Drug trafficking in Latin America
What is drug trafficking?
Drug trafficking in Latin America
Latin America is a crucial geographic zone for drug production and trafficking. The Andean countries of Colombia, Peru and Bolivia are the world’s main cocaine producers, while Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean have become the principal corridors for transporting drugs into the United States and Europe.
As a result, the countries of the region have suffered various consequences of drug trafficking and US-led eradication and interdiction efforts. In production countries, these include environmental and community damage from forced eradication of coca crops such as aerial spraying and the funding of guerrilla insurgent groups through illicit crop cultivation and sale, most notably, FARC in Colombia and the Shining Path in Peru.
Throughout the entire region, in both drug production
and trafficking areas, there has been an upsurge of violence, corruption,
impunity, erosion of rule of law, and human rights violations caused by the
emergence of powerful organized crime groups and drug cartels. Central America
is now home to some of the world’s most dangerous cities, with the highest
global homicide rate found in Honduras, at 82.1 murders per 100,000
inhabitants. The region has become unsafe for human rights defenders and
journalists that expose the violence; for politicians and security officials
that refuse to be corrupted by drug trafficking groups; and, most of all, for
its citizens that get caught in crossfire between rivaling gangs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuC4cFT0LKY
Over the period 2002-2005, global cocaine seizure totals have recently followed a stable trend, amounting to 712 tons in 2007 and 711 tons in 2008. Seizures continued to be concentrated in the Americas and Europe. However, the transition from 2007 to 2008 brought about a geographical shift in seizures towards the source countries for cocaine. Seizures in South America accounted for 59 per cent of the global total for 2008, compared with 45 per cent in 2007.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuC4cFT0LKY
Routes of drug trafficking
Over the period 2002-2005, global cocaine seizure totals have recently followed a stable trend, amounting to 712 tons in 2007 and 711 tons in 2008. Seizures continued to be concentrated in the Americas and Europe. However, the transition from 2007 to 2008 brought about a geographical shift in seizures towards the source countries for cocaine. Seizures in South America accounted for 59 per cent of the global total for 2008, compared with 45 per cent in 2007.
The most popular drugs
DRUG
|
GLOBAL CONSUME
|
LATIN CONSUME
|
Marihuana
|
202.680.000
|
42.860.000
|
Amphetamine
|
56.410.000
|
6.210.000
|
Ecstasy
|
28.090.000
|
4.020.000
|
Heroine
|
20.660.000
|
1.910.000
|
Cocaine
|
20.520.000
|
8.650.000
|
The most famous drug trafficker
Griselda Blanco - Colombia
Blanco is one of the biggest drug lords in the '80s. Known as the "Queen of Cocaine" or "The Godmother," Blanco turned the streets of Miami into a slaughter yard during her reign in the '80s.
Blanco is one of the biggest drug lords in the '80s. Known as the "Queen of Cocaine" or "The Godmother," Blanco turned the streets of Miami into a slaughter yard during her reign in the '80s.
She was arrested by the DEA in Miami and was deported to Colombia in 1985. By the age of 69, Blanco was shot to death outside a butcher shop in Medellin, Colombia on September 3, 2012.
Carlos Lehder - Colombia
The self -proclaimed Nazi, known as the "Colombian Rambo" paved way for the cocaine transport between Colombia and the United States by taking over a small island in the Bahamas. He is also one of the founders of the Colombian Medellin Cartel, who expanded his cocaine business by teaming up with George Jung, a drug kingpin from Boston whom he met in prison.
The self -proclaimed Nazi, known as the "Colombian Rambo" paved way for the cocaine transport between Colombia and the United States by taking over a small island in the Bahamas. He is also one of the founders of the Colombian Medellin Cartel, who expanded his cocaine business by teaming up with George Jung, a drug kingpin from Boston whom he met in prison.
