Methods to curb underground drug trafficking in North America

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1 The Dhirubhai Ambani International School Model United Nations 2017 Forum: Issue: Economic and Social Council Methods to curb underground drug trafficking in North America Student Officer: Meera Rohera Position: Deputy President of ECOSOC Introduction The border is wide open for cartels & terrorists. Secure our border now. Build a massive wall & deduct the costs from Mexican foreign aid! -Donald J Trump (@realdonaldtrump), March 6, 2015 Drug trafficking, by definition, is the global illicit trade involving the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of illegal narcotic substances. It is a problem that has plagued the North American continent since the rise of drug cartels smuggling narcotics, mainly cocaine, into the United States of America in the 1970s. Numerous problems and threats posed at every stage combine to make this a problem of global importance. Drug trafficking in Mexico generates an estimate of over $50 billion per year. This sheer profitability of this industry is why it is ever-growing. The war waged by the Mexican government against drug cartels traffickers started in December 2006 when former Mexican President Felipe Calderon deployed more than 6,500 Mexican soldiers to the state of Michoacán to battle drug traffickers. Since then, the war on drugs has been debatably unsuccessful as the death toll continues to rise while the scale of the problem remains the same. A recent example to this is the discovery in March 2017 of a mass grave containing more than 250 skulls that appear to be remains of victims of organized crime violence due to the above-mentioned war. The various stages involved in drug trafficking coupled with the wide range of parties involved give it complicated, ever-changing dynamics. The first is the manufacturing stage, which is largely limited to the state of Mexico. The Mexican drug war is aimed at dealing with this level of production. Additionally, the Mexican drug war is not only fought between the Mexican drug army and drug cartels, but also between drug cartels themselves. Cartels clash to gain territory and expand their own business by eliminating competitors. Few major cartels are Beltran Leyva, Gulf Cartel, Juarez Cartel, La Familia Michoacana, Los Zetas Cartel and Sinaloa Cartel. Cartels must be disintegrated as they are the roots of the problem. Not only do they produce and sell the drugs, they terrorize the lives of innocent civilians caught in cross fire. Additionally, attention on dismantling these groups is increasing (especially from USA) as they are expanding into other countries. Most of the above-mentioned cartels have units in USA (mainly in Texas and California) that help in smuggling of substances. Research Report Page 1 of 28

2 The Hague International Model United Nations 2017 Moving to the next stage, which is distribution and cross-border smuggling. Mexican drug cartels have become more aggressive and indeed, more violent in their efforts to move product to the north, and are constantly coming up with new ways to smuggle drugs across the border. This puts people living near the northern border at constant risk. So even if a bordering country s government agencies successfully work to dismantling a certain method of smuggling, traffickers come up with new ones. This means that the process of border control must be improved to become more effective. Finally, high demand for drugs in other countries like USA encourages traffickers to smuggle their products because of the profit they can make. Over 32 percent of all inmates in state prisons in the United States were either under the influence of drugs or in possession of drugs when arrested and drug addiction is at an all-time high. Illicit drug use is associated with several leading causes of death in the United States, including suicide, homicide, motor-vehicle injury, HIV infection, pneumonia, violence, mental illness and hepatitis. It is important to look into this problem because as long as the demand is this high, so will the supply. Definition of Key Terms Narcotics Drug trafficking 1 Narcotics are addictive drugs that reduce the user's perception of pain and induce euphoria (a feeling of exaggerated and unrealistic well-being). The English word narcotic is derived from the Greek narkotikos, which means "numbing" or "deadening." Although the term can refer to any drug that deadens sensation or produces stupor, it is commonly applied to the opioids that is, to all natural or synthetic drugs that act like morphine. Drug cartels 2 A cartel is an organization created from a formal agreement between a group of producers of a good or service to regulate supply in an effort to regulate or manipulate prices. In other words, a cartel is a collection of otherwise independent businesses or countries that act together as if they were a single producer and thus are able to fix prices for the goods they produce and the services they render without competition. Drug trafficking 3 Criminal laws define drug trafficking as: knowingly being in possession, manufacturing, selling, Cartel Page 2 of 28 Research Report

