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Introduction - Drug Trade/War on Drugs (Colombia)

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Introduction - Drug Trade/War on Drugs (Colombia)

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Out of the few hundred thousand farms in Colombia, over 100,000 grow coca. This coca is sold to drug lords so they can be synthesized into cocaine drug. Over 125 kilograms of coca are required to produce one kilogram of cocaine. This amount of coca is bought for just $100-$200, and the one kilogram of cocaine is sold for as much as $60,000 in the U.S.

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Coca must go through 3 stages before coming cocaine. First, coca is converted into coca paste using gasoline and acetone. Second, coca paste is mixed with chloride acid and more acetone until it becomes coca base. Thirdly, coca base is filtered a few times until it becomes real cocaine ready be sold.

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Authorities are taking various measures to curb coca cultivation. Chemicals are sprayed on farm lands, restricting coca growth, and plenty of located coca plantations are destroyed. Nevertheless, Colombia had a record high amount of cocaine produced in 2016 at an astonishing 866 tons. Not only was it a record high, but it happened despite over 50,000 hectares of cocaine being destroyed that same year. The fact that coca generates the largest profits, demotivates farmers from growing anything else, causing a resilient industry.

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Cocaine is trafficked across the border to nearby countries such as Brazil, Panama, Venezuela, and Peru. The drugs are brought to Colombia's two coastlines or land borders. By land drugs are hidden in cars, or trafficked by boat through Colombia's jungle swamps. At the coast drugs are trafficked by boat or submarine to transit hubs in Central America controlled by local mafia working with the traffickers. From there drugs can be easily transported to states such as Florida and California.

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The DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration)

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The DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration)

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A United States federal law enforcement agency, the DEA is tasked with restricting drug trafficking into the United States. Not only does the DEA stop drugs at the border, but they also combat Illegal crop growth in Colombia. The DEA sprays anti-coca growth chemicals on farmlands, assisted in the tracking and killing of Pablo Escobar, and more.

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Pablo Escobar born in 1949, was on of the most notorious drug lords of all time, and by far the richest. Escobar founded the Medellin Cartel, which at its peak was providing over 80% of the worlds Cocaine. In the early 1990's Pablo was on the run from various government organizations, but was caught and killed in 1993.

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A large portion of violence in Colombia is orchestrated by Left wing rebel groups. The FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia)  is the oldest, largest, left wing rebel group. The FARC was created against large ownerships of land after huge portions of Colombian public land were being sold away for low prices to pay for government debt. This left Colombia with significantly less land for citizens to live on. The FARC was created with good intentions but moved towards drug trafficking and kidnapping for ransom to fund itself, and caused much public violence.

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The Medellin Cartel was an infamous, organized cartel ranging from the 1970's to the 1980's. The Medellin Cartel was founded in Medellin, Colombia by the drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, and swiftly took control of the cocaine industry. At its peak, the cartel was bringing in over 400 million dollars a week from drug profits, and was supplying over 80% of the worlds cocaine. Following Pablo Escobar's death in 1993 the Medellin Cartel fell apart.

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The AUC (United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia), are a right-wing group formed to combat the kidnapping and extortion used by the left-wing rebel groups. The AUC is a paramilitary force comprised of mercenaries. The right wing group is given no more respect than a drug cartel, with many opinions believing it in fact is one.

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The Cali Cartel took control of the cocaine trade in the 1990's. Originally the Cartel was trafficking marijuana, but swiftly moved to cocaine which made much more profit. At its peak the Cali Cartel controlled over 90% of the worlds cocaine distribution. The Cali Cartel had been secretly infiltrated by a high ranking member, Jorge Salcedo. Jorge was undercover for the DEA and brought down the Cali Cartel almost single handedly.

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