Amado Carrillo Fuentes - Mexico
Fuentes took over the Mexican Juarez Cartel after assassinating his boss Rafael Aguilar Guajardo. He is known as the "Lord of Skies" for using jets to transport drugs from Colombia to Mexico. As per the Independent, Fuentes made around $100 million a month from drug trafficking which he pays off locals and the federal government officials to have his shipments transported smoothly.
Fuentes died on July 3, 1997 after undergoing a plastic surgery to change his appearance. At the time of his death, Fuentes has a net worth of $25 billion.
Joaquin Guzmán - México
known as "El Chapo" the Sinaloa Cartel kingpin is one of the most recent drug lord that was captured by the authorities after escaping the maximum security prison by building a tunnel in Mexico. Guzman is the one responsible for transporting drugs into the United States every year.
Pablo Escobar - Colombia
Known as one of the most notorious drug lords in Colombia, Pablo Escobar became the world's wealthiest men by the time he reached the age of 35. Escobar's father was a poor farmer, but he strived to make a name for himself by becoming the leader of the controversial Medellin cartel, the group responsible for 80 percent of the global cocaine market.
Known as one of the most notorious drug lords in Colombia, Pablo Escobar became the world's wealthiest men by the time he reached the age of 35. Escobar's father was a poor farmer, but he strived to make a name for himself by becoming the leader of the controversial Medellin cartel, the group responsible for 80 percent of the global cocaine market.
As per reports, Escobar earned around $420 million a week, placing him on top of Forbes' list of international billionaires from 1987 to 1993 and was hailed as the 7th richest man in the world in 1989. He has net worth of $30 billion as per News One's report.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuOsyxdLy8s
the debate in Chile in recent years has primarily revolved around the issue of cannabis, especially the liberalisation of laws on cultivation for personal use. According to the National Service for Drug and Alcohol Prevention and Rehabilitation (SENDA), the use and supply of cannabis constitutes over 90 per cent of all activity relating to controlled recreational substances.In 2012, senators Fulvio Rossi and Lagos Weber presented a bill decriminalising the home-growing and personal consumption of cannabis. Although it sparked some controversy in the media, it did not meet the ridicule a similar bill did when presented nine years earlier, so it marked a significant shift in Chilean public opinion on marijuana. The senators’ proposal also triggered a wider debate in the country that raised awareness of the positive aspects of decriminalisation. Cannabis has become more accepted in Chilean society, and even right-wing parliamentarians have expressed a willingness to discuss legalising the medicinal and/or recreational use of cannabis.
What are the current drug laws in Chile
In December 2010 a devastating fire at the San Miguel prison killed 81 inmates. Built for a maximum of 700 inmates, there were 1,900 prisoners held there at the time. On the fire reported that Chile had a prison population of 53,000, in a system with a capacity of only 32,000.
However, the law does criminalise drug use when it is within a group of individuals.
Chile and the drug trafficking
What are the current trends in Chilean drug legislation?the debate in Chile in recent years has primarily revolved around the issue of cannabis, especially the liberalisation of laws on cultivation for personal use. According to the National Service for Drug and Alcohol Prevention and Rehabilitation (SENDA), the use and supply of cannabis constitutes over 90 per cent of all activity relating to controlled recreational substances.In 2012, senators Fulvio Rossi and Lagos Weber presented a bill decriminalising the home-growing and personal consumption of cannabis. Although it sparked some controversy in the media, it did not meet the ridicule a similar bill did when presented nine years earlier, so it marked a significant shift in Chilean public opinion on marijuana. The senators’ proposal also triggered a wider debate in the country that raised awareness of the positive aspects of decriminalisation. Cannabis has become more accepted in Chilean society, and even right-wing parliamentarians have expressed a willingness to discuss legalising the medicinal and/or recreational use of cannabis.
What are the current drug laws in Chile
In December 2010 a devastating fire at the San Miguel prison killed 81 inmates. Built for a maximum of 700 inmates, there were 1,900 prisoners held there at the time. On the fire reported that Chile had a prison population of 53,000, in a system with a capacity of only 32,000.
