1. International Drug Rings
Kaleb Toews

2. International Drug Policy
• International drug policy focuses on the
“control” of narcotics for two main purposes.
• To prevent the illicit use, manufacture, and
distribution of narcotics.
• To keep narcotics available for controlled
medical use.

3. International Drug Control Treaties
• There are three main treaties established by the UN
regarding the trade and abuse of narcotics.
• 1) Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961
This Convention aims to combat drug abuse by
coordinated international action. There are two forms
of intervention and control that work together. First, it
seeks to limit the possession, use, trade
in, distribution, import, export, manufacture and
production of drugs exclusively to medical and
scientific purposes. Second, it combats drug trafficking
through international cooperation to deter and
discourage drug traffickers.

4. International Drug Control Treaties
• 2) United Nations Convention on Psychotropic
Substances, 1971
The Convention establishes an international
control system for psychotropic substances. It
responded to the diversification and expansion of
the spectrum of drugs of abuse and introduced
controls over a number of synthetic drugs
according to their abuse potential on the one
hand and their therapeutic value on the other.

5. International Drug Control Treaties
• 3) United Nations Convention against illicit traffic in
Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 1988
This Convention provides comprehensive measures
against drug trafficking, including provisions against
money laundering and the diversion of precursor
chemicals. It provides for international cooperation
through, for example, extradition of drug
traffickers, controlled deliveries and transfer of
proceedings.

6. Use of Conventions
• The 3 conventions on drug control are all
complementary and supportive of one another.
• These drug control treaties are also complemented by
The United Nations Convention against Transnational
Organized Crime.
• This convention legally binds the participating states to
take measures against international crime such as
“sweeping frameworks for mutual legal
assistance, extradition, law enforcement cooperation
and technical assistance, and training.”

7. Operation of Drug Rings
• International drug rings contain people of various
nationalities operating out of virtually anywhere.
• Many times the ones orchestrating the illegal operations
are doing so in a foreign country.
• Recently a Canadian, and American citizen have been
arrested in the seizure of $237 million dollars of narcotics
being shipped from China to Port Botany Australia.
• The two men were running their illegal operations out of
Australia, and attempted to smuggle the 350kg of narcotics
(heroine and cocaine) concealed in heavy machinery.
• The Canadian man recently appeared in a court hearing
where he was denied bail.

8. Extradition
• Extradition has become an international tool
used by cooperating countries to disrupt the
operation of drug rings.
• The relation between US and Colombia
provides an interesting perspective on
extradition with relation to these International
Drug Rings and their leaders.

9. U.S Colombian Cooperation
• In 1997 a treaty was signed between the U.S and Colombia
to allow the extradition of Colombian nationals involved in
drug trafficking or other international crimes.
• In the case of Colombia and the U.S extradition has proved
to be a vital component of cooperation, along with joint
criminal investigations.
• The level of cooperation involving extradition between
these two countries is at an all time high in an attempt to
disrupt and set back these criminal organizations.
• Extradition serves an even more important role with
Colombia and the United states because of the lucrative
opportunities involved in the mass trafficking of drugs
across these boarders and into to a very large “market” like
the U.S.

10. Extraditions affect on International
Drug Rings
• The most important part of extradition between
Colombia and the united states is the disruption of
organized crime.
• Extradition forces drug lords operating in Colombia to
be sent north to face trial.
• This tactic of extraditing helps de-organize the
organized drug rings by forcing drug lords with
extensive connections to a foreign place were they
have little to no influence on the outside world.
• This is particularly important when examining
Colombia’s history with imprisoning leaders of these
very powerful Colombian Cartels.

11. Trafficking
• The Colombian Cartels control the trafficking of cocaine
across boarders using many different methods.
• These cartels in south America can move the drugs by
land, through Mexico and across the United States boarders
by Transport Truck or trap car.
• Commercial shipping vessels are also used for extremely
large shipments of drugs through the Caribbean.
• Mexico along with the islands populating the Caribbean
such as Haiti, the Dominican republic, and Puerto Rico are
used as midpoints for trafficking the drugs.

12. Border Intelligence
• As smuggling becomes more complex so is the technology
that needs to be used by United states boarders
particularly.
• In 2011 realizing that drug trafficking has become even
more of a problem Barrack Obama sought to increase the
use of technology such as X-ray’s that can scan for narcotics
in vehicles crossing the boarder, particularly transport
trucks.
• Maritime methods of trafficking drugs had become
increasingly popular and successful calling for an
improvement and increased use of Radars by the US coast
guard in order to detect newer non commercial methods
such as “fast boats” and most recently submarines.

13. Trafficking Sentences and Seizure
• First Offense: Not less than 10 yrs. and not more
than life. If death or serious bodily injury, not less
than 20 yrs. or more than life. Fine of not more
than $10 million if an individual, $50 million if not
an individual.
United states border Patrol annual
apprehensions(2011)
Coastal border sectors- 6,552
Northern border sectors- 6,123
Southwest border sectors- 327,577

14. QUESTIONS?