2.  THE EXTENT OF INFLUENCE AND POWER THAT LATINO DRUG CARTELS HAVE ON THE U.S. DRUG SCENE  THE DRUGS THE CARTELS IMPORT  THE CARTELS POLITICAL INFLUENCE  EFFORTS TO COMBAT THEIR ACTIVITIES

3.  COLUMBIA HAS BEEN TORN BY POLITICAL STRIFE WITH THREE CIVIL WARS DURING THE 19 TH CENTURY, AND TWO IN THE 20 TH.  AT THE ROOT OF COLUMBIA’S EASY VIOLENCE IS AN EXTRAORDINARY INDIFFERENCE TOWARDS DEATH. HOMICIDE RATE EIGHT TIMES HIGHER THAN U.S.

4.  REMEMBER THE CIVIL WARS  REBEL GROUPS SUCH AS FARC STILL ARE A PROBLEM.  THE ECONOMIC MODERNIZATION OF COLUMBIA FAILED TO BRING A CORRESPONDING RESPECT FOR GOVERNMENT.

5. IN SICILY WITH THE MAFIA IN NY WITH THE REFORM/NATIVISM CONFLICT IN CICERO,IL WITH AL CAPONE AND IN THE FORMER SOVIET UNION

6. CUBAN-COLUMBIAN CONNECTION MADE UP CUBAN EXILES AFTER THE BAY OF PIGS INVASION WHO IMPORTED COCAINE AT FIRST IMPORTED ONLY ENOUGH COCAINE INTO U.S. TO SATISFY MEMBERS MID-1960’S,MARKET HAS EXPANDED BEYOND THE CUBAN COMMUNITY,BEGAN TO IMPORT THE SUBSTANCE IN GREATER QUANTITIES

8.  The proportion of people in the United States who have used cocaine at some time during their lives is higher—by a factor of four—than in 16 other nations surveyed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The United States also leads in lifetime use of cannabis and tobacco.(NIDA)  NIDA scientists suggest that the high U.S. rates are, in part, artifacts of drug epidemics of the 1970s and 1980s, and they note that U.S. drug use rates are now lower.

10. MEDELLIN CARTEL MEDELLIN HAD A LONGSTANDING REPUTATION FOR SMUGGLING THE MURDER RATE IS NINE TIMES THAT OF NY CITY! CALI CARTEL LOW KEY “BUY COLUMBIA RATHER THAN TERRORIZE IT” BRIBERY OVER VIOLENCE

11.  1976-HEADED A SMALL GROUP OF “MULES” WHO TRANSPORTS RAW COCA PASTE AND BASE INTO COLUMBIA,PROCESSED INTO COCAINE  COCAINE MARKET SYKROCKETS IN U.S., ESCOBAR INVESTS IN A FLEET OF PLANES  ELECTED AS AN ALTERNATE REPRESENTATIVE TO THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY IN 1982  ESCOBAR SHARES A TRAIT WITH AL CAPONE AND JOHN GOTTI, HE ENJOYS THE PUBLIC SPOTLIGHT, BUILDS 500 SMALL HOUSES FOR SLUM SQUATTERS

12.  1984 MINISTER OF JUSTICE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAJOR SEIZURE OF COCAINE LABS IS MURDERED  THIRTY JUDGES CONSIDERING EXTRADITION REQUESTS ARE MURDERED  1989- PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE LUIS CARLOS GUILAN MURDERED  AVIANCA AIRLINES FLIGHT 203 BOMBED 107 PEOPLE KILLED

13.  VERTICALLY INTEGRATED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL THROUGH ENTIRE CHAIN FROM MANUFACTURE TO WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION  ASTRONOMICAL PROFITS  BROKEN LINK IN ANY STAGE WAS DEVASTATING

14.  1990-Escobar surrenders on drug charges and sentenced to prison, his prison cell is in a converted mountaintop ranch complete with a fireplace and a Jacuzzi!

