Transnational Drug Trafficking Research Articles

The Transnational Mental Health Burden of Haiti's Alleged Collapse: Preliminary Findings from the Haitian Well-Being Study.

Transnational drug trafficking, political unrest, gang violence, and paramilitarism, which are pervasive in Haiti, have resulted in a mental health crisis for the broader Haitian community. This study explores the mental well-being of Haitians in Haiti and the United States by identifying barriers and facilitators to mental health through the lived experiences of men and women. Four Focus group discussions conducted in April and November 2023 engaged 28 participants (20 women and eight men) aged between 23 and 60 years from locations in Haiti (Port-au-Prince, Cite Soleil, Cayes, Cap-Haitien, Saint-Marc) and the United States. Discussions revolved around the definition of mental health, stressors, coping mechanisms, risk and protective factors, and barriers to mental health care. Six principal themes emerged: 1- Chronic Traumatic Stress: continued violence, political instability, unemployment, lack of social support, adverse childhood experiences, family separation, and forced displacement were significant sources of stress. 2- Increased Health Burden: Participants reported experiencing chronic physical and psychological symptoms (i.e., hypertension, anxiety, depression, sleep issues, substance abuse, suicidal ideations, characteristics of post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD]), which were attributed to Haiti's social, political, and infrastructure collapse. 3- Risk Factors: limited access to mental health services, pervasive hopelessness, scarcity of opportunities, and stigma were identified as significant risks. 4- Future Uncertainty: widespread concerns regarding the future predominated. 5- Multigenerational Concerns: Significant anxiety concerning the mental health and development of children, as well as the functionality of mental health practitioners, was noted. 6- Coping and Protective Factors: Effective coping strategies include mental stimulation, peer support, managing digital consumption, engaging in leisurely activities, such as listening to music, and faith/spirituality. The study's findings underscore the sociopolitical and economic crisis in Haiti, which has resulted in violence and a collapse of political, educational, financial, and health infrastructures. These factors were identified as the primary source of chronic distress, contributing to widespread mental health issues, adverse physical symptoms, and disruption in daily life. The implications for practice, healing, research & policy are discussed.

Crisis, corruption and state-led development in the making of the Mexican drug trade

Abstract The state of Durango has long been a centre of Mexican heroin production and an important node in transnational drug trafficking networks. As early as 1944, it was the site of one of the biggest drug busts in Mexican history, when an opium poppy plantation the size of 325 football pitches, irrigated by a purpose-built aqueduct, was discovered in the state’s northern mountains. By the mid 1970s, a combination of kinship ties and concrete connected these poppy fields directly with the US drug market hub of Chicago, Illinois, along a route known as the ‘heroin highway’, which helped Mexico become the supplier of 90 per cent of US heroin. But how did a poor, underpopulated and overwhelmingly rural state become a major player in the billion-dollar US–Mexican drug trade? This article shows that in Durango, the rise of heroin production and trafficking were integral aspects of local processes of social, political and economic modernization. Stimulated by the Mexican and US governments’ promotion of infrastructural improvements and mass migration, and protected by representatives of Mexico’s post-revolutionary political system, the drug trade in turn fuelled further ‘licit’ economic development, making it part of the very foundation of Mexico as we know it today.

Kejahatan Transnasional Terhadap Peredaran Narkoba Internasional Ditinjau Dari Kasus Fredy Pratama

This research examines the problem of transnational crime in international drug trafficking from the case of Fredy Pratama, who is an Indonesian youth who was arrested in 2021 for trying to smuggle 1.2 kilograms of cocaine to Australia. His case highlights the challenges law enforcement faces in combating transnational drug trafficking, as well as the devastating impact these crimes have on the Nation. The aim of this research is to explore in more detail the Fredy Pratama case and find out the impact of his crime. Legal documents for this research were obtained from a literature review. This research uses a qualitative descriptive analysis method. From the research results, it was concluded that the Fredy Pratama case was a microcosm of a larger problem, namely transnational drug trafficking. Disclosure of this case is also the greatest salvation for the lives of the nation's children from the threat of drugs. The suspects were charged with multiple articles, namely TPPU and Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics and Article 114 paragraph (2) in conjunction with Article 132 paragraph (2) subsidiary Article 112 paragraph (2) in conjunction with Article 132 paragraph (2), with threats death penalty or life imprisonment.

