Trafficking in Illegal Drugs and Persons - Essay Example

Trafficking in Illegal Drugs and Persons Introduction Transnational Crimes as in illegal trafficking of drugs and humans and cross-border terrorism are one of the main concerns that the government of a courtry needs to deal with. More so for the President of the United States of America as he is the commander of the most influential and powerful government in the whole world. The policies that the office of the U.S. President formulates and implements usually has a global impact. It can be said that each and every policy formulated by the President of the U.S. carries a global burden and its implemntation a global responsibility. Controling and minimizing cross-border terrorism and illegal trafficking of humans and drugs are the most challenging aspects of transnational crimes. An estimated 600,000 to 800,000 (the numbers are increasing every year) humans in the form of children, teenagers and women and men are the annual victims of this modern-day slavery of human trafficking. These victims of modern-day slavery are subjected to fraud, force or coercion to sexual exploitation and labor. (U.S Dept. of State, 2008) Other illegal trafficking of humans, today, terrorism together with illegal trafficking of drugs is on the rise. To be able to tackle these issues that pose serious threat to the individual nations and mankind as a whole, a good strategy in terms of policy making is required. Polices that will be able to sufficiently express the predicament of transnational crimes in broader terms, and which will later help stretch the limited budget for the purpose. So in order to put across the urgent need to tackle with these crimes of transnational nature, that can cripple the country from its' inside in much extensive terms, the President decided to focus on three countries. The three countries are- Canada, Iran and France. The focus on these three countries will not provide only with the invaluable insights on how these countries engage in dealing with the three transnational forms of crimes, but also help in gaining the individual countries cooperation. Canada Illegal Trafficking of Drugs. On a global scale the industry of illegal drugs has grown to $400 billion (US $) approximately (Riley D.,1998). This rise in the illegal drugs industry has acted as fuel for organized crime; it has lead to the corruption of governments, violence and distortion of economic markets. Illegal drug trades and drug abuse has always been a crippling feature of the international as well as national scenes. For years attempts have been and are being made to combat the trafficking of illegal drugs and its' abuse, individually and bilaterally. However, these attempts have not been as successful as expected, but it has made the nations realize that the only through which this issue can be effectively handled is internationally coordinated action. The international cooperation to combat against drug abuse and illegal drug trade started in 1961, with the, Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, followed by Convention of Psychotropic Substances in 1971 and the Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988. (Ludec D. and Lee J., 2003) Canada as a nation is not so much harsh in its, 'war on drugs'. The state has assigned much of its resources and energy to treatment rather than on enforcement. The nation's National Drug Strategy that was first launched in 1987 and renewed after every 5 years stresses demand reduction and increase in efficient treatment programs. In 1990, after it sanctioned the third UN convention of 1988, it made major changes and revisions in its drugs and narcotics related legislations- as to fulfill the international obligations as per the conventions. On 20th June 1996, it adopted the new legislation, Bill C-8, the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA). The main purpose of CDSA that forms the integral part of Canada's National Drug Strategy is, "to provide a framework for the control of import, production, export, distribution and use of mind-altering substances." (Allain J. and Niemczak P., 1997) From time to time the CDSA has made amendments in its framework. The latest legislative amendment provides a clause, according to which the participants involved in selling and producing illegal drugs will be will face a mandatory imprisonment. The legislation also provides special penalties for offences that are carried out for organized crimes and offences involving youth. As for the mandatory jail time, it is in direct proportion to the amount of drug possessed and distributed. For example, the maximum imprisonment for the possession of marijuana less than 30 grams and distribution of the marijuana less than 3 kilograms is 6 months and 5 years, respectively. However, for other hard drugs like heroin, cocaine and other illegal chemicals, it's a maximum of 7 years for possession and for distribution the maximum penalty is life imprisonment. (Riley D., 1998) To control the illegal cross-border trafficking of drugs between Canada and U.S. both the nations have taken the following bilateral initiatives: In March 2005 the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America was launched. This initiative demonstrated the shared commitment for harnessing a secure border and to check cross-border terrorism and illegal trafficking of humans and drugs. In 1997, the Canada-United States Cross-Border Crime Forum (CBCF) was established to enhance cooperation and sharing of information between the two nations. The CBCF further recognized the Integrated Border Enforcement Teams (IBETs). These IBETs from both the countries work closely together to address issues on regional crimes. These teams have been very effective in disrupting the smuggling of drugs, humans and weapons as well. In order to further improve and promote cross-border networking, gathering and sharing of information and coordinated planning among the federal, state and local law enforcers, there is the binational a multi-agency forum called the Project North Star. These bilateral initiatives instigated by the two nations in order to check on illegal cross-border trafficking of drugs, humans and weapons have been successful. The partner agencies of IBETs, the DEA and RCMP (U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Royal Canadian Police, respectively) jointly was able to crack down the Canadian bulk distributors of 'ephedrine' along with their U.S. associates and the Mexican manufactures distributors of 'methamphetamine' based on U.S. in September, 2004. (DEA, 2008). In October, 2005, ICE Detroit and Ontario Regional Police arrested two operators of trucking firms of Brampton, Ontario, which resulted in the confiscation of 2,200 kilograms of marijuana and U.S. $1.3 million (DEA, 2008). These were a few of the many successes that between United States and Canada were able to achieve through the cross-border bilateral cooperation. France Illegal Trafficking of Humans The former U.S. Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales expresses the tragedy of human trafficking in U.S. with the statement, "Human trafficking is a violation of the human body, mind and spirit. For this vile practice to be taking place in a country that the world looks to as a beacon of freedom... is a terrible irony and an utter tragedy." (Gonzales A., 2006) Illegal trafficking of humans for forced labor and sexual exploitation is one of the most abundant areas of criminal activity globally and is of utmost concern to France and to the international community as well. The majority of the people who are trafficked are children and women. Romania and Bulgaria are the primary sources from where people are trafficked across to France. The other countries from where humans are trafficked to France are nations in Eastern Europe, Africa, South America and even Asia. From an estimated 18,000 women involved in the commercial sex trade of France the majority are the victims of illegal trafficking. To tackle with this criminal activity of illegal human trafficking, the French government revised its anti-trafficking laws in 2007, to be able to better prosecute violations in forced labor and sexual exploitations. And in the same year, the French courts for the first time used the age-old statute on anti-trafficking to convict to people for crimes involving sex-trafficking. The French government further initiated systems to protect and help victims of trafficking. French system of persecution for the violators of human trafficking prohibits humans for both forced labor and sexual exploitation through the Article 225 of its penal code. To protect and help the victims, the French Government provided the NGOs with $2 million victim protection and assisting services. Along with this remuneration through the NGOs, the government of France also provides the victims with motherly stipends, legal and psychological counsel, medical care and shelter. To control and prevent the illegal trafficking of human, the Ministry of Health together with the French Soccer Federation launched a campaign demanding the trafficking reduction against sexual exploitation in international soccer games, in 2007. The French government has been initiating education programs on anti-trafficking through nationwide conferences involving senior government officials, magistrates, and NGOs. These conferences provide a platform for discussions on preventing human trafficking and providing help, protection and cooperation to the victims. The French government also funds programs through which people are made aware of the vices of trafficking and the penalties that are in offer if one is convicted on any form of human trafficking. The ones convicted for the crime is generally fined or imprisoned. The amount of fine and the extent of imprisonment depend on the magnitude of the crime. Iran Human Trafficking in Iran. The country of Iran is a source, transit and as well as destination for trafficked women. The Iranian women are trafficked internally and externally as well for the purpose of sexual exploitation, forced labor, and forced marriages to settle debts. Most of the Iranian women and girls are illegally trafficked to Arab states in the middle-east and to some European as well. The government of Iran has been not making necessary efforts to tackle this illegal trafficking of humans. Though the government of Iran through its' Combating Human Trafficking Law of 2004, had prohibited all forms of human trafficking with stringent penalties that included death sentences. However, the enforcement of these laws has not been as stringent as the penalties. Some reports indicate that some government officials are involved in facilitating trafficking. The irony of the trafficking scenario in Iran is that, no action is taken against the facilitators of trafficking but the victims of trafficking are usually punished and some even sentenced to death. Most of the victims who are sentenced to death are mostly ones engaged in sex trafficking. (Voice of America, 2006) As for the preventive measures, there are no reports that suggest that the government of the country has been making any advances to tackle this issue of trafficking. The United States has been urging the Iranian government to "to punish traffickers and assign strict penalties for their actions and take significant steps to prevent the punishment of trafficking victims and. . . .improve the protective services available to victims." (Voice of America, 2006) Iran and Illegal Trafficking of Drugs Over the years, the government of Iran has taken many steps to stop the flow of drugs into the country. The government has installed more firepower in key areas of the country so as to reinforce the enforcement officers at the local and the provincial level. Along the eastern border of, the Iranian government has stationed security forces consisting of 3000 men. The authorities of Iran have also made attempts to seal off the eastern border by installing fences of barbed wire, digging canals building ground fortifications. The government of Iran apart from taking individual measures to staunch the flow of drugs in the country has also sought for international assistance to tackle with the illegal trafficking of drugs issue. In the year 2000, the Iran signed a Memorandum of Understanding for countering narcotics with Australia, Armenia, France, Georgia, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, and Turkmenistan. In May, 2005, Iran entered agreement on the regional level to combat drug trafficking. In partnership with UNODC, Iran has been able to explore and develop new and effective ways to tackle its drug situation that persists in the country. (Calabrese J., 2007) However, all the measures to combat narcotics in the country have not much succeeded in minimizing the trafficking of drugs along its eastern borders. The cultivation of poppy in Afghanistan has not been affected and Iran still is one of the main drug transit states. Drug abuse and addiction in the country is still very much rampant and the illegal trafficking of opium still persists. Citations: 1. Jane Allain and Peter Niemczak, May 1997, BillC-8, the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, Legislative Summary 240E, Parliamentary Research Branch, Library of Parliament, Ottawa, p. 3 List of References: 1. Calabrese J., November, 2007, Iran's War on Drugs: Still Holding the Line, retrieved on 3rd February, 2009, from: http://72.14.235.132/searchq=cache:yIxNpeozJyoJ:www.mideasti.org/files/irans-war-on-drugs.pdf+illegal+trafficking+of+drugs+in+Iran&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=10&gl=in&client=firefox-a 2. DEA, March, 2008, United States-Canada Border Drug Threat Assessment, 2007, retrieved on 3rd February, 2009, from: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/prg/le/oc/_fl/us-canadian-report-drugs-eng.pdf 3. Gonzales A., 2006, Human Trafficking, U.S. Dept. of Justice, retrieved on 3rd February, 2009, from: http://www.usdoj.gov/olp/human_trafficking.htm 4. Ludec D. and Lee J., November, 2003, Illegal Drugs and Drug Trafficking, Political and Social Affairs Division, retrieved on 3rd February, 2009, from: http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/library/PRBpubs/bp435-e.htm 5. Riley D., Nov, 1998, Drugs and Drug Policy in Canada: A Brief Review & Commentary, retrieved on 3rd February, 2009, from: http://www.cfdp.ca/sen8ex1.htm 6. U.S Dept. of State, 2008, About Human Trafficking, retrieved on 3rd March, 2009, from: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking/about/index.html#wwd 7. Voice of America, June, 2006, Iran And Human Trafficking, retrieved on 3rd February, 2009, from: http://www.voanews.com/uspolicy/archive/2006-06/2006-06-16-voa1.cfm Read More