Posted on 02/15/2007 8:28:37 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
Ninety per cent of cocaine reaching the United States comes from Colombia - most of it via Farc rebels, a senior US official has told a magazine.
The Drugs Enforcement Agency's Michael Braun described the Farc as "half terrorists, half traffickers - the face of global crime in the 21st Century".
The left-wing guerrilla army is thought to be one of the world's most powerful.
Colombia's right-wing paramilitaries - players in the country's civil conflict - are also involved in the drug trade.
Under what is known as Plan Colombia, the US has given $3bn in mainly military aid to Colombia to fight the drugs trade.
'Paradigm'
In the interview with the weekly Colombian publication Semana, the DEA's chief of operations said nine out of every 10 grams of cocaine sent to the US came from Colombia, and that the majority of it had passed through the Farc at some point.
The rebel group, Mr Braun added, were making between $500m (£257m) and $1bn a year from trafficking.
However, he said, he believed the war against the Farc was being won.
Asked about the role of the paramilitary umbrella group AUC - whose members have been demobilising - in the international drugs trade, Mr Braun said he did not want to underestimate it.
But the Farc, he said, was the paradigm of the organised crime of the future because of the way it had transformed itself.
Colombia is the source of more than 70% of the world's cocaine supply, according to DEA figures.
Uh...are you sure the word is "FARC?"
That's how it was posted at the BBC? Jr. reporter/editor perhaps?
hEY, i WAS JUST TRYING TO BE HUMOROUS.
this whole War on Drugs is one big Farc....uh, farce.
Just breeds violent gangs..just like in prohibition.
With cocaine at its reduced market price following the end of the WOD, the commies wouldn't have much of a profit to expropriate. Small potatoes.
Right, and the markup will plummet in a true market. No big profits to fund Comtopia.
The markup are profits to distribution and coke-cutting middlemen. What does a bag of coffee beans go for? And there's not much processing (I assume) for coffee than coke. The point being the cost for a ton of raw caco leave probable can't get much lower than it is and would still be higher than most commodities. You still haven't addressed the theory of demand, that once Prohibition is banned, that FARC barges and planes can export under free-trade with out fear of DEA spraying the fields and America could be awash in cocaine.
http://www.division-usa.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10004/thumb_dr_rockso.jpg
I blame him for the spike in cocaine usage
Excellant points.
And what if the incentive and price of illegal drugs suddenly collapsed?
If the incentive (demand) collapsed then supply would follow. As for prices, the base prices for raw coca leaves is pretty low now. However, STREET drug prices now are low IMO considering a black market. But that doesn't effect FARC exportation, as that price is low, but higher that other crops. Legalization would still have to compete with low prices of raw coca leaves from SA countries. Look at the concern for farmers of coffee beans who are considered not getting the profits that Starbuck's gets. Think of cocoa beans or any crop. The production and distribution and retail gets the mark-up and profits.
Very articulate and informed points you make. My thoughts are that while drugs are "illegal", there are many in this country who are "not criminals" 9ie corporations, banking etc.) who somehow are making money off of having drugs illegal. and if we can reduce the criminal element, that would be a plus. this is not as simple as it first appears.
90% comes from Columbia. The majority of that from Columbia comes from FARC.
So I estimate its 46% FARC, 44% Columbian Government, 10% Bolivia or other sources.
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