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The article analyzes the institutional and legal foundations of combating transnational drug trafficking in the European Union (EU), as well as the regulatory and legal regulation of Ukraine's cooperation with relevant EU structures in the specified area. The regulatory and legal regulation and policy of the EU in the field of combating drug trafficking are studied from the point of view of their implementation in Ukraine as part of the implementation of the policy aimed at gaining full membership in the European Union. The works of Ukrainian and foreign scientists related to combating illegal drug trafficking in the context of the implementation of the EU anti-drug policy were analyzed. It was concluded that the European Commission sees the fight against the drug trade and organized crime in general as a key component of the EU agenda, emphasizing the need to develop a new strategic approach to the drug problem. Effective activity in this direction requires cooperation at the EU level and beyond, while the European Union tries to act as a driving force at the global level. The article points to the importance of Ukraine's acquisition of the status of an EU candidate country in June 2022. Acquiring full membership in the European Union requires our country to carry out a number of reforms and adapt its legislation in line with European criteria. Further steps in this direction will also require the implementation of strategic documents in the field of combating organised crime, and the integration of the activities of the Security Service of Ukraine into the overall European security environment. The author concludes that bringing Ukraine's anti-criminal policy in line with European standards will significantly contribute to the implementation of the European integration policy in general. It is noted that the Agreement on Operational and Strategic Cooperation between Ukraine and Europol, signed in 2017, is the main legal act regulating cooperation between Ukraine and the EU in the field of combating transnational drug trafficking. For the SSU, Europol is one of the most important international partners, the use of which is crucial for ensuring effective operational and service activities in a number of areas. Countering drug trafficking is embedded in the core of the EU's external relations, and the role of this area is increasing as the threats to the EU's security from this phenomenon grow. Such relations in this area should be based on the principles of shared responsibility, multilateralism and coordination of the global response. In the international arena, the European Union is promoting an approach that is evidence-based, holistic, balanced and multidisciplinary. Cooperation should be established with countries of origin and transit of drugs and international organisations. The application of approaches in this area developed in the European Union is important for the implementation of the European integration policy of Ukraine, which should be taken into account in the organisation of operational and service activities of the Security Service of Ukraine.

Jalur Merah Peredaran Narkoba di Kota Batam dan Strategi Penanggulangannya

This article aims to identify the red lanes for drug trafficking in Batam City and strategies for dealing with them. This research takes a case study in Batam City because it is one of the drug trafficking routes in Indonesia. Drugs are one of the problems that harm both individuals and even threaten resilience and security. This study uses descriptive qualitative research methods to identify drug trafficking routes in Batam City and strategies to overcome them. The data used in this study uses secondary data in the form of 25 national and international journal articles spanning 2017-2021. This study indicates that there are five factors in the opening of drug trafficking routes in Batam City; 1) The high number of drug users in Indonesia, including Batam City, Riau Islands. 2) Influence on the lifestyle of the Indonesian people as users, dealers, and drug dealers. 3) The strategic geographical location of Batam City supports it as a drug trafficking route. 4) The lack of supervision by law enforcement officers and detection technology not supported at the border. 5) Legal sanctions against drug cases do not have a deterrent effect. 6) There are legal loopholes and access to organized and transnational drug trafficking.

Transnational drug trafficking in Southeast Asia: identifying national limitations to look for regional changes

Over its fifty years of established existence beginning in 1967, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has expounded its consolidated and integrated model in political relations, economic developments, and cultural values. However, confronted by threats to global security, ASEAN has also faced the complex impacts of transnational narcotics trafficking (TransNT). The study uses grey literature as secondary data to illustrate the current situations of TransNT in Southeast Asia by way of examining drug trafficking starting from the original countries (Myanmar) through the transit points (Vietnam) to final destination countries (Malaysia). Besides reviewing more than four decades of collaboration, the paper analyses ASEAN’s milestones in building its cooperative mechanism and assesses its institutional framework for combatting TransNT with specific initiatives. The study notes the main barriers and practical challenges that constrain the process of regional cooperation. Some brief recommendations are also suggested for further research in the near future to enhance regional cooperation in combatting transnational crimes.

Influence of transnational drug trafficking on the economy and security of Mexico

The article examines the impact of transnational drug trafficking on the economy and security of Mexico on the examples of the activities of several Mexican drug cartels operating in different parts of the country. The article analyzes the overall impact of drug crime on the economy and security of the country. Modern trends of drug crime are considered: fragmentation, diversification and competition between the subjects of drug crime. The conclusion of the study is that the federal government's ongoing policy to combat transnational crime only exacerbated the problem, leading to a further decline in the Mexican economy and internal security.

