The Problem
As the world grows smaller through globalization, there are expanded economic opportunities for many citizens of the globe. For the majority of these people the increased prospects enhance their economic plights. Unfortunately, increased economic prosperity has not led to a greater life for every individual. Organized crime organizations, including terroristic groups, use these opportunities to traffic narcotics and deny basic human rights to other
individuals. Although both narcotic trafficking and human trafficking is not a new phenomenon, the increased worldwide competition has intensified the demand for cheaper goods and services. This demand has increased the need for the supply of lower labor costs and service providers.
Although the data on human trafficking is quite limited and estimates widely vary, in 2005, over a half a million victims were smuggled across international borders, nearly 20,000 of those making their way into the United States (U.S. Department of State 2005). The exact amounts of income obtained from these illicit activities are nearly impossible to obtain.
However, human trafficking netted an estimated income of 9.5 billion dollars per year, third to the smuggling and selling of arms and narcotics (Allred 2005, 63-72).
Illegal drugs are marketable in every corner of the world. With a constant and continually growing demand, it is one of the most reliable sources of income. The international narcotics industry also represents a lucrative and problematic illegal endeavor. The estimates of incomes from these activities also vary greatly and ranges from 100 billion to more than 1 trillion dollars per year (U.S. Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service 2011). While the role of drugs and human trafficking funding terrorism is contradictive to Islamic tenets, the unlimited
source of profits produce special justifications. Greed, corruption, hypocrisy, and willful blindness among bankers, financial institutions, and to some extent lawmakers and law enforcement all over the world have made the enormous profits easy to launder and hide.
Conducting terrorist attacks, even on a small scale, takes large amounts of financial backing. Terrorists do not file tax returns on their activities, however, it is estimated that it cost as much as a half million dollars to conduct the 9/11 attacks. Standard operating costs for these organizations can include training, intelligence collection, travel, and recruitment that would require a budget of over 30 million dollars per year (U.S. Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service 2011). Current international policies have crippled the ability for donations to the groups and these entities now require untraceable funding. The illicit criminal activities of human and drug trafficking provides the substantial amounts of untraceable financing needed.
This research study focused directly on identifying the relationships and connections between terrorist organizations and the criminal activities of narcotic and human trafficking. The reality is that the extensive continuum of drug and human trafficking offenses by terrorist groups directly impacts United States national security because of the influence it has on worldwide stability and the ability to undermine global trade, industry, and financial markets. Other nations’ efforts to confront this transnational problem provide valuable lessons to protect national
security.
Literature Review Analysis
This review identified literature relevant to the relationships between narcotics smuggling, human trafficking, terrorism, and the policies in place to combat them. This study sought to
understand the connection, if any, between narcotics smuggling, human trafficking, and the funding of terrorist organizations. The possible interconnection between these independents is a potential threat to the national security of the United States. New or adjusted governmental policies to combat all three entities will help keep the nation safe from terroristic threats.
Over time, the reliance on certain commodities, such as drug and human trafficking, has inclined certain non-state organizations to prioritize economic incentives over cultural and religious views. The long-standing tradition of narcotics cultivation has become a key source of income for opportunists who exploited the demand and benefited financially from it. As state sponsorship of terrorist organizations decreased with international efforts to starve funding of the groups, the organizations sought new sources of funding. Unlike firearms or diamonds, the drug supply is consumable and in need of continuous renewal (UN Office on Drugs and Crimes 2012). This provides an unending flow of funding for criminal organizations and now terrorist
organizations.
The same supply and demand theory pertains to human trafficking. Human beings inherently want to better their opportunities for wealth, freedom, and happiness. Human
trafficking does not merely happen because of this vulnerability to exploitation. The demand for cheap labor, services, or sexual acts drives the industry and thus the opportunity for vast income availabilities for the suppliers. The policies identified in the research focus efforts on the supply activities of the terrorist organizations. It is essential to address the demand factors of both criminal exploitations for any government policy to be successful.
The current literature on drug networks, human trafficking, and terrorist operations is a broad expanse of data. There is ample literature connecting terrorist operations and drug operations in both Colombia and Afghanistan. However, the research is one-sided as direct
information from the criminal operations is difficult to ascertain and government data often presents only positive aspects of the problem. While the criminal characteristics of terrorist organizations are similar to human trafficking and drug networks, identification of the exact correlation is imperative. The literature review in this study provided a solid understanding of the problems in the targeted areas but the differences identified the need for additional global
research to grasp the entire overview of the broad problem at hand. Terrorists, human traffickers, and drug lords reach into every corner of the world. Without additional research, criminal
operators and terrorist organizations will continue to exploit the gaps in national security.
Methodological Approach
This research design is both a case study and as a literature-based policy content analysis to assist in gaining a better understanding of the highly controversial narco-terrorism and human trafficking phenomenon. The first phase of research consisted of structured review of the
operations of human trafficking networks, terrorist organizations, and the drug industry to identify the patterns between the entities. The second phase of research consisted of secondary content analysis of data received from UN global surveys on human trafficking and drug trafficking. The final phase of research compared the operations of each group with the current policies to determine the indications of positive or negative effects on identified patterns.
