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International relations have become complex. The issues such as transnational crimes are not letting the international relations to become positive. There are many countries that are under the pressure to manage the crime in the society not because they are affecting their own country but their impact on the other countries as well. Mexico is one of those countries that have higher crime rate (Reichel & Albanese, 2013). From the decades this country has been losing on the grounds of international relations due to higher numbers of crimes happening in the country. It is also due to this that they have not able to make good relations with USA. This is because USA has been stating them continuously about the narcotics smuggling, human trafficking that has been done through the Mexican border. This report will address about the transnational crimes that are increasing in Mexico. There will be description of the potential congressional issues that will be faced by the Mexican congress. It will also highlight the international laws and the domestic laws that are against the transnational crimes.
Transnational crimes are understood to be the set of crimes that has the potential impact across the national borders as well as the crimes that intrastate but violates the basic values of the international community. TOC or the transnational organised crimes specifically address to the transnational crimes that are done by some kind of criminal firms. These types of crimes are also the crimes that might occur in one nation but can have significant impact on the other nations as well and hence they also gets involved in this (Haken, 2011). Some of the most common type of transnational crimes includes human trafficking, narcotics smuggling, arms smuggling, terrorism etc. The transnational crimes are also considered to be the crimes of customary international law or international crimes when committed in specific conditions. This can be understood by the example that in specific conditions framed as crimes against the humanity. This is more often understood to be as the problems of the failed state which does not have control over the increasing crimes in the society. In the failed and failing states they are unable to control the criminals which are operating in their nation. These states are unable to prosecute the offenders domestically. Some of the major transnational crimes in Mexico are defined below.
Human Trafficking: Human Trafficking is understood to be as the illegal transportation of people from one nation to another mainly for the purposes like sexual exploitation and forced labour (Maya, 2018).
Narcotics smuggling or drug trafficking: It is understood as a global problem where the crimes include cultivation, manufacturing as well as distribution of the drugs that are banned in different states as per the drug prohibition law (Dudley, 2012).
Transnational crimes in Mexico have posed threats to international relations especially with their neighbour U.S. This is majorly as a result of increasing street gangs in Mexico. There are lots of drugs that are smuggled across the borders from Mexico. Since the bordering nations like USA are very much strict over narcotics material and it is not easily available hence they get higher prices for the drugs that are smuggled from Mexico (Shirk, 2011). This boosts the internal industry of narcotics in the nation. The same is the case with the human trafficking. Since there are many contractors in Mexico which demands for the lower waged workers hence there is illegal trafficking of the workers. It is also seen that people from other nations who wants to work in United States but do not get Visa and Passport also takes the route of Mexico to cross the border and enter into America. This is done by the traffickers in exchange of the money. Most of the people that are trafficked are from Mexico only, but some are also from African and Asian region. It is also seen that large numbers of people from different parts of the world are sent to America which is found later on (Rollins & Wyler, 2013). Controlling illicit activity in the border areas especially the rural areas have to be managed in a proper manner as it is the major route through which drug trafficking is done.
In Mexico there is an ongoing irregular low intensity fight going on between the drug trafficking syndicates and the Mexican government. This is because the Mexican governments have been primarily focusing on dismantling the bigger drug lobbies. Due to the violence created by drug traffickers, the situation is so bad that congressmen also have to make tour of the border areas with the help of helicopters as moving on-roads could not even ensure their own safety (Beittel, 2015). Shootouts have become common in the border areas. Alone in the fiscal year 2016, the Border Patrol agents in San Diego have seized more than 83,000 kg of heroine, Marizuana, methamphetamine, and cocaine from the three entry ports in the region. From 2001, the San Diego Sector’s Tunnel Task Force has found more than 60 smuggling tunnels within the nation. The same is the case with human trafficking as in the name of cheap labourers and sex slaves lots of people are being transported into U.S. with illegal and unauthenticated Visa and Passports. In spite of the fact that both the nations have increased police patrolling in the border areas human trafficking is happening at higher rates. Major reason for this is the fact that there is an increase in the corruption in the border areas. This increase is higher in the Mexico side. This can be understood in terms of the fact that governments in Mexico have been negligent over the laws related to drug production (Boister, 2018). It is due to these intrastate crimes across the borders of Mexico that there is an increase in the conflicts between the Mexico and USA. It is due to this that United States has decided to build wall all across the borders of Mexico.