3 The Dhirubhai Ambani International School Model United Nations 2017 purchasing, or delivering an illegal, controlled substance. Thus, drug trafficking laws cover many different stages in a drug transaction, and not just the actual sales. The DEA 4 The United States federal government has taken strides to protect Americans against drug abuse. The largest step they ve taken toward progress is the establishment of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Formed during the summer of 1973, the DEA is a federal law enforcement agency that is responsible for dealing with drug smuggling and drug abuse within the United States. It is under the U.S. Department of Justice and works directly with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as well as with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Additionally, the DEA has been given the power to conduct United States drug investigations internationally. Extradition 5 It its simplest form, extradition is the act of one governmental authority formally turning over an alleged criminal to another governmental authority for prosecution for a criminal charge. Generally, extradition happens between two states or two countries. Background Information Given Mexico s strategic location, it has always been a checkpoint for drugs travelling from Central America to the US markets. The birth of significant cartels in Mexico can be traced back to the 1980 s. Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo known as The Godfather, founded the Guadalajara Cartel in 1980 and had full control of illegal trafficking of all narcotics and contraband across the US-Mexico border. When Colombian traffickers faced trouble smuggling goods from their traditional routes, they formed links with this cartels and there began what was to becoming a complex system of cartels smuggling drugs from Mexico to USA. The Godfather developed ties with the Medellín cartel, which was then run by Pablo Escobar, and oversaw all operations himself as the sole dominant organization in Mexico. When the Godfather s partner, Rafael Caro Quintero was captured in 1987, he decided to divide up his organization to improve efficiency and ensure that the entire system cannot be brought down in one law enforcement swoop. The Tijuana route went to the Arellano Felix brothers. The Ciudad Juárez route went to the Carrillo Fuentes family. Miguel Caro Quintero got the Sonora corridor. The control of the Tamaulipas corridor went to Juan García Ábrego. Meanwhile, Joaquín Guzmán Loera and Ismael Zambada García took over Pacific coast operations, later becoming the Sinaloa Cartel. Félix Gallardo Research Report Page 3 of 28

4 The Hague International Model United Nations 2017 still oversaw national operations, as he preserved essential connections, but he would no longer govern the business. 6 Leading drug cartels in Mexico The Gulf Cartel The gulf cartel, locally known as the Cátel del Gulfo (CDG), is one of the oldest drug trafficking organization and criminal syndicates in Mexico. Origins of this cartel can be traced back to 1984, and since then has established itself in northern cities like Tamaulipas, Matamoros, Reynosa and southwards in cities like Morelia, Miguel Alemand as well as the Yucatan peninsula. Because of their strategic locations, a substantial amount of their revenue comes from charging other cartels wishing for passage though their areas. their modus operandi includes protection racketeering, kidnappings, human trafficking, bribery, theft, money laundering, arms trafficking, prostitution networks and counterfeiting. Their network is extensively international, and had dealings with crime groups in Asia, Europe, Africa, Central America and the United States. Although for this cartel political change is not a priority, it prefers to control its own territory and impose its own rule. Lastly, this cartel in well known for the violence it uses to intimidate the population. Los Zetas Considered by the US government to be "the most technologically advanced, sophisticated, efficient, violent, ruthless, and dangerous cartel operating in Mexico", Los Zetas is a drug cartel operating in Nuevo Lorado, Tamaulipas. Originally, los zetas were a private army for the gulf cartel made up of 37 corrupt former military soldiers. But in 2007 after the arrest of the gulf cartel leader Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, they separated from the CDG. Ever since then there have been numerous clashes between to two cartels. They are popularly known for their expansion surpassing the traditional purview of cartels as they run profitable gun running and sex trafficking businesses. The zetas are feared because they often target civilians and are involved in other activities such as human trafficking, oil theft and extortion. They are famous for being ruthless, using their brutal tactics to terrorise their rivals and using brutality instead of bribery. Their network includes USA, Europe and central America. The Sinaloa Cartel The sinaloa cartel is currently the biggest operating cartel in North America. It reportedly has a presence in 17 of the 31 states in Mexico including Mexico City, Tepic, Toluca, Zacatecas, Guadalajara and Sinola, as well as total control over the Sonora-Arizona corridor which extends 6 Beith, Malcolm (2010). The Last Narco. New York: Grove Press Page 4 of 28 Research Report

5 The Dhirubhai Ambani International School Model United Nations 2017 for nearly 375 miles. It is famous for many alleged linkages to the Mexican military and government. It is associated with the golden triangle, which is the states of Chihuahua, Durango and Sinaloa that form the region that is the major producers of crops like Mexican marijuana and opium. Their main enemy is the Tijuana Cartel, as they are battling them for the smuggling route to San Diego. Knights Templar The Knights Templar cartel, like the Los Zetas, is a cartel that split from another now-defunct carter called the La Familia Michoacana after their leader, Nazario Moreno González, passed away. It is founded on a strict ethical code developed by La Tuta. The code is in the form of a small book that is handed out to all its cartel members as well as the public. It contains all the rules and regulations of the gang, and emphasizes on the fact that their cartel members must swear to help the poor and helpless, fight against materialism, respect women and children, not kill for money, and not use drugs (although now they have moved to accepting criminal activity). This cartel has a structured network within USA with US prison and street gangs. Juarez cartel The Juárez Cartel is a cartel based in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua along the Mexico-US border from El Paso to Texas. It, like many other cartels, is known for decapitation of rivals,, mutilation of corpses and dumping dead bodies in public places to install fear in rivals, law enforcement and the general public. They currently control a major percent of cocaine trafficking into the US. The Juarez cartel holds the control of one of the major transport routes of illegal shipments, and so has been locked in vicious battle with other cartels like the Sinaloa Cartel since Research Report Page 5 of 28

6 The Hague International Model United Nations 2017 Data Regarding Extent of Operations World Drug Trafficking 7 Cartel territories Page 6 of 28 Research Report