This study used a qualitative exploratory approach. The research began with a working definition of human trafficking, narcotic smuggling, and terrorism. By defining the problem, it guided the further research of each area. To understand where the United States stands today in combating human trafficking and drug smuggling, a historical reference point was established.
From the personal accounts of the illicit networks, the researcher analyzed past policies for effectiveness. By comparing the policies at a given historical reference point and comparing it to the illegal activities during the same period, a determination can be identified as to the
effectiveness of policies. Based on the research and comparative analysis, recommendations on whether or not current policies need to stand fast, amended policies need to be reenacted, or if fresh new policies need to be implemented. The researcher collected the bulk of the research from sources within United States government, international, and regional organizations, built to combat these illegal activities. Biases are evident from every organizational study or material based on annual governmental budget restraints or financial backing by independents.
Identifying these biases up front ensured they would not negatively affect the research or analysis.
The undefined problem with an unclear scope warranted an exploratory research process (Creswell 2009). The first phase of research conducted used a secondary content analysis of UN global surveys to identify the characteristics of human and drug traffickers, victims, and terrorist organizations. The second phase conducted used a content analysis of academic and government documents to identify patterns between the characteristics of drug trafficking networks, terrorist organizations, and human trafficking networks. Finally, document reviews using the keywords of economic status, education level, victim, and perpetrator provides a code to analyze the
networks. Using first-hand accounts of activities and responses from illicit networks, the researcher analyzed the effectiveness of government policies on the drug trafficking network s, terrorist organizations, and human trafficking networks.
The first step in the research was to develop the working theory about security implications from human and drug trafficking. The theory is that human and drug trafficking
networks have connections with terrorist organizations thus being a security threat to the United States. This theory stemmed from current U.S. policies and previous research about the topics. The context and environment within which human and drug trafficking has developed rapidly in some countries is imperative in understanding the threat. Some common factors for the criminal activities are widespread poverty, a weak state government, and a high level of corruption. These factors make states vulnerable to terrorist networks and drug cartels within their borders (U.S. National Security Council 2011, 10).
Based on readings about United States national security, the researcher identified the cases to study. From a cursory survey of the readings, it is clear that terrorist organizations currently pose the most significant threat to the United States. The high levels of identified illicit activities, terroristic operations, and the widespread poverty, weak governments and corruption in Afghanistan and Colombia increased the probability of finding links between human
trafficking, drug trafficking and terrorist organizations.
The third step for the research was the collection of data about each of the cases with a focus on locations, methods of operations, and characteristics of traffickers and victims. Data about the operations of the networks and terrorist organizations was limited due to the
surreptitious actions involved. The surveys completed by the UN provided access to the limited sources of criminal players. Close inspection was required to achieve an accurate data sampling.
Implications of Findings
This section uses the findings from all phases of the research to discuss the broad implications. The researcher answered the central research questions and five sub-questions;
limitations and assumptions as well as their impact on the data conclude this section.
Research Questions
The findings provide answers to the research questions that guided the study. The following sections provide detailed information and the discussion of each sub-question. The sub-question findings will generate the answer to the central question.
What links are present in Afghanistan narcotic operations and terrorist organizations?
Links between narcotics and terrorist activities are apparent and obvious. The militant and pseudo-ruling governance of the Taliban from the 1970s all the way through the 1990s used the proceeds from the cultivation and smuggling of narcotics to finance their arms. When the Taliban established reign over the lands and in playing as the proxy government, established a ban on all narcotics in Afghanistan the connection emerged to the international community (UNDCP 2002). On the surface, this would appear to be a governing body complying with international laws in an effort to reduce the world’s supply of drugs. However, once coalition forces challenged the Taliban’s governing body in 2001, the production of illegal drugs increased to pre-ban levels and above. The coalition troops’ searches in locations of active poppy
cultivation, primarily in the southern and southwestern provinces, reinforced the relationship between the Taliban and narcotics. As coalition military arrived to close proximities of where poppy cultivation was active, the military met large amounts Taliban fighting forces and heavy resistance. The area where poppy production is the highest is the same areas where Taliban resistance is the strongest (UNDCP 2002). With eradication of poppy production, the Taliban are
aware they would have no other means to supply their military with weapons and technology. During a recent Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) sting operation in Northern Africa, the
apparent link between terrorism and narcotics became clear. Posing as FARC narcotic traffickers, DEA apprehended Al Qaeda operatives attempting to smuggle large amounts of cocaine. The Al Qaeda operatives now await trial in New York for their narcotics trafficking and terrorist
connections (Kouri 2010).
What links are present in Columbian narcotic operations and terrorist organizations?