15.  1992-COLUMBIAN AUTHORITIES DECIDE TO MOVE ESCOBAR TO A MORE SECURE PRISON  HE ESCAPES IN A GUN BATTLE WITH PRISON GUARDS  1993- ESCOBAR IS TRACKED DOWN IN A GUN BATTLE WITH COLUMBIAN TROOPS  1999- 31MEMBERS OF THE OCHOA FAMILY ARRESTED ON DRUG CHARGES.  2001- FABIO OCHOA SANCHEZ IS EXTRADITED TO THE U.S. ON DRUG CONSPIRACY CHARGES, HE EVENTUALLY RECEIVES A 30YR SENTENCE

17.  Mexican traffickers have been successful in their efforts. Joseph Keefe (2000) of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), one of the principal drug enforcement agencies in the U.S., reported that approximately half of the cocaine available in the U.S. enters the country along the U.S.-Mexico border. Keefe also noted that the majority of marijuana and a significant portion of heroin consumed in the U.S. emanates from Mexico.

18. Mexican drug organizations have established methamphetamine laboratories that have been estimated to produce 85 percent of the methamphetamine available in the U.S. Overall, Mexican drug traffickers have become a significant supply source for most of the major drugs consumed in the United States. www.ncjrs.gov

19.  LIKE COLUMBIA MEXICO HAS EXPERIENCED INTERNAL STRIFE WITH CIVIL WARS IN 1876 AND 1911.  THEY ALSO FOUGHT THE U.S. IN 1848 AND WERE OCCUPIED BY FRANCE FROM 1863-1867  AS IN SOUTHERN ITALY, SOCIETAL FOCUS IS ON THE IMMEDIATE AND EXTENDED FAMILIES, NOT ON THE WIDER INTERESTS OF A MORE IMPERATIVE SOCIETAL GOOD.(pg 174)

20. CARLOS SALINAS THE PRESIDENT OF MEXICO RAUL SALINAS DRUG CARTEL PROTECTOR

21.  THE LACK OF TRUST IN MEXICAN LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS RESULTED IN THE FAMILIES OF VICTIMS FAILING TO INFORM AUTHORITIES.  THIS LACK OF TRUST IS INFLUENCED BY A CONFIRMED FEAR THAT IT IS THE POLICE WHO OFTEN CARRY OUT THE KIDNAPPINGS.

22.  Enrique S. Camarena, was kidnapped and tortured by Mexican drug traffickers on February 7, 1985. It is believed that Special Agent Camerena's death actually occurred on February 9.

23.  AFTER WW2 THEY STARTED SHIP HEROIN FROM LABS IN MEXICO TO RELATIVES IN CHICAGO  AS IN OTHER DRUG CARTELS, FAMILY TIES ARE HUGE  IN1985 DEA's OPERATION DURANGO TARGETED THE HERRERA FAMILY,

24.  AMEZCUAS CARTEL TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE 1990’S METH EPIDEMIC IN THE U.S.. THEY GREW FROM LOW LEVEL COCAINE PRODUCER TO HIGH LEVEL METH PRODUCER.  SINALOA CARTEL SMUGGLE TONS OF COCAINE EACH MONTH TO THE U.S. BUILT A TUNNEL BETWEEN TIJUANA MEXICO AND A COMMUNITY INSIDE SAN DIEGO!

25. UNLIKE THE AMERICAN ORGANIZED CRIME LEADERS, OC LEADERS IN MEXICO HAVE AT THEIR DISPOSAL AN ARMY OF PERSONNEL, AN ARSENAL OF WEAPONS, AND THE FINEST TECHNOLOGY MONEY CAN BUY!

27.  GANG WAS STARTED FROM IMMIGRANTS OF CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRY OF EL SALVADOR  A CIVL WAR THAT BEGAN IN 1980 LEFT 70,000 PEOPLE DEAD AND DISPLACED A FIFTH OF THE POPULATION  6 TO TEN THOUSAND MEMBERS IN AT LEAST 42 STATES  ACCESS TO MILITARY ARMS, TRAFFIC WITH THEM ACROSS THE U.S.

28.  BUT PLEASE DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE WEEKEND TO MAKE POSTS ON THE DISCUSSION BOARD!  START THINKING OF REFERENCES FOR UNIT 8 PROJECT!