7 The Dhirubhai Ambani International School Model United Nations 2017 Drug Trafficking Routes 9 Economics of an Underground Market The economy of the illicit drug trafficking market follows the same principles of all other illegal service or good market. This market, like any other black market does not operate like ordinary markets. A black market naturally exhibits several tendencies of monopolistic markets or markets with uncertain contract protections. This includes high barriers to entry, lack of recognizable contract law and uncertain property rights. In black markets, powerful producers can experience supernormal profits by limiting competition and restricting output. In 2014, the London School of Economics (LSE) Expert Group on the Economics of Drug Policy released a report entitled "Ending the Drug Wars." The report used standard economic analysis to show how the global strategy of drug prohibition had "produced enormous negative outcomes and collateral damage," including "mass incarceration in the U.S., highly repressive policies in Asia, vast corruption and political destabilization in Afghanistan and West Africa, immense violence in Latin America, an HIV epidemic in Russia, and an acute global shortage of pain medication," among other "systematic human right abuses around the world." The LSE also estimated that cocaine and heroin receive a markup of nearly 1,300% and 2,300%, respectively, when exported. This compares to a 69% markup for coffee or 9 Research Report Page 7 of 28

8 The Hague International Model United Nations % markup for silver. 10 Corruption Economics of an Underground Market Corruptions in police force and government are rampant in Mexico. In 2015, the Corruption Perceptions Index a measure between 0 (highly corrupt) and 100 (very clean) of the perceived levels of public sector corruption in 175 countries and territories Mexico was scored a 35, and was ranked as one of the top 75 most corrupt countries in the world. 11 A common decision that politicians face is plato y plomo (bribe or bullet). Mexican cartels advance their operations by corrupting or intimidating government officials. Government officials, along with the police forces, often work together with the cartels by turning a blind eye to the illegal activities they carry out. A Pax Mafioso is a specific example of corruption, which guarantees a politician votes and a following in exchange for turning a 'blind eye' towards a particular cartel. This organized network of corruption must be eliminated as the people with power allegedly solving the problem are making it worse. Honest government agents and police who do not cooperate are often exterminated from the system. Corruption isn t only a problem in Mexico, but in USA as well. A report by the US government Accountability Office stated, From fiscal years 2005 through 2012, a total of 144 employees were arrested or indicted for corruption-related activities, including the smuggling of aliens or drugs, and 125 have been convicted. 20 About 65 percent (93 of 144 arrests) were employees stationed along the southwest border. Constant improvement and development of cross border smuggling Mexican drug cartels are constantly finding new ways to smuggle drugs across the border. Cartels are able to invest money into developing technology to outsmart Mexican and American forces allowing them to transport a bulk of their produce. Cartels directly send their drugs over the border using drones, improvised cannons, weed firing catapults or T-shirt cannons or use semi-submersible vessels, powerboats and ultra light aircrafts to smuggle their goods. Cartels have a wide system of cross-border tunnels that they often use as well. People are also employed to get the drugs across the border. For example, a woman was found with drug implants in her breasts that had almost three pounds of cocaine. The border between USA and Mexico stretches 3,145 kilometers, which is a large area that is difficult to monitor. High rates of drug addiction creating a market America is the world s largest illegal drug consumer. A market is a system whereby parties (the buyers and the sellers) engage in an exchange. Without the willingness of both of the parties to participate, the market cannot exist. So, it is the demand created by the US market that fuels drug trade as Mexican cartels are simply replying to the forces of demand with supply. The markets they create is what fuels Page 8 of 28 Research Report

9 The Dhirubhai Ambani International School Model United Nations 2017 drug trafficking from Mexico, as demand creates supply. Cartels will pump in drugs into USA as long as it profits them. It is reported that overdoses kill more Americans than guns or car crashes, which should make it an unprecedented national epidemic. Complex system of cartels in Mexico Drug cartels in Mexico not only cause mayhem because of their drug smuggling, but also because cartel wars that are rampant. Every group wants to be the dominant in the industry and then want to hold their place. This is very difficult because of the ever-changing dynamics of every cartel because of deaths, arrests and prosecution by the Mexican army. The short absence of a cartel leader can splinter a cartel. For example, Los Zetas is a group that split from the Gulf Cartel when Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, the chief of the Gulf Cartel was arrested and extradited in The appearance and disintegration of cartels means that all parties are constantly fighting over territory. The resulting cartel wars cause severe casualties not only to gang members but also people in the turfs they are fighting over. A trend of leaving nacromantas which are cloth banners with threats or justifications of killings are often left by cartels for other cartels, with spreads fear and panic among civilians. Cartel clashes are rampant. Recently, a Mexican cartel shootout left 26 people dead and wounded in the Northern state of Chihuahua. this violent clash was between the Sinola Cartel and one of its former groups. Mexico recorded 11,155 homicides over the first five months of 2017, according to federal crime statistics, many of which can be attributed to violence between drug cartels Research Report Page 9 of 28