The connections between terrorist organizations and narcotics is more transparent than that of Afghanistan, although just as effective in supplying para-military, guerillas, and militia with the necessary equipment needed to wage war. Similar to the Taliban, anti-governmental organizations like the FARC use the proceeds from narcotics and kidnappings to supply their para-military organizations with sophisticated communications, weapons and intelligence gathering equipment. At the beginning of the connection between the FARC and the narcotics trade, the FARC merely taxed other organization that were involved with the production and smuggling of narcotics. These taxes ensured freedom of passage through FARC concentrated areas and in some cases provided protection from the Colombian counternarcotic operations. Senior leadership of the FARC realized that narcotics were a significant source of financing. As a result, the FARC took over the Colombian drug industry by force many times and devoted nearly 50 percent of its manpower towards growing, producing, and smuggling. Similar to Afghanistan, there is a direct correlation between FARC controlled areas in the eastern lowlands
and rain forest, which are prime growing conditions for coca. However, research concludes the FARC are not the only fundamental organization that contributes to the Colombia drug industry.
Historically, the National Liberation Army (ELN) are using the drug trade to finance their cause and in some cases fighting alongside the FARC to rebel against the Colombian military. However, since the death of ideologist Father Manuel Pérez in 1998, the ELN has distanced itself from fundamentalist activities and focused primarily on making money by narcotics (Hanratty and Meditz 1988). The ELN continues to contribute directly or indirectly to fundamentalism with direct military action against the Colombian government to preserve narcotics as well as supporting the FARC’s primary goals of taking over as the governing party in Colombia.
What links are present in Afghanistan human trafficking operations and terrorist organizations?
Unlike the links between terrorist activity and those surrounding narcotics, the nexus between human trafficking and terrorism is more obscure. The links between human trafficking and terrorism lay primarily within the narcotics industry and to some extent the illegal sex trade into bordering countries like Iran. Planting and cultivating coca plants are very labor intensive. The need for large amounts of labor is required to ensure a constant flow of raw ingredients into processing. This extensive labor would require a large amount of money spent on workers out in the fields. With poverty levels high in Afghanistan and an influx of displaced families after years of war and unrest, a continuous supply of workers exists. By means of kidnapping or the actual purchase of young men and children for a nominal fee, a steady flow of workers make their way to coca farms by means of human trafficking (IOM 2008). This is only one side of the two-sided
equation concerning human trafficking and its relationship with terrorism.
As mentioned before, years of war have ravaged the towns and provinces of Afghanistan and as a result, there are thousands of displaced families with no work and no other means to take care of their families. Misled parents allow the luring of children into a life of servitude and prostitution exploit this type of social environment. Parents sell children as laborers or simply pay the debts of the family. Arranged marriages force young women into lives of continuous rape by captors. Human trafficking supplies other long-standing traditions in the region. Bachabaze, directly translated as playing with boys, is a long-standing tradition throughout Afghanistan. These young boys are dressed like women even wearing fake breasts and long shiny dresses dance in private parties. After the parties, the captors take the young boys to local hotels or homes and forcibly molest them. In some cases, rich men have several young boys in their possession for entertainment. Young boys routinely supplied by brokers or traffickers support this long-standing tradition. In both instances, human trafficking supplies those individuals who are associated with terrorism or the funding received from human trafficking goes towards purchasing weapons that directly supports terrorism (IOM 2008).
What links are present in Columbian human trafficking operations and terrorist organizations?
Similar to the relationships between human trafficking and terrorism in Afghanistan, Colombia has a similar problem. The relationships are a lot more prevalent and the issue with human trafficking is on a much broader scale. For example, the FARC involves itself in human trafficking to finance their organization and is twofold, trafficking young women to supply the international and local sex industry and using human trafficking as a means of supplying its
organization with fighters and narcotics cultivation and production (Hanratty and Meditz 1988). As previously mentioned, Colombia has been under siege for decades and shows no signs of letting up. This is in part to the continued revenue flowing into terrorist organizations by selling or trafficking humans for the purpose of supplying the international sex industry as well as providing the organization with an unlimited supply of junior soldiers to fight within their ranks and supply their narcotics industry with unpaid labor.
Colombia has been battling organizations like the FARC for decades, the environment of poor and displaced families with very little opportunity for employment has created a situation where luring victims is easy. Similar to Afghanistan families Colombians want to support themselves and finding work elsewhere is a strong attraction. This established the foundation for brokers and traffickers to use this lure as a means of exploiting humans. In rural areas where individuals go to seek employment, traffickers built recruitment posts. The recruiters tell stories of a great life and employment in order to grant their acceptance. The recruitment centers pay for and generate transportation documents and papers. Once complete, the still willing participants travel to the airport, not knowing what is waiting for them at their destination. Once at their foreign destination handlers move the individuals to locations where the employment begins. The handlers strip away all traveling documents and other forms of identification with the understanding that they must work off the cost of moving them to the new destination. Once the debt is paid, the individuals would be free to go. However, the type of work as well as the amount on money expected to pay each week for room and board is an endless cycle. Should the