The Role of the UN International Drug Control Conventions in Facilitating Law Enforcement Cooperation in the Policing of Transnational Drug Trafficking

Transnational policing is an increasingly important issue in today’s globalised world. Transnational crime is an expanding industry and when crime crosses borders, cooperation between states is key. Arguably, this is most important in illegal drug trafficking, a crime of high concern to many states which almost always involves multiple countries. To this end, the UN Drug Control Conventions, introduced to tackle drug trafficking across the world, contain a number of provisions regarding law enforcement cooperation. This piece, by examining legal instruments and existing literature, will explore the role of the conventions regarding cooperation in policing the transnational trafficking of illicit drugs with a particular focus on the US, a major player in the field. Law enforcement cooperation between states existed for many years without international law obligations, however, it was often plagued by political and cultural differences and suffered when international relations were tense. By implementing obligations within the UN conventions, existing practices were codified into international law, meaning that cooperation should be a smoother, and legally-backed, process regardless of the political situation. This piece argues that, although the UN International Drug Control Conventions may not have added completely novel principles or practices to transnational law enforcement, they remain an important tool in facilitating transnational police cooperation and have made a valuable contribution to jurisprudence on the subject.

The Battle for Guatemala: Multilevel Governance and the Nation-state

Although a brutal Civil War ended in 1996 and a democratisation process was initiated, Guatemalan statehood remains contested. Due to a historical process defined by elite capture and extreme repression, the State never fully consolidated. As a result, formal institutions tasked with political and economic governance are not as robust or effective as the informal institutions. There have been important developments. For instance, a myriad of social actors was able to carve out a space of public political and economic resistance which continues to this day. Notwithstanding these advances, Guatemala is now facing widespread insecurity as a result of the rise of transnational drug-trafficking, and the presence of gangs and cartels. The current crisis has worsened historic and structural injustices. In this regard, security governance is never an isolated issue. It is deeply interwoven with political and economic forms of governance. Due to the weak political governance, cartels and gangs can operate with near impunity. Then, because of weak economic governance, there are countless desperately poor youths willing to enter the drug trade. To address these security issues, it is crucial to look at the institutional, political and social factors which have shaped the national context.

The International Expansion of Sao Paulo's Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC): notes on the illicit drug trade in South America

This article examines the trajectory of the “Primeiro Comando da Capital” or PCC, a prison-based organized criminal group from Brazil, and its participation in transnational drug trafficking in South America, notably around the Paraguayan-Brazilian border. The article makes use of data from semi-structured interviews, literature review, media and document analysis under the theoretical framework of organised crime. Furthermore, it addresses the issues of drug prohibition, punitive selectivity of the criminal justice system and mass incarceration.

International Cooperation to Prevent and Combat Transnational Drug Trafficking at Border Locations: A Case Study of Vietnam

Vietnam has recorded as one of the new areas in the transnational flows of illicit at Southeast Asia. Locating at the close outbound of the Golden Triangle – the second hub of opium cultivation around the world, Vietnam has been impacting, directly or indirectly, on drug production, consumption, and trafficking in recent years. Meanwhile, at the current moment, in Vietnam, the situation of a drug crime has been experiencing complicated happenings with increasingly sophisticated, artful nature and artifice. This paper provides the overall background of Vietnam via clarifying a geographical feature to impact on borderlines on land and sea about the Southeast Asia region. Besides, the study analyses the picture of the current situation of drug trafficking in Vietnam, particularly focusing on trends and patterns of drug-related crimes in the borderland and on the sea routes among Vietnam and other shared borders, including China, Cambodia, and Laos. Main reasons to explain why Vietnam has been becoming as a transnational hub in the region that also assess carefully in the next section before demonstrating the role of Vietnam’s authorities to cooperate and collaborate with other nations to combat transnational drug trafficking. Some recommendations and proposals to improve the effectiveness of international cooperation to fight drug-related crimes are also called for further researches. Keywords: Drug trafficking; Borderland; Transnational Crimes; ASEAN; Anti-Narcotics Crime Investigation Police Department (ANCIPD); International Cooperation; Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs); Vietnam DOI : 10.7176/JLPG/85-24 Publication date :May 31 st 2019

A Case Study of Crime Organization Structure Based on Social Network Method

In this paper, we apply social network approach and analyze the structure of the plurality of criminal organizations, including Pyramid Selling, 911 hijacking organizations, transnational drug trafficking organizations. In the hierarchical organization of MLM, we found that two parameters of network Out2Local, in-Harmonic Closeness difference have huge difference between the different levels of nodes. For relational data of 911 hijacking organization, we use Girvan-Newman algorithm to calculate the number of modules of different societies. When the highest number of associations appears to be four, hijacked planes also happens to be four and we conducted a comparative study based on the result. For structure of cross-border drug crime organization, we summarize Huanghui Xia’s studies. Finally, from the perspective of social network approach, we investigate the efficiency and safety of different types of criminal organizations structure.

