Title: Drug trafficking organizations - Wikipedia
Headings: Drug trafficking organizations
Drug trafficking organizations
Contents
History
Organization and structure
Structure
Mexican DTOs
Colombian and Dominican DTOs
Asian DTOs
Impact of DTOs
Finance, violence and terrorism
Gang involvement
Combating drug trafficking organizations
Enforcement
Public health
References

Content: Rising domestic enforcement of illegal growing and production operations, coupled with increasing legislation against illegal drugs, forced suppliers outside the country. Drug trafficking organizations from nations with lesser, or no drug laws emerged with the opportunity to make large profits from illegal trafficking into the United States. These organized crime syndicates would use any means necessary to exploit the weak border protection of the US. The drugs were shipped, flown, and trucked into the country and distributed from within. In many cases, "American mercenaries provided their services as pilots making trips between over 150 clandestine landing strips in South America and the US. In a 1986 Report from the President's Commission on Organized Crime, it was believed that nearly 2/3 of the cocaine from Colombia was flown into the country." Rampant drug epidemics and rising gang dealing would eventually lead to a massive operationalization of drug enforcement. The US formed federal agencies and initiatives such as the " Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in 1973, and High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area centers with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, coordinating efforts to slow the flow across borders and within the country." These agencies, along with academics, would formally define the groups that traffic drugs and study their operations. Organization and structure
Structure
Over the past few decades, drug trafficking organizations have increased in number and diversified in structure.