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David against Goliath: effectively fight drug trafficking?

06/02/2009 By Francis Maertens, Amado Philip de Andrés

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The Americas have a drug problem: South America produces almost all of the world’s cocaine, and North America consumes half of it (while most of the rest goes to Europe). The American hemisphere produces more than half of the world’s cannabis herb, and 10 percent of North Americans smoke it at least once a year. The illicit trade in heroin, synthetic drugs and chemical precursors is predominantly intra-regional. In short, drug demand in the Americas is largely satisfied by drug supply in the Americas and the problem should therefore be treated as a hemispheric security issue.

The victims are the countries and communities caught in the cross-fire. Drug-related crime and the violence that it fuels in Central America, parts of the Caribbean and Mexico are a threat to public safety and an impediment to development - this is what the public and foreign investors fear the most. Weak law enforcement enables drug trafficking, which, in turn, serves to further undermine the rule of law. It is no coincidence that the countries most affected by trafficking have some of the highest murder rates in the world.

Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean appear as David fighting Goliath in their everyday struggle to stop drug trafficking, organised crime and terrorism in the region.

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Keywords

Civil society Conflict Human rights Latin America & Caribbean

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Bio author: Francis Maertens

Currently Mr. Maertens is leading an internal and operational reform based in the preparation of regional and thematic programmes and in an efficient resource mobilization with the objective of maximizing the operational efficiency of UNODC thus multiplying services targeting priority regions.

Bio author: Amado Philip de Andrés

Amado Philip de Andrés is Deputy Regional Representative for West and Central Africa of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime