One of the strategic challenges outlined in the 2014 Quadrennial Homeland Security Review (QHSR), was that of the transnational criminal organizations. “Transnational criminal organizations are increasing in strength and capability, driving risk in counterfeit goods, human trafficking, illicit drugs, and other illegal flows of people and goods.” (QHSR, 2014, p.28) Out of the various transnational criminal organizations that operate within the United States and abroad, the Mexican drug cartels represent the most exponential threat. In many regards the cartels are being compared to foreign terror organizations such as Hezbollah, and Hamas. This assimilation means that they are not only representative of a criminal enterprise but that of a sophisticated,
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They were the Beltran-Leyva cartel, La Familia Michoacana cartel, Gulf cartel, Juarez cartel, Sinaloa cartel, Tijuana cartel, and the Los Zetas cartel. After a decade of conflict amongst the cartels, two cartels remain. They are the Sinaloa and newly established Jalisco New Generation drug cartel (CJNG). The other cartels either merged or consolidated within the two remaining cartels or degraded into lower level street gangs. The Sinaloa Cartel is the largest and most powerful drug trafficking organization in the Western hemisphere. It thrived during the drug war due to its non-hierarchical organization structure. Unlike rival cartels, the Sinaloa cartel is more like a confederacy of groups that are connected through blood, marriage, and regional relationships. Decisions are ultimately made through board-of-directors-type mechanisms and not by a single leader. (Bender, 2015) The most notorious figure within the Sinaloa cartel is drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. As the cartels fought for power, unprecedented amounts of violence followed as the various groups struggled to maintain territory, and smuggling routes into the United States. The violence often resulted in beheadings, torture, and public displays of mutilated bodies to serve as a warning to those that dare to cross the …show more content…
There is currently no federally backed plan to provide assistance to those in need of treatment for drug addiction. Almost all treatment facilities are publicly funded. Insurance providers do not normally pay for treatment from rehabilitation centers, which leaves tremendous amounts of debt for those seeking help. In an attempt to save the lives of those that overdose on heroin, many law enforcement and EMT’s are using a drug called Narcan. Narcan can reverse the effects of heroin overdose and save individuals that have overdosed. The problem with Narcan is that the pharmaceutical companies have price gouged the drug with no regulatory oversight. The price hike has shifted the burden to the local tax base, or funded through other means. Additional challenges for law enforcement comes from individuals that have received Narcan doses numerous times because they continue to go back to using heroin. In those instances, Narcan is not saving their lives, it is prolonging
They were the Beltran-Leyva cartel, La Familia Michoacana cartel, Gulf cartel, Juarez cartel, Sinaloa cartel, Tijuana cartel, and the Los Zetas cartel. After a decade of conflict amongst the cartels, two cartels remain. They are the Sinaloa and newly established Jalisco New Generation drug cartel (CJNG). The other cartels either merged or consolidated within the two remaining cartels or degraded into lower level street gangs. The Sinaloa Cartel is the largest and most powerful drug trafficking organization in the Western hemisphere. It thrived during the drug war due to its non-hierarchical organization structure. Unlike rival cartels, the Sinaloa cartel is more like a confederacy of groups that are connected through blood, marriage, and regional relationships. Decisions are ultimately made through board-of-directors-type mechanisms and not by a single leader. (Bender, 2015) The most notorious figure within the Sinaloa cartel is drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. As the cartels fought for power, unprecedented amounts of violence followed as the various groups struggled to maintain territory, and smuggling routes into the United States. The violence often resulted in beheadings, torture, and public displays of mutilated bodies to serve as a warning to those that dare to cross the …show more content…
There is currently no federally backed plan to provide assistance to those in need of treatment for drug addiction. Almost all treatment facilities are publicly funded. Insurance providers do not normally pay for treatment from rehabilitation centers, which leaves tremendous amounts of debt for those seeking help. In an attempt to save the lives of those that overdose on heroin, many law enforcement and EMT’s are using a drug called Narcan. Narcan can reverse the effects of heroin overdose and save individuals that have overdosed. The problem with Narcan is that the pharmaceutical companies have price gouged the drug with no regulatory oversight. The price hike has shifted the burden to the local tax base, or funded through other means. Additional challenges for law enforcement comes from individuals that have received Narcan doses numerous times because they continue to go back to using heroin. In those instances, Narcan is not saving their lives, it is prolonging