drugs

August 9, 2011

How will the problem of drugs ever be solved?

The 24-page report by the Global Commission on Drug Policy argues that the decades-old “global war on drugs has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world” and advocates “some drugs such as marijuana to curb global drug trafficking as steps taken so far have not prevented the spread of drug use” (see Rianovosti). The problem of drugs can only be solved by either: eliminating the supply of drugs – by successfully cracking down on those who produce and provide it eliminating the demand for drugs – by successfully transforming those who presently abuse them, and will [...]

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August 8, 2011

Criminals as Liberators: Mexican Narcos

Thugs | This American Life. This is part of the narrative on structures of sin and criminal empires in Mexico. “Like a lot of Mexican towns, Florencia has had its share of problems dealing with drug gangs. That is until recently, when new narcos rolled into town telling residents that they were there to liberate them. They promised that people would live in peace and tranquility. And so far, it’s working. As long as the narcos are on the streets with guns, people feel safe.” How is this narrative similar to that of the Taliban back in the mid-1990s?

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August 1, 2011

Criminal Syndicates in Colombia merging into swarmish supernetworks

“Colombia’s criminal networks consolidate around two forces,” Christian Science Monitor: in Mexico, criminal networks are fragmenting due to pressure from security forces that is eliminating top level leadership and forcing previously mid-level leadership to form their own organizations. In Colombia, something different is now happening. With the demise of Pablo Escobar of the Medellin cartel (a figure slightly hinted at in Tom Clancy’s Clear and Present Danger), and the demise of the Cali cartel, a new criminal structure has developed in Colombia. The criminal gangs are merging into two national, swarmish, networks: the Rastrojos and the Urabenos. The Rastrojos are [...]

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June 22, 2011

Tiny, Helpless Guinea-Bissau overtaken by drug trade

This horrific article deserves to be read and meditated over. via The Atlantic. “Lacking boats, planes, or for a while even handcuffs, Guinea-Bissau can do little against the flow of cocaine that moves in from South America and out to Europe.” What would Isaiah have to say about this–where are those who will stand up for the defenseless, who will seek justice, who will reach out to the addicted, who will stand against the structures of sin that will destroy generations?

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May 9, 2011

New statistics on drug transits through West Africa

A recent report from the World Bank notes that 25 tons of cocaine, valued at US$1 billion, was shipped from Latin America through West African countries (including especially Ghana) to reach Europe, where its street value was estimated at $6.8 billion. Worldwide value, heroin: $65 billion Worldwide value, cocaine: $88 billion Heroin, % of global total consumed by Europe/North America: 53% Cocaine, % of global total consumed by Europe/North America: 67% Organized crime, annual revenues: $120 billion to $330 billion See GhanaWeb.com.

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December 22, 2010

Is violence in Mexico hampering your mission efforts there?

Following the battles in Mexico between the government and organized crime is an instructive look at what it takes to destroy a swarm, and how difficult it is. Mexico is doing what the US did in its war on terror: targeting the leadership or “hubs” of the cartels. In Falling kingpins, rising violence, The Economist describes the effort, but notes that in spite of them 2010 is “on course to be the bloodiest year so far in the war against the narcos… with over 10,000 gang-related killings.” Some of this violence was “set off by removing mob bosses”—the struggle for [...]

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April 16, 2010

Africa: hub for drug traffickers

Africa’s Drug Problem – It doesn’t produce or consume much cocaine, but West Africa has become a critical hub for traffickers (NYT).

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February 16, 2010

Swarmish Drug Cartels target Middle America

This is an example of a criminal organization using non-violent swarmish principles to push drug use (LA Times).

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July 1, 1998

Structures of sin: drugs

Opium poppies are farmed in the remote regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan. This drug—used to make heroin—is sold Tajikistan-Afghanistan border and taken from there through Russia to Europe and the United States. Since January, 220 pounds of heroin have been seized and 20 smugglers killed by Russian police patrolling the border. Pakistan has begun a government-initiated campaign against drugs: most of the poppies were destroyed this year, and drug production is down 95%. The world’s two largest producers of opium are Afghanistan (est. 1,230 metric tons p.a., or 90% of southwest Asian production) and Burma (est. 2,560 metric tons p.a., [...]

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