“Geniuses are always branded as crazy.” –Pablo Escobar, and to survive in the drug smuggling business you have to be a bit crazy. Since 1729 when the Chinese opium epidemic flooded their nation, the war on drugs has been in full force. Thousands of pounds of opiates, hallucinogens, stimulants and many more illegal drugs are poured into the United States daily from numerous countries primarily located within South America. Mexico and Colombia are the United States largest supplier of cocaine and marijuana, tracing back hundreds of years. In 1971, Nixon officially coined the phrase and established “The War on Drugs” a war that is still being fought today although in different ways. Between North America and South America, the laws and regulations involving the illegal trade vary and have varied since the start. Due to the drastic differences in policy, the trades between continent to continent come with their own set of crime and punishment. The severity is astounding, but constantly changing. A common enemy- illegal drug trade- is a strong force in bringing opposing countries together to try and put a stop to the trade. The evolution of how this bondage came about is eye opening. Drug trade produces powerful forces and like Escobar said, they are geniuses. As the years show, their knowledge and cultivation only increases, making them almost untouchable by their local governments. Although, today the policies and punishments are much more excruciating and there always seems to be a way out, for most drug offenders. With that being said, how and why have the processes, pay-offs and extradition regulations changed from the beginning of the war on drugs to now between the United States and South America?

With time comes advances and alterations in the processes necessary to produce and distribute illegal substances, all the while avoiding being picked up by the police. Back when money could corrupt anyone the regulations and punishments were controlled entirely by the cartels, meaning that their operations and locations were not as top secret as they are now. For example, back when cocaine was booming and everyone from Miami to Colombia had to get their hands on a bump, the production and packaging in South America would take place in remote jungles where security was low but powerful and no drug lord ever imagined of getting busted. Child labor was heavily used and the workers were rarely paid any wages for their services. Although as time progressed, law enforcement ventured into the jungles and would shut these productions down. Rather, they would at least try. Being a drug lord meant immense power over the people and the government, especially the police force. Each time a “bust” would happen the drug lord would visit the site and either pay off the law enforcement or threaten them. For example, one of Pablo Escobar’s sites was surrounded by the same law enforcement that he was currently on the run from. The police and he were face to face and Escobar simply looked at the officers and walked right past them, with no worries that he would be taken in. During these times power meant everything, and the people in power were the ones the government feared the most. Now in South America, most drug production is still done in remote locations but within secure buildings and underground operations to avoid the hassle of a quick trip to jail. 

With new processes also came new ideas and routes for transportation and distribution. Smuggling drugs into other countries and locations used to be as simple as jumping on plane or in a truck and remaining calm through the minimal border security. To move within a single country was a “piece of cake.” Local police would have stops throughout the roads and would stop any incoming trucks to check and see what they were transporting-and every officer knew whose trucks were whose. Drug lords’ trucks would rarely be checked rather they would just slide through the check point with absolutely no problems. No one would dare go against a cartel for two reasons: first because the amount of money they poured into the economy was necessary to stay afloat and second because whoever defied the cartel disappeared. As the crack down on smuggling became more and more difficult, the dealers had to become more and more creative. Now, transportation methods include: mile-long tunnels that have been constructed to transport from country to country, people will strap and force drugs on and in their bodies with whatever means necessary, catapults launch drugs across the border, cars are loaded down with drugs hidden in every crevice, drugs will be hidden in shipments of fruits and vegetables, submarines are used. private planes are chartered and lords would even hide drugs in fish shipments hoping to hide the smell and turn people’s eyes. 

Creativity is never in short supply and the drug lords will do whatever they have to to get their product to the people. These men, and a few women are providing a service to millions of people worldwide and pride themselves on being the helping hand. With all the trouble that goes into transporting the drugs and the risk, is it even worth it? There is one common thread between each drug lord and their motive, and that is family, and money of course, but most importantly: family. For example, when being asked about having his home raided, Pablo Escobar said “I can replace things, but I could never replace my wife and kids.” () Multiple big time drug lords, like Escobar and even the infamous ‘El Chapo’, who was just recently captured in January 2017, have said that their families are what fuels them to keep going-providing for the ones they love is the reason they do what they do. 

Money makes the world go’ round and as the processes unfold, so do the pay-offs. The proper definition of a pay-off, in trade slang, is to “give someone money illegally to get them to do what you want,” and that is exactly what kingpins have been doing for decades. Money is a powerful thing that no one can ever seem to have enough of, and the cartels know that better than anyone. These men use their fortunes and power the make their transport and overall lifestyle easier, and also to make sure everything runs smoothly. Pablo Escobar said, “Dirty money is in all economic sectors of the country”() and he was not wrong. Large cartels would pour hundreds of thousands of dollars into the local police funds and use their money to bribe judges and courtroom officials to keep the odds always in their favor. If a Drug Lord or anyone associated with a cartel was grabbed by law enforcement they would be out of jail within hours or even minutes. No bail was ever too high to meet. When you are making millions of dollars a week a few thousand dollars is considered to be pocket change. If a pay-off did not work, then the cartel would eliminate anyone who stood in their way. It was said that “In the United States, the Mafia makes witnesses disappear so they can't testify in court. In Colombia, Pablo Escobar made the whole court disappear" (Steve Murphy). No one could stand in the way of production and even the government could not regulate it. And this was what was only going on inside the country. Cartels pay millions to American border patrol to help them seep through the cracks and into the country. There have been incidents throughout the borders of Texas where officials collect and wave the men through just to get their hands on a small fortune. Although, border patrol is so tightly regulated now between Mexico and the US pay-offs are becoming harder to figure out, but there will always be dirty cops and that is an advantage and luxury the cartels get to implement at any time. Paying to transport is one thing, but paying to distribute is another. Just like the pay-offs for road blocks and border patrol, cartels are able to pay to distribute, in Mexico that is. There are certain areas in Mexico where the distribution of illegal drugs is tolerated because of the amount of cash offered to the local officials. Everyone knows what’s going on, but no one would dare try and stop it. Drug trade has become so big that no matter how far officials go try and stop it there is no way to tear down and the empire. 

