National Drug Threat Assessment
http://www.usdoj.gov/ndic/pubs31/31379/31379p.pdf
Quote:
DTOs rapidly adapt to law enforcement and policy initiatives that disrupt their drug trafficking operations. Law enforcement and intelligence reporting revealed several strategic shifts by DTOs in drug production and trafficking in 2007 and early 2008, attributed in part to the success of counterdrug agencies in disrupting the operations of DTOs. Many of these shifts represent immediate new challenges for policymakers and resource planners. The National Drug Threat Assessment 2009 outlines the progress and emerging counterdrug challenges
in detailed strategic findings, including the following:
• Mexican DTOs represent the greatest organized crime threat to the United States. The influence
of Mexican DTOs over domestic drug trafficking is unrivaled. In fact, intelligence estimates indicate a vast majority of the cocaine available in U.S. drug markets is smuggled by Mexican DTOs across the U.S.–Mexico border. Mexican DTOs control drug distribution in most U.S. cities, and they are gaining strength in markets that they do not yet control.
• Violent urban gangs control most retail-level drug distribution nationally, and some have relocated from inner cities to suburban and rural areas. Moreover, gangs are increasing their involvement in wholesale-level drug distribution, aided by their connections with Mexican and Asian DTOs.
Unfortunately no good news in this report, but it is excellent study on international criminal networks (with many parallels to international terrorist organizations). One reader criticized the report due to its sole focus on illegal drugs, while failing to show the ties between the illegal drug trade and terrorists.
The war on drugs is a failure: report says
A report by an Inter-American body and a commentary on a US news website: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/art...he_drug_w.html
davidbfpo
corrupted institutions....
Blowing the Whistle -- and Paying the Price: For one compliance officer, blowing the whistle opened a can of worms, By Bill Alpert. Barron's, March 9, 2009.
Quote:
WHEN WACHOVIA BANK COMPLIANCE OFFICER Martin Woods started seeing traveler's checks arrive at his London branch from Mexican currency exchanges in 2006 -- sequentially numbered, improperly endorsed, large denomination -- he became suspicious.
They always shoot the messenger.
Thats the problem with so many of our problems today
They tend to result and be amplified by so many of the so called "socially neutral" habits and requirements we have become inundated with in efforts to ensure complete and total "equality" without any regard to common understanding that in life there are such things as good and bad.
And more importantly the fact that if the adults don't define them the kids will cease to even recognize them. :(
The only thing that would truly effect the drug business is a recognition that if your young are raised with the awareness of how good life can be when you live it right they will be a lot less inclined to partake in those things which take that ability away. It's not a supply and demand issue, it's a culture and environment one.
This biggest hurdle to that is the likelihood that as in the past there will be efforts to have the state deal with it instead of finding ways to empower families to. (Catch 22)