10 Abuse of civilian human rights through killings, torture and disappearances The Hague International Model United Nations 2017 Since the start of the declared war on organized crime and cartel violence, Mexico has seen an exponential rise in violence. Innocent citizens get caught between violence between cartels fighting for turf and national forces battling to abolish them. The Mexican government released that between 2007 and 2014, there had been more than 164,000 victims of homicide (the percent of deaths attributed to drug war are still debated.) They have used public displays of violence from depositing severed heads in town squares to hanging mutilated bodies from overpasses to sow terror, not only among their rivals, but also within the general population. The impact on Mexican society has been profound; there are widespread human rights violations. Since 2006, drug trafficking originations have terrorized their rivals, security forces and have targeted politicians. They are targeted when they are honest and so pose a direct threat to their operations or when they support a rival cartel. Cartels also participate in kidnapping, murder, ransom, murder and extortion of migrants traveling El Norte (to USA). They coerce them to join and work for them. Gigantic mass migrant graves have been discovered close to the USA-Mexico border in the past years. Mexican cartels have targeted journalists and the media in attempts to scare them to stop covering drug cartels, tracking and violence in their newspapers. They have bombarded offices of local newspapers and of Televisa. Several journalists have been murdered because of covering narcorelated news. A handful of newspaper firms have stopped publishing drug related news entirely. Recently, cartels have also started targeting bloggers and social media users for denouncing cartel activities online. Mexico now ranks alongside Iraq as the deadliest country in the world for journalists in Cartels are also increasingly indulging in alternative activities rather than drug dealing. Cartels like Los Zetas are also involved in human trafficking and prostitution. Additionally, the military and police in Mexico has been accused of allegedly carrying out a myriad of human rights violations as it carried out efforts to combat drug cartels. The human rights watch report has documented torture methods used by Mexican military such as sexual torture, waterboarding, electric shocking, asphyxiation with plastic bags and beating. Torture has been used by them for extraction of information and forced confessions. The 2017 World Report for Mexico by the Human Rights Watch stated that In April, the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (GIEI), which was established through an agreement between the government and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), issued its final report on the case of the 43 disappeared students from Ayotzinapa, Guerrero State. The report documented egregious flaws in the government s investigation of the case, refuted key conclusions by the Attorney General s Office, and called on authorities to pursue fresh lines of investigation. Other continuing problems in Mexico include attacks on journalists and limited access to reproductive rights and health care. It highlighted that up to 27,000 disappearances have not been investigated since 2006, unlawful killings of civilians by security forces take place at an alarmingly high rate and that as of July, the CNDH 13 Page 10 of 28 Research Report

11 The Dhirubhai Ambani International School Model United Nations 2017 had received almost 10,000 complaints of abuse by the army since 2006 including more than 2,000 during the current administration. 14 Poverty and an ineffective educational system driving people towards crime One of the primary circumstances piloting the Mexican drug war is the inclination of predominantly lowerclass people to choose to make easy money by joining criminal organizations, and the inability of the government to stipulate the legal means for the formation of lucrative jobs. From 2004 to 2008 the portion of the population who received less than half of the median income rose from 17% to 21% and the proportion of population living in extreme or moderate poverty rose from 35 to 46% (52 million persons) between 2006 and There is also a high incidence of disparity between the rich and the poor, making alleviation out of poverty difficult. An estimate made in 2012 stated that over 450,000 people were directly and a further 3.2 million people s livelihood deepened on the different segments of the drug trade. An escalating problem that will set itself as an obstacle for Mexico in the future is the sorry state of its pubic education system. Millions of children grow up in severe poverty, with the Mexican drug war unfolding around them. This makes it very likely that they, by force or by choice, get involved in it in the future. This will simply creates a cycle of poverty in Mexico as its future mirrors its past eywords= Research Report Page 11 of 28

12 The Hague International Model United Nations 2017 Reducing the illegal production of drug crops Farmers might cultivate drug crops for two reasons. Firstly, they might be coerced with the use of threats and violence. The second is because of its profitability. Farmers growing drug crops usually live in regions that are isolated and lack infrastructure, and so have few economic opportunities. Drug crops, for example poppies, are easy to grow and take care of and can produce three harvests a year. For them it is a necessity to survive, not a choice. They need the money to pay for their basic needs, which trumps the danger they are putting themselves in by producing illegal crops. Additionally, there is an increased use of children for drug farming, as they are smaller and have a lower center of gravity, which allows them to navigate steep hillsides better and quicker than adults. Yet, the farmers are suffering, as cartels exploit them with low buying prices. Farmers cannot negotiate with them because they simply retaliate with violence. With the legalization of pot in the US undercutting marijuana growers and cartels in Mexico, prices for their crops are going from bad to worse. Drug cultivation is not only a problem in Mexico, but also other countries, as cartels in those countries also smuggle narcotics into North America Page 12 of 28 Research Report

13 The Dhirubhai Ambani International School Model United Nations 2017 Availability of firearms for drug cartels in México Mexican cartels get the majority of their firearms from either USA or Central America. The flows of guns from the Unites States to Mexico follow similar routes to the way cartels smuggle bulk cash from drug trade back into Mexico. New research suggests that not only are cartels getting weapons from gun dealers in the US, but also from government personnel who defect to the cartels. 70% (73,684 guns) of guns seized in Mexico and traced by the US bureau of alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and explosives (ATF) from 2009 to 2014 came from the us. Project gunrunner 2006 was specifically put into place to solve this. Project Gunrunner is a project of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) intended to stem the flow of firearms into Mexico, in an attempt to deprive the Mexican drug cartels of weapons. 17 It intended to restrict the flow of firearms into Mexico from USA. But, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding this project as it supposedly encouraged straw purchase firearm sales. Weapons like rocket launchers and grenades, on the other hand, are smuggled through the Guatemalan border from Central American black markets. Weapons are also often stolen from the Mexican military. 18 Major Countries and Organizations Involved Mexico Mexico has been combating cartels long before the official start of the Mexican drug war in Research Report Page 13 of 28

