous crimes and large quantities of drugs that are being forced onto the streets. This not only perplexes the community but also creates quite the demand for political action. In order to understand the far reaching effects of drug cartels one can review the sheer numbers of deaths. Between 2006 and 2012 there were approximately 50,000 Mexicans that died as a result of drug related homicides, just in Mexico (Bonner, 2012). This large amount of human loss, and is just across the border from the United States, which certainly gives rise to fear of deaths, crime and other detriments. Other factors that lead to fear from the community are the members of the cartel and their presence within the community. In order to blend into the community the cartel members purchase homes, businesses as well as recreational items to make themselves appear active in the community (Bonner, 2012). This creates a presence of fear from the community and further the intimation that the cartel greatly depends on. It is important to understand that it is difficult for individuals to understand how to cope with and protect themselves from organized crime. In order to explain, this paper will give an overview of drug cartels, membership, and the crimes that they are engage in.

Defining Drug Cartels

There are a number of thoughts and definitions that surround the term drug cartel. To create further difficulty there are numerous definitions that are given by educational entities, as well as law enforcement agencies. One of the most widely accepted definitions of drug cartels is the one that has been established by law enforcement. According to Finckenauer, Fuentes and Ward, drug cartels generally have very specific associations and behaviors, such as profit accumulation, longevity, organizational structure, use of violence and efforts to corrupt government officials (2006). Cartels are generally known as groups of individuals that engage in illegal activity for profit, regardless of the impact or detriment to their fellow men or community. It is not uncommon for news outlets to report corruption and mass attempts by these individuals in order to gain control of a community. These members commonly span over a large territory and have many members to fulfill or carry out their activities. These groups commonly have connections to government officials and in some cases even foreign political connections (Finckenauer, Fuentes & Ward, 2006). They engage with others in order to move their drugs and in some cases gain special favors.

There is a great amount of positions and needs that typically follow a drug cartel. This is because they require a variety of people to supply, deliver, protect and carry out day to day operations. These positions may be a part of the cartel directly or associated with them as they are in a sense contracted for services or materials. This may be the farmer that grows the opium poppies, coca leaves or marijuana. The cartel is not able to function with the assistance or services of others within their community or immediate environment. This is one of the reasons that the cartel is so large, because they simply need a great deal of people to carry out various jobs.

Hierarchy of Drug Cartels

The hierarchy of drug cartels may vary between each group of individuals. While it may seem like a small organization that is unorganized, cartels are actually just the opposite. Most drug cartels are organized businesses that run efficiently and with great organization. The public commonly draws faulty assumptions because of the cartels crime patterns, high arrest and death rate. Much of the death and destruction is not a result of inefficiency, but rather the danger of the activities that they are engaged in for profit. The hierarchy of the cartel is assumed to be organized in similar fashions to one another, or what is known as a triangular organization. For the purpose of this paper the Juarez cartels organization will be examined, due to space requirements.

The top or highest level of the cartel is known as the drug lord. This individual is responsible for organizing and overseeing the entire organization. There are a number of duties that drug lords carry out, but there most important duties are to appoint leaders within the cartel (Kellner & Pipitone, 2010). This includes territorial leaders, which will make decisions based on the beliefs and needs of lower levels of the cartel. It is also expected of the drug lord to organize and illustrate the execution of high profile individuals, whether it is in other cartels, government or associates. The drug lord is the major player and makes all of the decisions regarding the operations and movements of the cartel as a whole.

Lieutenants are considered to be the second in command and supervise members of their own territories, which are typically based on geographical boundaries. The drug lord oversees the entire organization, while the lieutenants only supervise their own area. Lieutenants are appointed to their position by the drug lord and are only removed at his direction (Finckenauer, Fuentes & Ward, 2006). The Juarez cartel lieutenants are responsible for the overseeing of falcons and hitmen in their respective territory. They are also commonly responsible for lower profile executions, and are required to have the blessing of the drug lord before ordering any execution. Falcons hold the lowest position in the cartel and are considered to be the supervision of the group. They are meant to be the ears and eyes that report movement by rival groups, law enforcement activity, as well as government activity that could directly affect the cartel. The hitmen and falcons are the lower ranks, but have very distinct assignments in the cartel. The hitmen are considered to be the armed members and are responsible for carrying out executions, kidnappings and the crime that is associated with cartel business. This may include theft, extortion and defending their leaders. They are basically the group of individuals that’s actions are directly related to their superior. In many respects they are the puppets of the group that simply take orders and carry out those orders as instructed.

There has been much recognition and controversy over protection of the cartel by public government. According to Miro, it is not often the higher levels of government or law enforcement that fall prey to inappropriate involvement with the cartel (2003). Much of the controversy has developed because law enforcement had become involved with the cartel and protecting their mission on numerous occasions. This is speculated to happen for a number of reasons. First, the cartel is a large organization that has numerous connections, such as friends, family members and even extended family members. With that being said, those individuals having a personal connection or relationship would be more likely to comingle or become involved with the cartel. Secondly, some of the law enforcement that is taxed with protecting the streets and citizens may be bullied or strong armed into protecting the cartel (La Frontera, 2006).

