Introduction
Drug trafficking involves the illegal transportation of drugs across international borders. It is a highly profitable business, which involves moving large amounts of money from a country where drugs are produced to another country where they are consumed. Drug trafficking is a problem that affects both countries and the citizens of those countries. The drug trade has increased violence and corruption among local police and security forces in many parts of the world. The main goal of drug trafficking is to make money for the traffickers and their families and friends. Drug trafficking is very dangerous because it involves many risks, such as getting caught by police, sometimes even with small amounts of drugs like marijuana or cocaine; being arrested; being sent to prison; paying high fines, and more. Therefore, the paper focuses on solving international drug trafficking, such as instituting a national campaign to reduce youth access to drugs, legalize narcotics, and improve border security by creating stronger laws against hiring illegal immigrants.
Background Information
Opium use was first popularized in the United States by Chinese immigrants who settled in California in the middle of the 19th century. Opium was traded, sold, and distributed across the territory. These activities extended throughout the region. Opium dens, specifically designated locations for the purchase and sale of the drug, first started to appear in cities throughout the state of California, and they quickly moved to New York and other major metropolitan areas. In little time, people in the United States began experimenting with additional opiates such as morphine and codeine. During the Civil War, morphine was widely used as a pain treatment, leading to the addiction of thousands of troops on both sides of the conflict. Morphine addiction was particularly prevalent among Union soldiers.
In addition to engaging in gambling and other forms of criminal activity, American Mafia organizations were captured in importing and selling illegal substances as early as the 1950s. These structured gangs laid the groundwork for subsequent drug cartels relying on drug trafficking as their primary source of income (Huyen, 2019). The participation of the United States in the Vietnam War led to an increase in heroin brought into the country illegally between 1965 and 1970. Drug usage among Vietnam troops was rampant. In 1971, studies indicated that 15% of active-duty troops were heroin addicts, while many more actively served in the military smoked marijuana or used other narcotics. At the tail end of the 1970s, the illicit cocaine trade developed into a significant possibility for generating money all around the globe. During this period, the activities of the Medellin Cartel, an organized collection of drug sellers and smugglers with its headquarters in Medellin, Colombia, started.
However, the trafficking of illegal drugs in the United States is still a major cause for worry. The Taliban and al-Qaida are just two terrorist groups operating in the Middle East that have emerged as key participants in the manufacturing and distribution of illicit substances. The Mexican and Columbian cartels continue to provide challenges for the United States government, particularly the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Powder cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, crack cocaine, heroin, and oxycodone were the most commonly trafficked drugs in 2013. In 2013, virtually all drug trafficking charges included one of these six substances. According to a survey published in 2014, during the preceding decade, Americans spent around $100 billion per year on illegal narcotics. Officials and government agencies are actively working on new tactics to prevent illicit drugs from smuggling into the United States and moving around the country. Hence, this is because it is possible that drug trafficking may never be eliminated.
Why International Drug Trafficking Is A Societal Problem
International drug trafficking is a societal problem because it undermines economic and social development and contributes to crime, instability, insecurity, and the spread of HIV. The global drug trafficking market is constantly evolving regarding imported products, methods of smuggling them, quantities imported and exported, prices paid for those products, and services rendered in terms of money (Mooney et al., 2021). This change has increased the demand for illicit drugs globally. At the same time, there has been a decrease in demand for licit drugs, leading to increased levels of drug-related crime. The illegal drug trade also contributes to poverty by making people dependent on it for their livelihoods and taking away resources from other industries such as agriculture or tourism. The trafficking of drugs also contributes to corruption because it involves money laundering, which allows criminals to launder money from other sources so that they can continue with their illegal activities without being caught by law enforcement agencies such as Interpol or Interpol itself (Interpol).
In addition to this economic impact, drug trafficking also has a significant social impact on its victims. Drug trafficking causes crime, instability, insecurity, and HIV. It also contributes to corruption by allowing criminals to use their resources to launder money and pay taxes. Furthermore, there are many cases where law enforcement agencies have failed to prosecute criminals who are involved with international drug trafficking because they do not have enough evidence against them.
Population Perspective
International drug trafficking is a global problem that affects every part of society. However, the perspectives of a population from different parts of society and what they have to say about international drug trafficking are not always the same. The perspectives of a population from different parts of society and what they have to say about international drug trafficking can range from very different to very similar. In some cases, people from different countries or regions may have similar ideas about how best to deal with the issue (Jeffries & Chuenurah, 2019). Other times, there may be vast differences in opinion about what should be done about this problem. For example, many people in Asia believe that their governments should work together with other Asian countries to stop international drug trafficking. They feel that this will help them fight crime more effectively because it will be easier for them to collaborate and share intelligence information when they are all working together on this issue.
