Drug trade between Mexico and the United states Research Paper

Drug trade between Mexico and the United states - Research Paper Example The transshipment of drugs from Mexico across the international border to the United States is not a new phenomenon. Geographically adjacent to the United States it is perfectly positioned as a transshipment point for drugs from other parts of the world. Very little cocaine is grown or processed in Mexico. Rather, it is grown and processed in South American countries such as Peru, Bolivia and Columbia and then shipped to Mexico to be taken across the border into the United States. Much marijuana is grown in Mexico but,again, even more is shipped to Mexico and then across the border to the United States. That said, the behavior of traffickers has changed recently. The shipment of illegal substances to the United States holds the promise of huge profits for those engaged in the trade. The pursuit of these profits has made the cartels – the organizations engaged in smuggling – to become increasingly violent recently, particularly since President Calderà ³n declared war on the drug cartels shortly after coming into office in 2006. The Mexican border states have become much like a war zone with heavily armed military units on the street (since the President deemed local police too corrupt to deal with the cartels) and frequent firefights between the military and the cartels. According to The L.A. Times 28,288 people have died in Mexico since January 2007 as a result of the drug wars. (â€Å"Mexico Under Siege – The Drug War on Our Doorstep†, 2010) Mexico as a whole is not an extremely dangerous place to live or visit. It is less safe than the United States or the United States northern neighbor Canada. However, it is as safe as Jamaica or Israel for visitors and residents. However, this is not the case in the border states. According to The Washington Post, â€Å"The bloodshed is geographically concentrated in key trafficking corridors, notably in the states of Sinaloa, Chihuahua and Tamaulipas.† While Mexico