Al-Jazeera
According to two economists who studied
the trade of Colombian cocaine, only 2.6 per cent of the total street
value of cocaine produced remains within the country [REUTERS]
Presented with a crime, it is reasonable to ask who
benefits from it. Material gain is a motive, after all. This much is
familiar to anyone who watches crime drama or reads crime novels.
Perhaps, then we should apply this principle to the millions of crimes
that together constitute what the American government calls the War on
Drugs.
The standard account goes something like this. The main beneficiaries
of the trade in illegal drugs are those who control the growing areas,
the international supply routes, and the distribution networks in
consuming countries. Popular movies and music tell us that drug dealing
in America itself is hugely lucrative for the individuals involved.
These inner city gangsters capture the bulk of the profits, along with
sinister cartels in Latin America and Central Asia. Taken together they
are the enemy in this war. Disrupting their activities is the key to
reducing the supply of drugs. Law enforcement at home and paramilitary
operations abroad can win this war, if only enough resources are
deployed and Western politicians remain resolute.