Due to these transnational crimes there is an increase in the challenges that are confronting 117th Congress. Some of the issues that will be faced by the Congressional are:
It is seen that these inter-state crimes have increased the chances of money laundering. This is because huge amount of cash flows through the borders in exchange of the Narcotics materials and human trafficking done. In the country where there are majorly higher numbers of people as poor this is a bigger issue. It is seen that large fields are used for the production of opium and other narcotics materials as it helps in raising more money than normal crops. It is due to this that the drug and human trafficking agents have become powerful and economically strong. On the other hand poor are becoming poorer (Solis, 2019). It is seen that since most of these money are black money in nature hence this money is not coming in the formal economy of Mexico. This money is either stored in the illegal form or is sent outside the nation. It is due to this money that these people have become rich and are easily capable of bribing the people that are in power especially the politicians. They have built infrastructures that give them more power and police are unable to track these places. It is seen that the drugs industry have become one of the top ten industries in Mexico hence pulling out lot of money out from the formal economy of the nation. The amount of money that is offered by these drug smugglers to the people in power is so high that they also become greedy and often become highly corrupt. 117th congressional have to spend a huge amount of money on eliminating this threat. It is to be understood that the rural families and communities in Mexico are indulged in the production of the Marijuana and Poppy. They have been paid high for this hence if the government even tries to eliminate it from the country they will first have to ensure that they give them employment and ensure that their quality life is maintained (Shelley, 2013). In the country where large numbers of poor communities exist it is difficult to eradicate such problems as it is their source of income.
It is seen that Violence in the industry is on the higher side. Drug trafficking related homicide’s numbers have gone to much higher levels and this is challenging the state and the people living there. It is seen that people that are not taking bribes in the country are usually get killed. The numbers of violence and the crime in the city have increased considerably and this increase has impact on the lives of the people especially in the border areas (Bunker & Sullivan, 2010). The national public security system in Mexico has stated that more than 17,000 homicides have occurred between January and June of 2019. This is much higher than previous recorded numbers. The intensity of violence in Mexico can be understood by the fact that even individuals that are in power have been killed in large numbers by the smugglers. Alone in 2018, 37 mayors, former mayors or mayoral candidates were killed and murders of non-elected public officials have reached to numbers that is higher than 500. In every month of 2017 and 2018, one journalist gets killed. It is due to this that Mexico has got the status of one of the world’s most dangerous nations in terms of practicing journalism. The reporters who tried to raise questions over the drug trade have been either threatened or killed. It has been seen that huge amount of cash gets smuggled from U.S. into the Mexico along with the weapons. This is making drug dealers even more powerful (Ramos & Ashby, 2013). It is not only Mexico which is affected by this, rather in 2018, it has been estimated by DEA through National Drug Threat Assessment that Mexican drug trafficking organisations is a bigger threats to United States.
Internal agencies of Mexico have suggested that Human Trafficking and Narcotics smuggling have direct impact on the national security. It has been measured that since drug trafficking and human smuggling is done at the border areas hence it has impact on the national security as well. It has been seen that both U.S. and Mexico are facing issues related to national security (Garza, 2011). For instance the people who are smuggled in U.S. will be threat to the society as some of them can be terrorists or unsocial element. This will also be threat to people of Mexico as they have borders with the states like Columbia where the crime rates are even higher.
Congressional will also have to face issues related to the corruption. Corruption is one of the major issues that is a result of the transnational crimes especially the drug trafficking. This is because in order to conduct these illegal activities the traffickers have to bribe the officials. Since people on both sides have to be given money for giving them approvals to pass hence they have got addicted to bribery hence leading to corruption. Corruption is something that if gets into the society it is not easy to eradicate especially when the bribery is given in such high numbers (Congressional Research Service, 2019). The law enforcement agencies and the personnel associated with it are highly corrupt. It is a bigger issue for congress as implementing and punishing of the drug and human trafficker is no easy.
Transnational crimes will have impact on the economic relations between Mexico and United States of America. Donald Trump has recently threatened the Mexico that they will impose economic sanctions on Mexico if they do not stop illegal immigration and drug trafficking for the company. This could be a huge loss to Mexico as this nation remains to be heavily dependent on the United States for their export. This is because more than 80% of the Mexico’s exports in the year 2018 were US bound. Various researches have showed that if U.S. withdraws from NAFTA it will cost Mexico with more than 950,000 low-skilled people losing their jobs and they could reach to GDP growth that is less than 1% (Morris, 2012). Closing the borders with U.S. for stopping the drug trade will have immediate impact on the economic condition of Mexico. It will be an issue for the congress to manage the relationship with U.S. which has already become weaker especially when U.S. congress has lost faith on the Congress of Mexico.
The most reputable and recent instruments of international laws for the human trafficking have been made for setting the course on how to define, prevent and prosecute human trafficking are the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (United States and the Rule of Law, 2019). They have two protocols i.e. the United Nations protocol to prevent, supress, and punish trafficking in person especially Children and Women as well as United Nations Protocol against the smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air.