14 The Hague International Model United Nations They have been combatting cartels in this asymmetric, low intensity war since years. Although cartels were always present in Mexico, their dominance increased in the 1990 s as Colombian cartels began loosing power. This war has affected Mexico severely. Firstly, the war has put citizens on Mexico at risk because of the violence. By the end of 2013, the estimated number of deaths in the war as above 111,000 people. Violence does not only take the form of murder, but also extortion, kidnapping, sexual violence and other blatant abuses of human rights. It has led to high levels of corruption at all levels of Mexican administration, so cartels are protected by law enforcers, allowing them to get away with illegal activities. Public health has deteriorated and more people are sliding into poverty. The Mexican government is not well armed economically or militarily to fight this war against cartels who make huge profits and are smuggling dangerous weapons into Mexico from other countries. They need world assistance. The Mexican government has been putting significant effort into fighting the drug war. Mexico s 2016 budget for public security and national security increased by 3.6 percent to $15.4 billion. Funding is used to combat organized crime, expand crime prevention programs, improve interagency coordination, consolidate police forces, support justice reforms, and encourage citizen participation in crime control. Additionally, in February 2015, President Peña Nieto announced an eight-point anticorruption plan to enhance the government s commitment to eliminating corruption and increasing transparency. Mexico is a major producer of heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine destined for the United States. The Government of Mexico reported eradicating 21,425 hectares (ha) of opium poppy in 2014, a significant increase from the 14,419 ha eradicated in The Government of Mexico also reported eradicating 5,679 ha of cannabis in 2014, a slight increase over the 5,096 ha eradicated in But what must be noted is that along with the increase of eradication, there is also an increase in production, leaving these figures with little value. 19 United States of America On March 25, 2009, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated that "America's insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade", and that "the United States bears shared responsibility for the drug-fueled violence sweeping Mexico." the main concern regarding drugs for USA is how addiction has become a nation wide epidemic. The problem of illicit drug trade is indeed a shared problem between these states, and will be solved by a shared solution. As of now, Mexican drug cartels are present in a majority of major U.S. cities. In 2009, the justice department reported that cartels deal their drugs in almost 200 cities in USA. Mexican drug cartels have a major criminal presence in several regions of the United States, particularly the Northeast, California, Texas, and the Chicago metropolitan area. These cartels control the majority flows of drugs into USA, in 2007, it reportedly controlled 90% of the cocaine entering USA. Gang-activity and violence has seen stark growth along the U.S. southwestern border, as US gangs affiliated with Mexican cartels act as their enforcers. The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is a United States national law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice, in charge of combating cross border drug smuggling and drug 19 Page 14 of 28 Research Report

15 The Dhirubhai Ambani International School Model United Nations 2017 abuse within the United States. The DEA is the lead agency for domestic enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act, sharing concurrent dominion with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security, and the U.S. Border Patrol. It has solitary charge for directing and pursuing U.S. drug inquiries both inside and outside USA. Canada The Mexican drug war is becoming a major Canadian security issue as now it has seeped into their country as well. There has been an upsurge of gang violence in Canada in Vancouver and other Canadian cities. This is because of the shortage in supply of drugs that led to a steep increase in prices. In 2009, the government of President Felipe Calderon deployed 45,000 soldiers and 5,000 state police to curb cartel violence and in the past two years, Canada saw the death of more than 7,000 deaths that had a relation to drugs. Cuba Cuba is situated between the world s largest narcotics producer and the largest market where all those drugs are pumped into, which mean they inadvertently dragged into this war. Cuba serves as a bridge of cartels even though Cuba is trying to limit illegal trade. A new U.S.-Cuba drug accord was signed in July 2016, and there is a U.S. Coast Guard liaison in the U.S. Embassy in Havana to coordinate with Cuban law enforcement. Direct communications between the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Cuba s National Anti-Drug Directorate began in July. Tactical cooperation has helped Cuba largely restrict drug consumption, production and stopped it from becoming a transit point for narcotics into North America. Although they have been successful in limiting drug planes on their shores, speedboat smugglers pose a new problem. No matter how strict their 0 tolerance policy is, this problem will continue to persist. UK, France,Spain and other EU nations Enhanced collaboration of Mexico with the U.S. has made it more difficult of cartels to traffic goods across the border. And now, instead of finding new ways to smuggle their goods across the border, cartels are simply moving to more attractive markets in Europe, where people are willing to pay tice the price than in USA. In December 2011 the government of Spain remarked that Mexican cartels have burgeoned their operations in their country, becoming the foremost entry point of cocaine into Europe. West Africa The largest and most powerful Colombian and Mexican drug cartels have established their control in 11 West African nations to increase access to the new European market. Cartels have started working closely with native criminal gangs as they have found it easier to smuggle large shipments of drugs into West Africa and then break their shipments into smaller packages to smuggle into Europe. The situation has gotten so out of hand that tiny Guinea-Bissau, the fifth-poorest nation in the world, is being called Research Report Page 15 of 28