Xinjiang in Central Asia’s Regional Security Structure

The emergence of five Central Asian Republics (CARs) following Soviet collapse in 1991 created a new geopolitical situation, with the USA, Russia and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) emerging as key players. China has become one of the strongest forces to take advantage of this new opportunity, be it trade, energy, or to safeguard its volatile Xinjiang region that shares border with three CARs: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Further, inimical forces such as terrorism, religious extremism, transnational drug trafficking, smuggling of arms and ecological disaster have dealt a body blow to regional peace and stability, thereby creating a shattered security zone in and around Central Asia. Given this backdrop, this article argues that security issues, which have so far been important, are going to pose serious challenge in the coming years. It describes Xinjiang as the main geopolitical anchor in Central Asia’s security structure with all its potential for a possible conflagration in the region.

Evolution of North Korean Drug Trafficking: State Control to Private Participation

IntroductionThe North Korean state has been suspected of sponsoring illicit drug trafficking for more than 20 years.1 The rogue state tightly controlled this industry. The ordinary citizens had no knowledge of the existence of drug trafficking.2 However, there are allegations3 that a growing number of civilian North Koreans have been aware of and involved with drug trafficking for personal profit.As a response to the aforementioned allegations, this paper tries to explore the evolution of North Korean drug trafficking from state control into substantial private participation. This study answers three research questions: (1) Is private participation in the North Korea drug trafficking substantial? (2) If so, what is the current state of the privately controlled North Korean illicit drug business? (3) How has North Korean drug operations evolved from tight state control to private participation?The authors have documented and evaluated this issue, and have adopted two feasible ways to collect data: from primary and supplementary sources. Primary data sources are in-depth interviews with North Korean defectors who were victims of human trafficking from North Korea into China. Supplementary data sources include various written documents, reports, and articles. The content analysis of these various written reports will be used as a supplement.4It has been found that the issue of North Korean drug trafficking has very few empirical studies. This may be due to the difficulty of obtaining empirical data as a result of the secluded nature of North Korea on one hand and the overemphasis on political, economic, and security matters of the North Korean state and relative neglect on criminal matters of North Korean private individuals among social scientists. Thus, this study has a certain merit in this regard.Historical Background of North Korean Drug TraffickingDue to North Korea's economic trouble,5 the North Korean state deliberately chose various transnational crime businesses including drug trafficking as a state policy to earn foreign currency.6 In the early 1970s, North Korean officials simply bought and sold foreign-sourced illicit drugs. Then, beginning in 1976, the state itself began to cultivate the opium poppy and sell the raw opium overseas.7 However, since raw opium was not very profitable, the state soon launched the refining process that turns raw opium into heroin. By the mid-1980s, the North Korean state had a wellestablished heroin production system. The state cultivated, refined, and exported products. During this period, illicit drug production and trafficking were under the strict control of the state. Most opium poppy farms were located on remote mountainsides which were strictly off limits to the ordinary population.8Since 1990, a series of international, economic, and environmental crises has significantly weakened the North Korean state.9 The state's production and distribution system collapsed. A substantial proportion of the North Korean population suffered from this economic disaster, known as the March of Tribulation.10 According to a report written by David R. Hawk,11 people were forced to find a way to stay alive. A great number of people wandered around the country in search of food. Crime and black markets emerged. Also, many people escaped North Korea and illegally entered Russia or China. The North Korean state thus experienced great difficulties in controlling its population.12It was during this period that drug trafficking in North Korea became less cen- tralized and individuals participated in this illegal enterprise on a much larger scale to gain private profits or for personal use.13 There were even allegations that gang activity increased and criminal groups became meaningful players in drug trafficking.14 This private participation also expanded to transnational drug trafficking that originated from North Korea.15A Hypothesized Conceptual FrameworkThis study proposes a conceptual framework to explain how North Korean drug trafficking moved from state control towards private participation. …