The Two Primary Qualitative Variables For Defining Ports Along International Drug Trafficking Routes
By Andrew Machin Large drug traffickers must make two payments in certain ports. One payment goes to corrupt dockworkers and law enforcement officials who enable drug shipments to pass with much less risk of being seized. The second payment is made to the criminal organization that controls the port. This second payment acts as a form of extortion, and its amount, whether in cash or in kind, is calculated based on the value or weight of each shipment. Typically, the two payments are combined into one total transaction, which is then distributed among the various parties involved. To understand the nature of these expenses and the contexts in which they must be paid, it is necessary to research the dynamics that unfold in ports along international drug trafficking routes. Any explanation must begin with some basic considerations. First, international drug trafficking consists of three successive macro phases: production, transportation, and distribution (money flows fall under each). Th...
