6 The Illicit Drug Trade

Early Drug Regulation 1906 – Pure Food and Drug Act enacted 1914 – Congress enacted the Harrison Narcotics Act 1940's & 50's – Marijuana and cocaine use slowly gained popularity

The Impact of Drugs on Society Cycle of Disorder Overall fear of disorder by residents (Crime vs. Fear of Crime) Disorder increases when there is litter in the streets or broken windows, etc. Residents begin to move out New households are more likely to be single parent families

The Impact of Drugs on Society Cycle of Disorder Informal community control Policing the drug problem is no easy task. (See Strategies below.)

The Impact of Drugs on Society Drugs and Violent Crime Intramural Violence Aggression among drug traffickers Intermural Violence Aggression by drug traffickers against the police. Threats/violence to those who oppose drug dealing in their neighborhood.

The Impact of Drugs on Society Drugs and Organized Crime Drug Trafficking Organizations Core organizations Secondary organizations Local organizations

Players in the Drug Business Organized Crime Groups Manufacturing End Refiners and wholesalers Traffickers Dealers

Players in the Drug Business Cali Cartel (Mexico) Other groups Juveniles are used as lookouts for crack houses or drug couriers Drug users themselves Street Dealers

The Business of Drugs Cold Calculating Money-driven business Operates 7 days a week all year long

Southeast Asia Consider the history of the opium trade Opium, heroin, and morphine are all derived from the opium poppy (Papaver Somniferum) Opium was used mainly as a painkiller in Asia, Middle East, and Europe

Southwest Asia Second Asian geographical region of illicit opium production Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan make up the Golden Crescent Golden Crescent produced more than 8,000 of the world's 9,000 total tons of opium. Shipped to Middle East,, Far East, HI and CA.

Trends of Organized Drug Trafficking Organization Vertically integrated When a drug-manufacturing organization merges with an organization proficient in street level distribution Horizontally integrated When one crime organization absorbs another organization in the same drug market

Drugs and Drug-Trafficking Techniques Domestic organizations cultivate, produce, and manufacture illegal drugs such as: Marijuana PCP LSD Meth

Drug-Control Strategies Problems associated with the illicit drug problem is violence that is associated with it A side effect of this problem is that it spills over into neighborhoods

Drug-Control Strategies Strategy 1: Expressive Law Enforcement Law enforcement strategy that suggests more police resources be devoted to the drug problem Strategy 2: Mr. Big Strategy Employ sophisticated investigative procedures using wiretaps, informants, and undercover operatives

Drug-Control Strategies Strategy 3: Gang Control View gangs as organized crime enterprises and to use all the techniques that have been developed to deal with traditional organized crime Strategy 4: Citywide Street-Level Drug Enforcement Disrupt open dealing by driving it back indoors

Drug-Control Strategies Strategy 5: Neighborhood Crackdowns Police can crackdown on drug offenses in neighborhoods that are willing to join the police in resisting drug abuse Strategy 6: Drug Abuse Prevention Focus on drug user rather than dealer

Other Control Strategies Source country crop control Control foreign production of opium and coca and restricting both foreign and domestic cultivation of marijuana. Encourage farmers not to grow it. Buy it and destroy it. Eradicate it.

Other Control Strategies Interdiction Based on the rationalization that foreign countries are not effective in preventing the production of illicit drugs and therefore the flow of drugs in the country must be stopped at the US border.