On the other hand, however, some people who live in Africa believe that their governments should cooperate with other African countries instead so they can fight crime more effectively because it will be easier for them to collaborate and share intelligence information when they are all doing this together on this issue as well instead. In addition, some believe that drug trafficking is a crime against humanity and should be stopped at all costs. These individuals call for a “war on drugs” approach which seeks to decrease drug use through education and rehabilitation rather than simply arresting users and dealers.
Arguments Supporting My Proposed Solutions
International drug trafficking is a serious problem affecting the United States and other countries worldwide. It has become an important topic of discussion in recent years, as it has been linked to many of the problems facing our society today. In this paper, I will argue that there are multiple ways in which international drug trafficking can affect our society and cause great harm. First, it costs taxpayers millions of dollars annually due to law enforcement efforts and health care costs related to drug use. Second, it contributes to violence in our society by funding criminal organizations that use violence against those who do not pay up or try to stop them from carrying out their illicit activities. Third, it causes a significant amount of damage to the environment by destroying forests and other natural resources needed for human survival.
Gioommi et al. (2021) analyzed data from three peer-reviewed sources to show that a network approach to interdicting international drug trafficking would be more efficient than a one-size-fits-all approach. Gioommi et al., 2021) found that while many benefits were associated with using a network approach, it also had several drawbacks. First, the authors noted that there are limitations to how far away the nodes can be from each other in space and time, especially when dealing with international drug trafficking networks. However, because of the large amount of data in tracking these drug traffickers, it can be difficult for investigators to decide which targets should be pursued and how best to do so. Although this study found that investigators could succeed with this approach, it did not provide information on whether or not this was happening in practice at any given period or location under study.
Furthermore, we need to consider other solutions that will benefit everyone involved in this issue. First, we should increase the legal jobs available for people imprisoned for drug possession or distribution (Ibarra Figueroa, 2020). However, this will help reduce the number of people in prison and make it easier for them to transition back into society once released. It also helps prevent continued involvement with a crime because they know they will have a job waiting for them when they get out. Next, we need to focus on education reform so that students understand how drugs affect their bodies and how they can avoid becoming addicted. Hence, this is especially important because it is estimated that over two million teenagers report using marijuana every month. If this trend continues unchecked, we may see more problems, including addiction leading to crime.
Validity And Reliability
The validity and reliability of international drug trafficking can be determined in several ways. The most important aspect to consider when determining the validity and reliability of international drug trafficking is the extent to which it is a real issue. If it is not an actual problem, then there is no reason to study it. However, if it affects society or individuals somehow, we should look into how it affects people’s lives. Another key aspect is whether or not significant biases are involved with international drug trafficking (Giommoni et al., 2020). Hence, this can include who has more power over others (such as police officers) and how they use that power (such as by killing those they suspect to be involved with illegal activities). Finally, we must consider whether or not there are other ways to get information about this topic besides studying international drug trafficking. For example, if someone wanted to know what car a specific person drives, they could look at his license plate numbers and see if any match up with cars registered under his name.
Strengths and Weakness Of The Research
According to Popescu (2018), the criminal aspects of drug trafficking are an important part of the international drug trade, but they are understudied and underrepresented in academia. Additionally, because criminal aspects of drug trafficking are not well-understood by law enforcement officials, they are also difficult to study. The strengths of this paper include its focus on the criminal aspect of drug trafficking, which is often overlooked by scholars who study drug trafficking as a whole. The paper also provides a brief overview of the current research on criminal aspects of international drug trafficking. The paper does not include any limitations limiting its applicability to future research on international drug trafficking; rather, it simply presents what is currently known about these issues. There are some limitations to this study as well. It does not address the global climate change or environmental damage caused by drug production, which may impact trafficking rates differently. The authors did not discuss how governments should handle illegal drug production or distribution, which would be another important area for future research.
The strength of this study Jeffries & Chuenurah, ( 2019) is its unique focus on Thai women and their experiences with international cross-border drug trafficking. The weakness is that the study does not provide a comprehensive picture of all Thai women who have engaged in international cross-border drug trafficking, nor does it cover all aspects of the process. Future research should include a more in-depth analysis of how these women became involved in illegal activities, including factors such as poverty, social class, gender norms, and family background. Further research should also explore how they acquired funds for these activities and what role family support played in this process.