However, the law does criminalise drug use when it is within a group of individuals.
The current drug legislation is contained in Law 20.000, which came into force in February 2005 and was reformed in 2007. It replaced 1995’s Law 19.366, which punished the illicit trafficking of narcotics and psychotropic substances.
Law 20.000 allows for the personal consumption of any recreational drug, while penalising consumption that occurs in groups. It does not, however, establish a threshold for the permitted quantities, so the distinction between trafficking and consumption is left to the discretion of the judge. Its implementing law Decree 867 published in 2007 by the Interior Ministry specifies which drugs, plants and substances are illicit. This decree places and its derivatives in the category of “hard drugs that produce high levels of toxicity or dependence”, thus mandating maximum penalties for cannabis–related crimes. Decree 143, published on 18 August 1997 by the Justice Ministry, requires the Civil Registrar to keep a record of all those sentenced for crimes involving drugs.
How have drug laws impacted Chile's prison situation?
Chile, like almost every country in the region, suffers from overcrowded prisons. Although the trend towards decriminalisation is set, the sharp increase in the domestic prison population in recent years can still be partly attributed to harsh drug control measures, including jail sentences for minor drug-related crimes.
What does the law say about drug use? Is drug use a crime in Chile?
Although Article 4 of Law 20.000 does not prohibit private personal use, all other drug-related activities – including possession – are defined as crimes punishable by lengthy prison sentences of 541 days to 5 years, unless demonstrated to have a medical purpose.
What are the main illegal substances circulating in Chile?
Marihuana use
Cocaine use
Pasta base use
The most popular drug trafficking in Chile
Mario Silva Leiva best known as “el cabro carrera”
He was born in 1924, his parents passed away when he was 8 years old. He started his criminal
career in Franklin as athief. The people nicknamed him “cabro carrera” because he always escaped from police.
He lived in Buenos Aires between 1941and 1948, he devoted himself to the theft of valuable
species. On his return of Chile he installed a clandestine business horceracing and in the 1960’s, he entered the drug trade. In Valparaiso, he sent cocaine to USA. Also, in Europe he formed a drug ring and participed Medellin Cartel. He come back to Chile with a fortune estimated 20 million dollars.
He suffered a heart attack and die don July 21 at the Clinica Santa Maria.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yifoO132LrM
UN and the durg trafficking
UNODC is a global leader in the fight against illicit drugs and international crime. Established in 1997 through a merger between the United Nations Drug Control Programme and the Centre for International Crime Prevention, UNODC operates in all regions of the world through an extensive network of field offices. UNODC relies on voluntary contributions, mainly from Governments, for 90 per cent of its budget.
UNODC is mandated to assist Member States in their struggle against illicit drugs, crime and terrorism. In the Millennium Declaration, Member States also resolved to intensify efforts to fight transnational crime in all its dimensions, to redouble the efforts to implement the commitment to counter the world drug problem and to take concerted action against international terrorism.
DO YOU THINK THAT IS POSSIBLE ENDING WITH THE DRUG TRAFFICKING?
fuentes
-UNODC. (2016). Drug trafficking. mayo 2016, de UN Sitio web: https://www.unodc.org/
-Terra. (2010). Las drogas mas consumida en el mundo. mayo 2016, de Terra Sitio web: https://noticias.terra.com/mundo/descubre-cuales-son-las-drogas-mas-consumidas-en-el-mundo,0b546d73ea426410VgnVCM3000009af154d0RCRD.html
- tni. (2015). eformas a las leyes de drogas en america latina. mayo 2016, de tni Sitio web: http://druglawreform.info/es/informacion-por-pais/america-latina/chile/item/244-chile
-Maria Paz Miranda. (2014). Los 10 narcotraficantes más buscados y poderosos de la historia. mayo 2016, de Guioteca Sitio web: https://www.guioteca.com/internacional/los-10-narcotraficantes-mas-buscados-y-poderosos-de-la-historia/
