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Jose Estrada
Conrad
ERWC
14 October 2015
Drug Trafficking

Within the past decades, there has been an increase in the smuggling of contraband, such
as drugs, humans, and illegal weapons. Drug trafficking causes violence into our local cities near
the border. The U.S. government should get involved in cutting down the supply on Drug
Trafficking. The U.S. Government should find a solution to strengthen our nation's border
protection and ensure the safety of American citizens.
Drug trafficking has been a cause of crime for many years. Many illegal substances have
been smuggled into the country for it to be distributed in the American streets. Gateway drugs
such as marijuana, cocaine, meth, or alcohol is thought to lead to the use of more dangerous
drugs. So the question is, why is Drug Trafficking so important to many people in the streets?
According to the article Drug Trafficking Contributes to Gang Related Crime, Many modern
gangs are highly organized [relying] heavily on drug trafficking for their major source of
income (Ojeda). Those type of people have an addiction or are in it to make easy money. They
think they have no other way of escaping the addiction or they just don't want the help the
government gives out. When drugs are distributed out in the streets, drug trafficking creates an
efficient chain reaction being sold to many powerful dealers across the nation. In fact, according
to the same article, throughout the United States, low level dealing in drugs is being
increasingly handled by violent and highly organized criminal gangs (Ojeda). Gangs are willing
to work around Law Enforcement to sell drugs in society whether it causes violent crimes such

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as death to those people who are corrupt enough to buy them. United States and Border
Protection agents do their best daily to stop illegal contraband from coming in, but don't always
come out on hundred percent successful.
In recent years Drug Trafficking has become one of the biggest problems in the United
States. Not only does it cause crime but alarms the country of having another terrorist attack. As
Swisher wrote in Outlawing Drug Trafficking Helps to Support Terrorism, she explained that
drug Prohibition is terrorisms best friend. Not only are drugs crossed through south of the
United States border but are also exported from other areas besides South America. For example,
Afghanistan is known to have big source of heroin in the world. With the Taliban having most of
the authority of drug trafficking in Afghanistan, they are willing to do anything to trade and get
their drugs across countries. Not only does Afghanistan have the same drug system going. Other
nations use Drugs [as] a funding source for terrorism and violence (Swisher).
Transportation of drugs are among the Columbia, Mexico and South American countries. Those
being the top countries with strong control of drug trafficking it scares citizens of the United
States. As long as supply and demand increase in drugs, the more drug trafficking will increase
and spread among other countries that don't have high percentage in drugs and will bring threat
to many countries.
If legalizing certain drugs such as marijuana, would it be a cause for crimes rates to
decrease. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration is a government agency that
strives to decrease the amount of drugs traded and consumed in the United States and in
neighboring countries (Ojeda).The DEA is getting involved in cracking down on drug
trafficking but is also spending too much money on war on drugs. People and the DEA are
realizing that war on drugs is not the solution but a failure. In the article, Terrorism Around the
World is Funded by Drug Trafficking it is stated that illegal drug production undermines

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America's culture; it funds terror, and it erodes democracy. And they all represent a clear and
present danger to our national security (Swisher). As more people continue to consume drugs,
more people will get incarcerated and will increase the rate of prison sentences.The use of drugs
and drug trafficking have no end but will only increase without stricter drug laws. It is up to the
government to decide on what the next step should be to stop or decrease the amount of drugs
coming into the country.
As tons of drugs are smuggled across the Mexican border, many people ask themselves if
drug trafficking can be stopped. A reason in why most would agree with drug trafficking being
pro is it helps each family individually. Swisher states in his Introduction to Drug Trafficking
Current Controversies that many people have become numb to the everyday violence of drug
trafficking, the murders, the assaults, and other violent crimes that plague most large American
cities and that tracked back to the drug business. Many live in terror that death is faced
everywhere. They are also exposed to seeing drugs and violence everywhere they go. Drugs are
the main source to the cause of violence sixty percent of the time. Many can argue that drugs are
not the case of violence but on daily news violent crimes always involve a source of drugs.
Drugs will always be distributed into the wrong hands, such as large groups of gang members
that will lead to addiction or crimes. The government should continue to cut down on the supply
of drugs by seizing shipments that are captured and smuggled over our borders.
Drug Trafficking has been a long time problem that must be fixed, whether it be securing
our borders with tighter laws or more agents on duty. Drug Trafficking will not fix our economy,
help out the middle class nor improve our education system. What Drug trafficking will do is
increase incarceration, homicides and violent crimes. Finally according to the Preface to Can
Drug Trafficking be stopped it basically states that yes , such busts are evidence that the war
on drugs is working (Ojeda). Therefore War on drugs should be deeply enforced and kept to cut

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down on drug trafficking. All in all Drugs can negatively hurt your body but not only that but
increase violence. With the increasement of violence, peoples lives will be affected daily and
will live in terror. With death being around at any moment people will be sacred on someday
losing a loved one due all caused by an issue on a drug deal. If all nations were to work together
to cut down on drug trafficking worldwide arting with Columbia, Afghanistan, Mexico and
South American countries. Large Drug traffickers would lose power and trade would decrease.

Works Cited
"Introduction to Drug Trafficking: Current Controversies." Drug Trafficking. Ed. Karin L.
Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Current Controversies. Opposing
Viewpoints in Context. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.
"Preface to 'Can Drug Trafficking Be Stopped?'." Drug Trafficking. Ed. Karin L. Swisher. San
Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Current Controversies. Opposing Viewpoints in Context.
Web. 14 Oct. 2015.

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Hutchinson, Asa. "Terrorism Around the World Is Funded by Drug Trafficking." Drug
Trafficking. Ed. Karin L. Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1991. Current
Controversies. Rpt. from "Narco-Terror: The International Connection Between Drugs
and Terror." Heritage Foundation. 2002. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 14 Oct.
2015.
Carpenter, Ted Galen. "Outlawing Drug Trafficking Helps to Support Terrorists." Drug
Trafficking. Ed. Karin L. Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1991. Current
Controversies. Rpt. from "Drug Prohibition is a Terrorist's Best Friend." National Post
[Toronto] 4 Jan. 2005. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.
The Drug Enforcement Administration. "Drug Trafficking Contributes to Gang-Related Crime."
Drug Trafficking. Ed. Auriana Ojeda. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2002. Current
Controversies. Rpt. from "Domestic Trafficking Gangs." 2000. Opposing Viewpoints in
Context. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.