Ethical outcome
The solution to international drug trafficking is to make it illegal for people in a country to import or export drugs. Thus, this would result in the following ethical outcomes: It would prevent people from selling drugs on the black market, which is a problem because many of these drugs are more potent than the ones currently being sold legally. It would prevent the spread of diseases by making it illegal for users to obtain drugs from dealers who might be unsafe. It would stop drug cartels from laundering money through international transactions, which means that their funds will be held up and frozen until they can prove that they have no connection to illegal activity.
One positive ethical outcome that could result from my solution concerning international drug trafficking would be a reduction in the illegal trade of drugs. Hence, this is because I believe that if the illegal trade of drugs were reduced, there would be fewer people selling and buying these drugs, and the negative effects on society would be lessened (Robinson et al., 2019). A negative ethical outcome of my solution concerning international drug trafficking would be increased human trafficking. Because many countries are involved with the illegal drug trade, there is an increased risk of human trafficking occurring in these countries due to their involvement with the illegal drug trade.
Solutions
International drug trafficking is a serious problem. Many solutions can help curb the issue of drug trafficking, and it is important to consider all options when deciding how to handle the problem. One solution to international drug trafficking is to legalize narcotics. However, this would allow the government to better regulate the sale of narcotics and help reduce violence associated with drug trafficking. However, legalizing narcotics would also increase demand for them, resulting in even more violent conflicts with rival cartels over controlling territories where drugs are produced or sold illegally. Another solution is to improve border security by creating stronger laws against hiring illegal immigrants who may be involved in drug trafficking. If these laws are enacted, they will help prevent drug traffickers from entering the country undetected and thus increase their chances of being caught when attempting to cross into another country illegally via an international border crossing point such as a port or airport checkpoint. Another solution is to institute a national campaign to reduce youth access to alcohol and tobacco products by funding community-based organizations that provide programs specifically around addressing this issue at local levels, such as schools and churches.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the international drug trade has been around for as long as the drug itself. Drugs are illegal everywhere but can be found in nearly every country. The International Drug Trade is a profitable industry worth billions of dollars annually. International drug trafficking is very lucrative, especially for those involved in it. Many people have businesses and make millions of dollars. They use this money to live their lives how they want to and do not have to deal with the government or taxes. The international community has debated how best to combat drug trafficking for decades, but no consensus has emerged on what needs to be done. Some experts believe that increased enforcement will reduce demand and make it harder for criminals to profit from their activities. In contrast, others argue that restricting supply will only make drugs more expensive and because more harm by driving up prices. Therefore, International drug trafficking is a serious problem. Many solutions can help curb the issue. One solution is to legalize narcotics, which could help regulate the sale of narcotics. Another is to improve border security by creating stronger laws against hiring illegal immigrants who may be involved in drug trafficking.
References
Giommoni, L., Berlusconi, G., & Aziani, A. (2021). Interdicting international drug trafficking: A Network approach for coordinated and targeted interventions. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 1-28. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10610-020-09473-0
Giommoni, L., Guntur, R. V., & Cheeks, E. (2020). International drug trafficking: past, present, and future trends. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264079.013.470
Huyen, T. Q. (2019). International cooperation to prevent and combat transnational drug trafficking at border locations: A case study of Vietnam. JL Poly & Globalization, 85, 206. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/234652173.pdf
Ibarra Figueroa, C. (2020). IDENTIFYING MARKERS OF TRANSIT STATES EMBEDDED IN INTERNATIONAL DRUG TRAFFICKING NETWORKS. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2077&context=etd
Jeffries, S., & Chuenurah, C. (2019). Vulnerabilities, victimization, romance, and indulgence: Thai women’s pathways to prison in Cambodia for international cross border drug trafficking. International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice, 56, 39-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlcj.2018.12.001
Khamidov, N. (2018). Criminal-legal aspects of drug abuse in some countries and imposed approaches against it. International Journal of Legal Studies (IJOLS), (4 (2)), 177-182. https://cejsh.icm.edu.pl/cejsh/element/bwmeta1.element.desklight-efb57c26-9597-4e8c-9506-178ebf8c72ca/c/IJOLS___2_4_2018_str._177-183.pdf
Mooney, L. A., Clever, M., & Van Willigen, M. (2021). Understanding social problems. Cengage learning.
Popescu, T. V. (2018, November). Criminal Aspects of Drug Trafficking. In RAIS Conference Proceedings-The 11th International RAIS Conference on Social Sciences. http://rais.education/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/039TP.pdf
Robinson, G., McLean, R., & Densley, J. (2019). Working county lines: Child criminal exploitation and illicit drug dealing in Glasgow and Merseyside. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 63(5), 694-711. https://research.edgehill.ac.uk/ws/files/20124627/Working%20count%20lines.pdf
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