The
commercial exchange of illegal drugs including the equipment
and substances involved in producing, manufacturing and using
these drugs is known as drug trafficking. Interdiction, or prohibition
by court order, is then established by governments to enforce,
deter and eradicate the exchange of such illegal goods.
Interdiction
efforts directed at drug trafficking vary across the globe
although, the international nature of drug trafficking prevents
any country from combating the trade alone. Organizations
such as the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime
Prevention are working to maintain and assist international
activities and encourage countries such as Cambodia and the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea to join international
drug control efforts. The US government has officially called
for a 'War Against Drugs' and consequently, the nation plays
a leading role in the push for aggressive counter-drug tactics
across the globe. Their activities focus on interdiction and
eradication operations in drug transit zones and source countries,
and also urge other countries to adopt anti-corruption and
judicial system programs.
In
recent times some nations have shifted their policy focus
towards harm-reduction based on the idea that reducing consumption
will help to stem the flow and production of controlled drugs.
Researchers in the US have found that treatment policy could
be socially and economically superior to interdiction efforts.
For example, symptoms of AIDS, cancer and multiple sclerosis
can be treated through legalizing marijuana for medical use
and tax payers can save more than $7 for every additional
dollar invested in substance abuse treatment.
Despite
these efforts, it is estimated by the UN that only 10-15 per
cent of heroin and 30 per cent of cocaine is intercepted worldwide.
Drug trafficking across the world exists as a $400 billion
(US) trade. Since drug traffickers earn gross profit margins
of 300 per cent, at least 70 per cent of international drug
shipments need to be intercepted to substantially reduce the
industry. Reports suggest that in spite of increases in successful
interceptions, the drug market continues to produce the same,
or even higher, quantities of illicit drugs. The developed
efforts of drug control authorities in some countries have
merely moved drug trafficking operations to weaker jurisdictions
and forced greater organizational sophistication such as stockpiling
drugs in isolated locations. Economists call this the balloon
effect since squeezing by law enforcement in one area of the
market only leads to a rise elsewhere. Indeed, the war against
drugs appears to have simply increased the cost of drugs,
making drug trafficking more profitable and therefore more
attractive - particularly to those living in poverty.
Drug
trafficking groups in South and Central Asia, and Latin America,
where the majority of illicit drugs is produced and trafficked,
have expanded their networks to include cross-border cooperation
and connections with other international drug trafficking
groups. This growth and increased organization of international
drug traffickers results from an expanding consumer market
as well as poverty, unemployment, weaknesses in law enforcement
systems caused by corruption, and lack of human and technical
resources. There is growing evidence of links between firearms
smuggling, insurrection and drug trafficking. Drug traffickers
are also known to transform the monetary proceeds from their
criminal activity into revenue with an apparently legal source.
This is known as money laundering. As much as $100 billion
a year in drug trafficking cash moves through the U.S. financial
system. Consequently, many countries have criminalized money
laundering and instituted banking regulations to deter money
laundering and make it easier to detect and seize the assets
of criminal activity.
