Cartels and the Growing Drug Trade

Cartels and the Growing
Drug Trade

Overview

 The key factors that drive and sustain the
drug trade

 How the drug trade undermines local
governments and damages economies

 How the US and local governments have
tried to cut off the drug trade

Chapter 5, Lesson 3

The Key Factors That Drive and
Sustain the Drug Trade

 Much of Latin America is Robert Harbison / © 2002 The Christian
well suited for growing Science Monitor
coca and/or marijuana

 Coca and marijuana are
attractive to farmers as
cash crops

 Being so close to market
of US customers is an
important factor in the
Latin American drug trade

Chapter 5, Lesson 3

The Key Factors That Drive and
Sustain the Drug Trade, cont.

 US-Mexican border runs for nearly 2,000
miles

 One of the most frequently crossed frontiers
in the world

 Some drugs come into United States by
water

 Others by land—stuffed into car fenders or
though drug mules

 And other smugglers bring them by air

Chapter 5, Lesson 3

How the Drug Trade Undermines Local
Governments and Damages Economies

 Drug lords are no longer
interested in just selling
drugs—they want power, too

 Drug addiction tends to drive
away investors

 Drug money coming into an
area tends to force up prices,
without any real value added

 Drug barons drive up land
prices

Chapter 5, Lesson 3 Robert Harbison / © 2001 The
Christian Science Monitor

How the US and Local Governments
Have Tried to Cut Off the Drug Trade

Extradition is the
key to prosecution

Another strategy
against the cartels is
asset forfeiture

Guns from the US
play a role in drug
violence

Chapter 5, Lesson 3 Kris Axtman / © 1999 The Christian
Science Monitor

Review

 Much of Latin America is well suited for growing
coca or marijuana, or both

 Being so close to such a large market of
potential US customers is an important factor in
the Latin American drug trade

 Drug lords are no longer interested in just selling
drugs—they want power, too

Chapter 5, Lesson 3

Review, cont.

 Drug money coming into an area tends to force
up prices generally, without any real value
added

 Extradition is key to prosecution
 Guns from the United States play a role in

much of the drug violence

Chapter 5, Lesson 3

Summary

The key factors that drive and sustain the
drug trade

How the drug trade undermines local
governments and damages economies

How the US and local governments have
tried to cut off the drug trade

Chapter 5, Lesson 3

Next….

Done—Cartels and Sara Miller Llana / © 2008 The
the Growing Drug Christian Science MonitorPhoto
Trade

Next—Poverty,
Educational
Limitations, and
Environmental
Challenges

Chapter 5, Lesson 3