16 The Hague International Model United Nations 2017 Africa's first narco-state. Others talk about how Africa's Gold Coast has become the Coke Coast. 20 As the map below shows, West Africa is utilized as a transit area for drug trade, as there is less law enforcement to hamper the transport. It makes it easier cartels to smuggle narcotics through these locations to profitable European markets. 21 Colombia As discussed before, drug trade in Mexico spawned from drug trade in Colombia. Since then, cartels have always had deep, strong ties with gangs in Colombia, especially the Sinoloa cartel. Farmers continue to grown cocaine and other drugs, proving that their war on drugs was a failure. It is reported that when constantly targeted by crop dusters, farmers simply moved to more remote areas to grow their crops and that the government never follows through with helping farmers switch to legal crops. The DEA and the Colombian National police believe there are more than 300 active drug smuggling organizations in Colombia today. Cocaine is shipped to every industrialized nation in the world and profits remain incredibly high Page 16 of 28 Research Report

17 The Dhirubhai Ambani International School Model United Nations 2017 Timeline of Events 23 Date Description of Event September 6, 2006 December 11, 2006 January 2007 February 2007 June 25, 2007 A group of armed men from la familia michoacana barge into a nightclub and bowl 5 human head onto the dance floor to make its presence known Newly elected Mexican President Felipe Calderon deploys over 6,500 Mexican soldiers to the state of Michoacán to battle drug traffickers marking the start of the Mexican drug war Captured head of Gulf cartel Osiel Cardena Guillen is extradited to the United States 20,000 Mexican soldiers and federal police deployed across Mexico to fight President Calderon's drug war. President Calderon fires 284 corrupt federal police commanders October 2007 U.S. announces security aid package of $1.6 billion January 2008 Alfredo Leyva, of the Beltran Leyva Cartel, is arrested in Sinaloa, Mexico. May 1, 2008 May 8, 2008 May 9, September 15, 2008 November 1, 2008 Roberto Velasco Bravo, Mexico's director of investigation for organized crime, is killed in Mexico City. Edgar Eusebio Millan Gomez, Mexico's federal police chief, and two bodyguards are killed in Mexico City. The commander of Mexico City's investigative police force, Esteban Roble Espinosa, is killed outside his home. 8 people killed and over a 100 injured during an independence day celebration in Morelia's town square where grenades are thrown into the crowd The head of Mexico's Federal Police, Victor Gerardo Garay, resigns under suspicion of corruption ,844 people are killed in total this year because of the drug war 23 Research Report Page 17 of 28

18 The Hague International Model United Nations 2017 July 13, November 3, 2009 December 16, police officers found dead with their corpses stacked along the Michoacán highway The head of the Los Zetas drug cartel, Braulio Arellano Dominguez, is killed in a shootout with Mexican forces in Soledad de Doblado. Arturo Beltran Leyva, head of the Beltran Leyva cartel, is killed in a gun battle with Mexican forces in Cuernavaca ,635 people are killed in total this year because of the drug war January 2010 Gunmen attack birthday party of high school students killing 16 February 25, 2010 May 26, 2010 June 2011 June 21, 2011 July 3, 2011 July 11, 2011 July 27, 2011 August 1, 2011 Osiel Cardenas Guillen, head of the Gulf Cartel until his capture in 2003, is sentenced to 25 years in prison in Texas. He is also forced to turn over $50 million to the United States. Pedro Roberto Velazquez Amador, allegedly the leader of the Beltran Leyva cartel in San Pedro, is killed in a shootout with federal forces in northern Mexico. A congressional report shows that about 70% of firearms seized in Mexico and submitted to the ATF for tracing, came from the United States. The report covers 29,284 firearms submitted in 2009 and Mexican federal police capture Jose de Jesus Mendez Vargas, also known as "The Monkey," the alleged head of La Familia Michoacana cartel Mexican authorities arrest Jesus Enrique Rejon Aguilar, known as "El Mamito," a reported founding member of the Los Zetas Cartel The US government announces a plan to require gun dealers in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas to report the sales of semiautomatic rifles under certain conditions in an effort to stem the flow of guns to Mexican drug cartels Edgar Jimenez Lugo, known as "El Ponchis" or "The Cloak," a 14-year-old American citizen with suspected drug cartel ties, is found guilty of beheading at least four people. He is sentenced to three years, the maximum for a juvenile, in a Mexican correctional facility. Mexican federal police arrest Moises Montero Alvarez, known as "The Korean," a suspected leader of the Independent Cartel of Acapulco (CIDA) and allegedly connected with the murders of 20 Mexican tourists in Page 18 of 28 Research Report