No fate was worse than being extradited to the United States for drug trafficking. It was a kingpins worst nightmare. The US showed no mercy when it came to convicted drug smugglers and the cartels knew that. In Mexico it was as easy as tying your shoe to escape from prison. ‘El Chapo’ escaped from two maximum security prisons before he was finally extradited to the US. His first escape took place in Jan. 19, 2001: With the help of bribed guards, Guzman escaped from his top-security prison. One of the guards opened the door to El Chapo’s cell and helped him get into a cart of dirty laundry that was being sent to the cleaners. Once El Chapo made it outside he quickly jumped out of the laundry cart and leaped into the trunk of a car that was sent as the getaway. The second time Guzman escaped prison was July 15, 2015 through tunnels constructed below the Mexico’s top security prison. In Mexico the entire country is mandated and controlled by these cartels because they fear the repercussions that may follow if they were to go against the highest powers in the country. Luckily, for most lords that get caught they are not extradited at all and get to live pleasantly in their home countries. For example, Pablo Escobar was able to build his very own prison atop a hill with a beautiful view of Colombia to wait out his sentence. Escobar designed the entire prison and had his own guards surrounding it. This prison was named “La Catedral” or translated as “The Cathedral” because it was so masterful. The prison was equipped with a billiards room, a gym, a sauna, a disco, a Jacuzzi, big screen tvs, and even a waterfall. He also built in secret escape routes and dug and underground arsenal if the country dared to breach the agreement. Escobar designed it all down to a tee. He was even able to negotiate a deal with the Colombian president that stated the Colombian National Police were not allowed within a 12-mile radius of his prison. Even “locked up” the man was untouchable. Pablo Escobar said “I prefer to be in the grave in Colombia than in a jail cell in the United States” and he was not kidding. Being sent to the United States meant life in prison in the harshest conditions. Super max prisons in the United States meant no bed, no sunlight and if you are lucky an hour outside of your cell each day. Security was tight and never would one have a moment to yourself ever again. No escapes would be possible and no amount of money could persuade one’s freedom. One would be at the disposal of the World’s biggest super power, which made these self-made billionaires squirm. Fear is never in a kingpins vocabulary-until they meet with the United States. Now, more and more drug traffickers are meeting these fates and the ones who have not been caught are waiting like sitting ducks. It is not if one will be caught, but when one will get caught.

What is the reason for change and why is it necessary? Nothing ever stays the same for long and in the drug business change happens every single day. These powerful men are constantly innovating their empires and reimagining the daily processes. As they change the game changes with them. If they stay in one place for too long they will get picked up, if they make a false move at the border their entire shipment and millions go down the drain and if they fail, their loved ones fail as well. Their purpose is to provide and create the best life for the ones who have been by their side from the beginning. These men came from nothing and set their minds to becoming as successful and powerful as they never could have imagined. Drug trade is illegal and many would never begin to sympathize for these men, but their motives are pure. Many would argue that power and money are the only things that propel drug lords to do what they do, but they would be wrong.  Who does not like to have extra cash to live comfortably? Not one person would turn down the opportunity to support their family and secure their futures. The people who say this are the outsiders who know nothing about the history and background of these people or what they do and how they do it. They judge based off of assumption and media influence. Understanding the complexity and secrecy of illegal drug trafficking and why it continuously changes is how answers are unfolded. Through ever changing accounts involving the drug wars and the violence that has come from that all the dealers are longing for is peace. The infamous Pablo Escobar stated, "The purpose of war is peace." Day in and day out the war is progressing and the fighting is never ending, but peace is the goal. Even today, every country strives for peace and an understanding between cartels. In addition, the progression of the legalization of marijuana in the United Sates is changing the necessity of so many imports from Mexico, thus easing the minds of the police from each country. Change is crucial and happening each and every day within this high profile operation.

From decade to decade the drug smuggling business is constantly changing and evolving with the time period. Stemming from the opium craze in 1729 and moving into the current cocaine frenzy in 2017, drug trafficking has been and will continue to be a billion dollar operation for years to come. Without this business, local and national economies would not be able to run the way they do. The “dirty” money makes up a large sum of the worlds funds and is continuously circulated through the system. These processes and pay-offs are crucial to the survival of smaller countries and economies. Many countries that the most powerful drug lords come from endure poverty and famine and with the help of the kingpins less families go hungry. That is what this business is about for the lords. Helping the people who are struggling and are in the same place they once were is what makes the drug lords want to succeed. Although, money is a large part of the industry, with that money that is made good can be done. Help is brought to the broken countries in hopes to unite the community and build loyalty towards the cartels. Through hundreds of years of progression and passion, cartels have been able to build an industry that is beneficial and necessary to the growth of nations and relationships between them.
