Drug Trafficking - Crime/Terrorism Nexus The connection between drug trafficking and criminal activity, including terrorism, falls into two main categories. Drug traffickers engage in criminal activity as a method of their operations or terrorist engage in drug trafficking as a financial means for their terrorist activities. The threat to national securities lies not only in the increased crime by these groups individually, but also in the collaboration of the groups. For instance, the tunnels that are used to smuggle illicit drugs and illegal immigrants could also be used to smuggle terrorists and/or weapons of mass destruction.   Crime Nexus The link between drug trafficking and other criminal activity lies primarily in traffickers using criminal activity in their trafficking activities. Drug traffickers often engage in violent crimes, to include assault, robbery, kidnapping, and murder, as well as other crimes such as extortion and money laundering. Gangs commit much of the crime in the United States associated with drug trafficking. “Gangs are responsible for an average of 48 percent of violent crime in most jurisdictions and much higher in others. Some jurisdictions in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, and Texas report that gangs are responsible for at least 90 percent of crime…NDIC reporting indicates that gang control over drug distribution and disputes over drug territory has increased, which may be responsible for the increase in violence in many areas” (National Gang Intelligence Center, 15). Weapons Seized with Drugs                          Source: DEA Terrorism Nexus The nexus between drug traffickers and terrorism lies primarily in the realm of terrorist organizations using drug trafficking as a method to make money to finance their terrorist activities. Some terrorist organizations actually produce, transport, and distribute illicit drugs while others “tax” the traffickers in their area of operation. “Manifestations of narcoterrorism are manifold and far reaching: increased drug production; wide spread abuse of drugs; serious drug-related crime; threats to the rule of law, public security, and public health; money laundering; infiltration of the legal economy; and financing of terrorism. It has been estimated that the FARC guerilla of Colombia has a net profit from drug-related crime (including the “taxation” and “protection” of the illegal cocaine trade) of at least 300 million USD every year. The annual total income from the drug trade for movements such as al‐Qaeda has been estimated by the U.N. to be 2.4 billion USD” (Hartelius, iii). Money laundering Money laundering is another criminal activity that nearly all criminals engage in, including drug trafficking groups and terrorist groups. Criminals must account for the money obtained from illicit activities, so they look to money laundering. DTOs have entire components of their organizations responsible for laundering their illicit pr.

1. Drug Trafficking - Crime/Terrorism Nexus
The connection between drug trafficking and criminal activity,
including terrorism, falls into two main categories. Drug
traffickers engage in criminal activity as a method of their
operations or terrorist engage in drug trafficking as a financial
means for their terrorist activities. The threat to national
securities lies not only in the increased crime by these groups
individually, but also in the collaboration of the groups. For
instance, the tunnels that are used to smuggle illicit drugs and
illegal immigrants could also be used to smuggle terrorists
and/or weapons of mass destruction.
Crime Nexus
The link between drug trafficking and other criminal activity
lies primarily in traffickers using criminal activity in their
trafficking activities. Drug traffickers often engage in violent
crimes, to include assault, robbery, kidnapping, and murder, as
well as other crimes such as extortion and money laundering.
Gangs commit much of the crime in the United States associated
with drug trafficking. “Gangs are responsible for an average of
48 percent of violent crime in most jurisdictions and much
higher in others. Some jurisdictions in Arizona, California,
Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, and Texas report
that gangs are responsible for at least 90 percent of
crime…NDIC reporting indicates that gang control over drug
distribution and disputes over drug territory has increased,
which may be responsible for the increase in violence in many
areas” (National Gang Intelligence Center, 15).
Weapons Seized with Drugs
Source: DEA

2. Terrorism Nexus
The nexus between drug traffickers and terrorism lies primarily
in the realm of terrorist organizations using drug trafficking as
a method to make money to finance their terrorist activities.
Some terrorist organizations actually produce, transport, and
distribute illicit drugs while others “tax” the traffickers in their
area of operation. “Manifestations of narcoterrorism are
manifold and far reaching: increased drug production; wide
spread abuse of drugs; serious drug-related crime; threats to the
rule of law, public security, and public health; money
laundering; infiltration of the legal economy; and financing of
terrorism. It has been estimated that the FARC guerilla of
Colombia has a net profit from drug-related crime (including
the “taxation” and “protection” of the illegal cocaine trade) of
at least 300 million USD every year. The annual total income
from the drug trade for movements such as al‐Qaeda has been
estimated by the U.N. to be 2.4 billion USD” (Hartelius, iii).
Money laundering
Money laundering is another criminal activity that nearly all
criminals engage in, including drug trafficking groups and
terrorist groups. Criminals must account for the money obtained
from illicit activities, so they look to money laundering. DTOs
have entire components of their organizations responsible for
laundering their illicit proceeds. According to the Financial
Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), “Dirty money can take
many routes-some complex, some simple, but all increasingly
inventive-the ultimate goal being to disguise its source. The
money can move through banks, check cashers, money
transmitters, businesses, casinos, and even be sent overseas to
become clean, laundered money. The tools of the money
launderer can range from complicated financial transactions,
carried out through webs of wire transfers and networks of shell

3. companies, to old-fashioned currency smuggling” (FinCEN).
Counter-narcotics efforts against drug traffickers consider both
the drugs and the money when planning operations.
Case Studies
To examine the association of crime and terrorism with drug
trafficking, we will look at Los Zetas and Afghanistan.
Los Zetas
“Los Zetas organization was established in the late 1990s as the
enforcement arm of the Gulf Cartel drug trafficking
organization to protect and expand the Gulf Cartel’s operations.
Consisting of highly trained soldiers who defected from the
Mexican Special Air Mobile Force Group (GAFE), the Zetas
have evolved from a wing of the Gulf Cartel into their own drug
trafficking organization” (National Gang Intelligence Center,
40).
Afghanistan
“Across Afghanistan, insurgents, criminal organizations, and
corrupt officials exploit narcotics as a reliable source of
revenue and patronage, which has perpetuated the threat these
groups pose to the country’s fragile internal security and the
legitimacy of its democratic government” (Blanchard,
Summary).
Review the information on each country Mexico and
Afghanistan in the State Department’s International Narcotics
Control Strategy Report as well as the readings to examine the
criminal activities of these groups.
References
Blanchard, Christopher. Afghanistan: Narcotics and U.S. Policy.

4. Congressional Research Service. Washington, DC, 2009.
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
http://www.fincen.gov/law_enforcement/.
Hartelius, Jonas. Narcoterrorism. Swedish Carnegie Institute,
Stockholm, Sweden, 2008.
National Gang Intelligence Center, National Gang Threat
Assessment. Washington, DC, 2011.
The forum this week addresses the nexus between drug
trafficking and crime/terrorism. It is designed to help you
recognize the connections between drug trafficking and other
crimes. Respond to ONE of the following questions:
You are to select ONLY ONE of the following questions to
answer.
How does the connection between drug trafficking and crime by
Los Zetas affect U.S. national security?
OR
How does the connection between drug trafficking and terrorism
in Afghanistan affect U.S. national security?
I look forward to your thoughts!
Instructions: Your initial post should be at least 250 words.