Organized Crime & Drug Trafficking

The world is growing more aware that no country or society is immune from the social, economic and political damage caused by international drug trafficking, a U.S. government representative said during the release of the 2008 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report. Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs David Johnson said February 29 that drug trafficking is no longer viewed as largely a problem for consumer states in North America and Europe. "We estimate that over 530 metric tons of cocaine are smuggled from South America to the United States each year, with more than 90 percent passing through Mexico. Mexico also is a major supplier of heroin, methamphetamines and marijuana destined for U.S. markets, and Mexican drug trafficking organizations now control many of the drug distribution networks within the United States," Johnson said. Johnson raised a red flag of concern about the "rapid growth of cocaine trafficking to Europe from Latin America through transit states in West Africa." He said the issue deserves greater attention, especially from European states that are the markets for these products.

2008: U.S. Calls for Global Partnership To Combat Narcotrafficking (Mar 4, 2008) (Full Report)

Illicit drugs are a global menace, and the United States and Europe are working together to curb the increased flow of these drugs from South America to Europe, says Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Chief of Operations Michael Braun. In September 21, 2006,  testimony before two House subcommittees, Braun said that since the early 1990s, Europe has experienced a significant increase in the amount of cocaine trafficked from South America. DEA investigations have shown that the same Colombian organizations that are smuggling cocaine to Europe are also smuggling to the United States, so it is "vitally important" that the United States and Europe coordinate their counternarcotics efforts, he added. To this end, Braun said, the DEA has forged a strong and cooperative relationship with its European counterparts, maintaining offices in 11 European countries with approximately 60 DEA employees. As an example of this cooperation, Braun pointed to Operation Twin Ocean, a three-year effort. And as part of this effort, he said, the DEA worked with law enforcement agencies in Colombia, Panama, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Spain and Great Britain to arrest more than 100 individuals, and seize more than 47 tons of cocaine and nearly $70 million in assets in May.

2006: U.S., Europe Working Together To Combat Drug Trafficking (Sep 21, 2006) | Illicit Drugs Shipped Through Caribbean Nations to U.S., Europe (Mar 1, 2006) | U.S.-Dutch Cooperation Leads to Breakup of Colombian Drug Ring (Feb 15, 2006)

2005: United States Joins International Crime Treaty (Nov 3, 2005) | U.S., EU Counterterror, Security Experts Outline Next Steps (Oct 7, 2005) | White House Official: Drug Consumption Knows No Borders (Mar 11, 2005) | New Global Pact to Address Drug Trafficking, Crime in Andean Region (Jan 24, 2005)

2004: Afghanistan Welcomes Pledges at Berlin Donors' Conference (Mar 31, 2004)

2003: State Dept. Wages Multi-Front Campaign against Organized Crime (Oct 21, 2003)

2002: U.S., EU Cooperate to Reduce Demand for Illegal Drugs (May 15, 2002)

2001: U.S. Customs Seizes Drug Ecstasy from Europe (Apr 4, 2001)