19 The Dhirubhai Ambani International School Model United Nations 2017 August 25, 2011 September 1, 2011 September 13, 2011 September 2011 January 4, 2012 May 2012 August 31, 2012 September 3, 2012 September 4, 2012 September 27, 2012 At least 52 people are killed in an attack on the Casino Royale in Monterrey, Mexico. Witnesses say up to six people entered the Casino Royale and demanded money from the manager. When the manager refused to pay, the building was set on fire. A Nuevo Leon state police officer, Miguel Angel Barraza Escamilla, is arrested in connection with the casino fire in Monterrey. A murdered man and woman are found hanging from a bridge in Nuevo Laredo. Near their mutilated bodies is a sign saying they were killed for denouncing drug cartel activities on a social media site. The sign also threatens to kill others who post "funny things on the internet." 35 bodies dumped in the city of Veracruz, and authorities claim that they were the corpses were those of criminals who were killing by a enemy drug cartel Benjamin Arellano Felix, a former leader of Mexico's Tijuana drug cartel, pleads guilty to charges of racketeering and conspiracy to launder money. The plea deal calls for the forfeiture of $100 million to the United States and a maximum of 25 years in prison. police find bodies hanging from a bridge in Tamaulipas along with dismembered bodies of 14 people in garbage bags Eduardo Arellano Felix, an alleged senior member of a Tijuana-based drug cartel, is extradited from Mexico to the United States. Arellano Felix was arrested on October 25, 2008, after a gun battle with Mexican forces. He is later sentenced to 15 years in US prison. In his final state of the nation address, President Calderon defends his government's approach to combating crime and drugs and criticizes the United States for providing criminals with almost "unlimited access" to weapons. Mexican authorities announce the capture of Mario Cardenas Guillen, also known as "M1" and "The Fat One," a suspected leader of the Gulf cartel Mexican marines capture and arrest a man claiming to be Ivan Velazquez Caballero, alias "El Taliban." Velazquez Caballero is one of the top leaders of Los Zetas. October 9, 2012 Mexican authorities confirm that Mexican marines killed Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano, leader of the Zetas cartel, in a shootout on October 7. Lazcano's body Research Report Page 19 of 28

20 The Hague International Model United Nations 2017 was stolen from a funeral home on October 8, but authorities had already taken fingerprints and photographs to confirm his identity. July 15, 2013 August 20, 2013 February 22, 2014 March 9, 2014 October 1, 2014 October 9, 2014 March 4, 2015 July 11, 2015 January 8, 2016 January 29, 2016 January 19, 2017 March 14, 2017 Los Zetas cartel leader Miguel Angel Trevino Morales, known as Z-40, is detained by Mexican authorities in an operation in the Mexican border state of Tamaulipas, state media reports. Mario Armando Ramirez, ranking member of the Gulf cartel and also known as "X- 20," is captured in Reynosa, a city in Tamaulipas state A US official tells CNN that Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, the boss of one of Mexico's most powerful drug trafficking operations, has been arrested in Mexico. Cartel leader Nazario Moreno Gonzalez, also known as "El Chayo," "El Doctor" and "El Mas Loco," The Craziest One," is fatally shot during an arrest attempt, according to Mexican authorities. He was one of the leaders and main founders of La Familia Michoacana cartel. This is the second time Mexican officials have claimed Moreno is dead. They also announced his death in Mexican police capture Hector Beltran Leyva, head of the Beltran Leyva drug cartel, in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Authorities announce that Mexican federal police have captured alleged Juarez Cartel boss Vicente Carrillo Fuentes. Zetas drug cartel leader Omar Trevino Morales is apprehended by Mexican authorities in a suburb of Monterrey. Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman escapes through a hole in his cell block that led to a tunnel nearly a mile long. Guzman previously escaped from prison in 2001 in a laundry cart and eluded authorities for more than a dozen years until his capture in Mexican security forces arrest Guzman in Sinaloa. While on the run, Guzman met with actor Sean Penn in October for an interview published in Rolling Stone. A cross-border raid by US and Mexican law enforcement officials results in the arrest of 24 Sinaloa cartel members. The sting also netted weapons and hundreds of pounds of narcotics. Mexico's Foreign Ministry turns Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman over to US authorities Veracruz State Attorney General Jorge Winckler confirms that a mass grave Page 20 of 28 Research Report

21 The Dhirubhai Ambani International School Model United Nations 2017 containing more than 250 human skulls has been uncovered. The remains appear to be victims of organized crime violence killed in recent years. May 2, 2017 Dámaso López Nuñez, a high-ranking leader of Mexico's Sinaloa drug cartel, is arrested in Mexico City. Relevant UN Treaties and Events Drug related treaties- Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 Crime related treaties- United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols Thereto United Nations Convention against Corruption United Nations Resolutions- The Production and trafficking of drugs (Afghanistan) Security Council Resolution 1817 (2008) Control of the manufacture of, trafficking in and abuse of synthetic drugs ECOSOC Resolution 2004/41 (2004) Follow-up on strengthening the systems of control over chemical precursors and preventing their diversion and trafficking ECOSOC Resolution 2004/38 (2004) Resolution containing outcome document entitled "Our joint commitment to effectively addressing and countering the world drug problem" General Assembly Resolution A/RES/S-30/1 (2016) Follow-up on strengthening the systems of control over chemical precursors and preventing their diversion and trafficking General Assembly Resolution A/RES/59/162(2005) Measures to enhance international cooperation to counter the world drug problem" General Assembly Resolution A/RES/S-20/4 (1998) Promotion of measures to target new psychoactive substances and amphetamine-type stimulants CND Resolution 59/8 (2016) Precursors: raising awareness on the diversion in international trade of non-scheduled substances for use as alternatives to scheduled substances in the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances CND Resolution 56/13 (2013) Research Report Page 21 of 28

22 The Hague International Model United Nations 2017 Strengthening international cooperation and regulatory and institutional frameworks for the control of precursor chemicals used in the illicit manufacture of synthetic drugs CND Resolution 54/8 (2011) Security council presidential statement- 8th December, 2009 S/PRST/2009/32 Previous Attempts to solve the Issue Operation Michoacan The beginning of this operation marked the beginning of the Mexican drug war. The newly elected president Felipe Calderon dispatched 6,500 federal troops to the state of Michoacán to end cartel violence. This action it ll date is regarded as one of the first predominant action against organized crime in Mexico, even though cartels existed long before. The president continued to run his anti-drug campaign, in which there are currently over 45,000 troops involved along with state police. Even though since the start of the campaign till 2011, suspected criminals were arrested, the drug problem showed little improvement and violence escalated. It is reported that during his presidency, the murder rate of Mexico increased instead of decreasing, as attempts to restore peace made the situation inadvertently worse. Confronting the cartels with force directly gave birth to more aggressive reactions from them. Also, in the case of a cartel leader being removed from his position, cartels saw power struggles and splitting, which increased the number of cartels in Mexico, augmenting gang violence. Merida Initiative Also known as Plan Mexico, this initiative is a security cooperation agreement between the governments of USA, Mexico and many countries in Central America to combat transnational crime. This project brought a lot of attention on the smuggling of illegal firearms that empowered cartels, and thus gave birth to Project Gunrunner, which aimed at monitoring sales of weapons. Assistance between countries includes intelligence, equipment and training. This plan would require Mexican soldiers accused of human rights abuses in their country to face civil court trials, but objects were raised as the monitoring needed for human rights violations would be an infringement on their sovereignty. To reduce human rights abuses, the Mexican government decided to nearly double the size of its federal Police to reduce the role of the military. This plan is known as the comprehensive strategy against drug Trafficking, and it also involve elimination of corruption. Project reckoning This project, also known as Operation Solare, is a multinational operation involving Italy, USA, Guatemala and Mexico founded in It aimed at eliminating the Gulf Cartel in US and Europe. In this operation, approximately 200 people affiliated with cartels were arrested in Italy and US. According to the US Drug Enforcement Administration, more than 16,000 kg of cocaine, 450 kg of methamphetamine, 9 kg of heroin, 23,300 kg of marijuana, 176 vehicles and 167 weapons were seized as well as Page 22 of 28 Research Report

23 The Dhirubhai Ambani International School Model United Nations 2017 approximately US$60.1 million. This mission largely failed. According to Nicola Gratteri, an Italian prosecutor, the Gulf cartel is still present in Europe despite the operation. War On Drugs The war on drugs, a phrase coined by America, was aimed at combatting trafficking of the public enemy number one -drugs. It was directed at eradication, interdiction and incarceration. The Drug Policy Alliance estimates that the United States spends up to $50 billion annually combating the problem. In June 2011, the Global Commission on Drug Policy released a critical report on the War on Drugs, declaring: "The global war on drugs has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world. Fifty years after the initiation of the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, and years after President Nixon launched the US government's war on drugs, fundamental reforms in national and global drug control policies are urgently needed." Coordination Interdiction Operations Drug interdiction is the the interception of illegal drugs being smuggled by air, sea, or land. Interdiction in the transit and arrival zones disrupts drug flow, increases risks to traffickers, drives them to less efficient routes and methods, and prevents significant amounts of drugs from getting to the United States. Interdiction also generates intelligence that can be used against trafficking organisations in both international and domestic operations. Drug traffickers are constantly reacting and adapting to interdiction successes by altering and shifting modes and ways of transportation. Massive cartels and trafficking organisations have means sucks sophisticated technology and access to resources to transport their illegal items. This means that interdiction must also be able to adapt. 24 The National Narcotics Border Interdiction System (NNBIS) is currently responsible for introduction of drugs. It is required to gather and collate drug trafficking intelligence and pass information on to law enforcement agencies, assist law enforcement agencies in the detection and tracking of suspected smugglers, review civilian and military interdiction resources, ecommend actions to appropriate agencies for surveillance, interception, and seizure of illegal drug shipment and coordinate joint operations involving civilian and military agencies. The Government Accountability Office found that the NNBIS had difficulty accumulating tactical intelligence and that it did not play a huge role in most drug interdictions. 25 Possible Solutions Decrimilization of narcotics A contravercial solution to this problem is the decriminalization of drugs. This solution suggests that every person is responsible for the choices they make, and can do so as long as their actions are by choice and do not harm those around them. A person taking drugs does so by their own choice. Also, it Research Report Page 23 of 28