Law enforcement may be intimated by the cartel because of their violence, crime and what they witness based on their position. It is also easier to see the vast issues and problems that law enforcement are faced with by the budget that is allowed to fight the war on drugs. Reviewing the Drug War Costs graph, it depicts the vast problem and deficit that is created in order to address the problems that are present.

Mexican & Russian Cartels

While there are a number of cartels the Mexican and Russian are the two most recognized. Each of these groups engages in similar activities and crime, but has several differences (Morris, 2012). Like many of the other cartels there are differences in the hierarchy of members, type of crime and motive of their activities. The Mexican cartel and Russian cartel are primarily separated by their members and structure type. The Mexican cartel is primarily made up of family and friends (Finckenaur & Waning, 2001). They are motivated primarily by drug trade, violence and crime. The Russian cartel on the other hand is made up of a more individual set of individuals that work together. The Mexican cartel is run primarily by the drug lord and is a more cohesive group that focuses on a day to day basis. The Russian cartel is motivated by money, regardless of what type of crime, they will engage in anything for profit. They do not however comingle daily, but come together when opportunities are present, unlike the Mexican cartel. Even though there are some differences in both cartels, each is engaged in activities that quality as an organized crime group.

Trafficking & Crime

As stated earlier, there are a great deal of positions and actions that are required to carry out the mission of the cartel. After the drugs are gathered from the growers, they are then transported by what is referred to as a gatekeeper (Wood, 1996). These individuals are responsible for delivering the drugs to a storage facility that is oftentimes owned by the cartel or their associates. Once the drugs are delivered to the storage facility, a distributor picks them up and proceeds to deliver them to dealers. The dealers are generally well connected within the drug community and divide the drugs between several other dealers. These dealers then sell the drugs to individuals on the street and give most of the profit to the cartel. There are not only one or two distributors, but rather numerous groups of individuals that serve as distributors.

Another common term for individuals that transport drugs is known as a mule. Mules are individuals that carry drugs by either vehicle transportation or on their physical person. It is not uncommon for them to have large quantities and use plans, boats, or tractor trailers in their illegal activities. Mules will alter their vehicles or other transportation modes. By establishing compartments and hidden areas of the vehicle, it makes it more difficult for law enforcement to find the hidden drugs. Without the help of a law enforcement k9 or police dog, it is almost impossible for street enforcement to find the drugs in those hidden compartments. The cartel is well aware of law enforcements attempts to search for and find illegal materials, which creates an increased attempt to outsmart the police (Bonner, 2010). There are elaborate attempts to hide the drugs and other illegal materials or money. It is worth the extra effort of finding ways to fool law enforcement, because if they are caught they can lose thousands if not millions of dollars of goods. This not only decreases their revenue, but costs them their freedom and can have dangerous consequences from the drug lord or other cartel members.

Conclusion

In conclusion, drug trafficking is a serious problem that spans across many geographical boundaries and foreign soil. While there are the most obvious concerns with drug trafficking and crime, there are also a great deal of concerns at the social, political and environmental levels. Cartels are made up of hundreds if not thousands of members that all have similar goals and motives to engage in very dangerous activities. This not only places society in great danger, but it also creates difficulty for law enforcement and other peacekeepers within society. There are illegal and dangerous drugs that are put on the street and create additional crime, murder and death that are a direct result. Not only do cartels target adults for their drug trade and other crime, but they are also influencing and affecting youth. In some cases, youth are asked to become involved in the cartels business, but more often they are the recipients of the drugs that are delivered to the streets. Regardless of the organization, motive or structure, it is most important for society to recognize and understand the danger of drug cartels. With increased knowledge, law enforcement and political activity, it is hopeful that it can be greatly reduced, thereby restoring the sanctity of society.

References

Bonner, R. C. (2012). The Cartel Crackdown. Foreign Affairs, 91(3), 12-16.

Bonner, R. C. (2010). The New Cocaine Cowboys. Foreign Affairs, 89(4), 35-47.

Chepesiuk, Ron. 2003. The Rise and Fall of the Cali Cartel: The Richest, Most Powerful Crime Syndicate in History, Milo Books LTD.

Finckenauer, J.O., Fuentes, J.R. & Ward, G.L. (2006). “Mexico and the United States: Neighbors Confront Drug Trafficking.” National Institute of Justice.

Kellner, T., & Pipitone, F. (2010). Inside Mexico’s Drug War. World Policy Journal, 27(1), 29-37. La Frontera. 2006. [Translation] “Hit Men: Armies for Mexican Drug Cartels.” Tijuana: La Frontera,

Miro, Ramon. 2003. Organized Crime and Terrorist Activity in Mexico, 1999-2002. Washington DC: Library of Congress.

Morris, S. D. (2012). Corruption, Drug Trafficking, and Violence in Mexico. Brown Journal Of World Affairs, 18(2), 29-43.

San, M. (2011). The appeal of ‘dangerous’ men. On the role of women in organized crime. Trends In Organized Crime, 14(4), 281-297.

Save Our Liberties. “Drug War Costs: The Financial Costs of the War on Drugs Dwarfs the Federal Annual Deficit”. 10 April 2013 Online [http://druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/graphs/17.htm]

Wood, D. B. (1996, July 10). Latest border-control effort: Halting flow of illegal drugs. Christian Science Monitor. p. 3.