International laws for drug trafficking is based on three major international drug control treaties i.e. the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, the United Nations Convention against illicit traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 and the convention on Psychotropic substances of 1971.
Mexico has approved the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime which included protocols against the smuggling of migrants by air, sea and land routes as well as a protocol to supress, safeguard and punish trafficking in person. This nation has also established anti-trafficking law in the year 2012 that criminalised all the individuals that have participated in the act of trafficking (King, 2019).
There is no specific law related to the drug trafficking in Mexico however it is criminal offence. Moreover the government is planning to decriminalise the use and trafficking of drugs under certain limits. This will boost the growth of drug trafficking within the country.
The role of the intelligence agencies can be highly effective in terms of supporting congress over the issue of drug trafficking and human trafficking. The intelligence agencies have reach to the places where even the security forces do not have their reach and due to this they can suggest about the laws that they will have to make to stop human trafficking. They help especially in terms of suggesting areas through which maximum trafficking is done so that government could increase police patrolling and surveillance in those areas. This can be effective in the case of sex trafficking (Siegel & van De Bunt, 2012). This is also true in the case of labour trafficking as this issue has impact on the internal security of the nation. In the time when there is increase in the terror funding from different parts of the world, it has become critical for the countries to ensure that no such thing happens in the country. In this regards the role of congress becomes critical and intelligence agencies could help in this (Andreas, 2012). Intelligence agencies could also suggest the congress that who is the people that are protecting these smugglers especially the people who are in the power. Intelligence agencies could also suggest about the areas in which congress need to improve the control so as to reduce the chances of increase in the drug trafficking especially in the border areas. Intelligence agencies are keeping eyes on the funding that is done by the people that are related to the human trafficking and the people who are funding these activities (Beittel, 2012). This will help congress to make policies that will close all those routes that could reduce their funding. Intelligence agencies could also suggest about the place from where most numbers of sex labourers are being sent in other countries so that congress could increase the awareness and uplift poverty from that area.
Law enforcements have most critical role in reducing the transnational crimes especially the drug trafficking and human trafficking across the borders. Law enforcements is the system that will help the congress to tell them about what are things that is increasing the drug trafficking and areas in which the drug trafficking is highest. They will also support the congress in implementing the laws that will be made for preventing people from different parts of the world to come in Mexico (Congressional Research Service, 2019). The Border task force will assist congress in reducing their tensions with U.S. as they can work with each other to reduce the drug trafficking and human trafficking. The law enforcement will have the role in giving assistance to the congress in terms of punishing people that violates the law that was made by the congress. Law enforcement agencies will also help the congress in suggesting them about the law that can break the back of the drug smuggling. It is also the fact that there are many law enforcement personnel who have been killed while enforcing the laws hence congress and law enforcements works with each other to manage the situation while ensuring that there is lesser casualties (Ríos, 2013). Law enforcements could also suggest about the challenges that congress will have to face if the laws against the drug trafficking is weakened which they are planning to do. Law enforcement could also support the congress in terms of suggesting the boundary that they have to construct in order to reduce the numbers of people moving across borders illegally. It is to be understood that Mexico shares a very large border with Texas of United States and both the areas are lesser developed when compared with the other parts of the country. Hence the law enforcement could help the congress in suggesting the infrastructure that can be developed in the area so that it will not be easier for the traffickers of both sides to move (Bruckmüller, et al 2010).
Since intelligence agencies have their network deeper than any of the law enforcement agencies hence if both of them work with each other then immediately things can be managed in a proper manner (Bailey, 2010). This can be understood in terms of the fact that intelligence agencies will suggest the congress about the consignment that is moving in and out of the nation. Since intelligence agencies have the full information about the drugs and the place for dealing with the issue immediately at the time it is moving hence they can inform law enforcements so that it can be immediately stopped (Bonner, 2010). Since these drug and human traffickers have created many secret places for operations hence intelligence agencies could suggest the law enforcements to raid a particular areas so that illegal drugs can be seized.
From the above based report it can be concluded that transnational crimes in Mexico has increased considerably and this increase has an impact on their internal relations especially with U.S. In Mexico these have created issues such as Corruption, Violence, threat to national security, degrading trade relations with United States, and economic stress. Mexico needs to make strong laws which are not present right now. In this regards the intelligence agencies and law enforcements could help the congress in making and implementing of the laws so that chances of people moving across the borders can be reduced. On the other hand intelligence agencies could help the law enforcements in suggesting about the areas through which consignments are stored or moved so that it can be stopped immediately.
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