The Link Between Drugs And Terrorism - 2274 Words

Humberto Corral Professor – Andy Homeland Security 11 October 2014 Narcoterrorism – The link between Drugs and Terrorism INTRO - 1 EXTREME VIOLENT ACTS OF TERROR 5 OPERATIONS 6 FINANCIALS 8 SUMMARY – ARE DRUGS AND TERRORISM LINKED? 9 INTRO - Drug cartels perform brutal criminal activities such as terrorism in the United States apart from sale of drug trafficking, money laundering, kidnappings for Ransom and the sale of illegal weapons in the United States. The presence of criminal activities goes beyond the critical threat against the sovereignty and weakening of the Mexican governmental institutions on the state, local and national levels. Profits from drugs are so huge in Mexico, an estimated 60 billion dollars a year, that these†¦show more content†¦Due to the drug industry booming, there has been turmoil between various drug cartels leading to many deaths of innocent people. Many people, not only Mexican, have suffered from the violence of this drug war. There are dozens of drug a cartels in the Americas. In Mexico, there are two primary affiliations which other cartels align to, the Sinaloa Cartel and Los Zetas. These cartels also have presence in the United States, which is negatively impacting our coun try because of their extreme violence and murderous acts. Many would argue that these criminal acts are also acts of terrorism. The convergence or nexus between terrorist groups and transnational crime has its foundation on the symbiotic link between the two. The convergence entails a dynamic that allows both entities to benefit financially. This convergence, which entails long-term and short-term agreements, exists along a continuum and its aim is to exchange expertise such as counterfeiting, bomb-making or money laundering, or operational support that enhances access to the smuggling routes (Piazza 299). A study carried out by the Library of Congress regarding criminal and terrorist organizations realized that the convergence between the two entities comes in three wide blueprints. The first form of contact between terrorist and criminal organizations is alliances of mutual benefit. In this