Description
Book SynopsisDrug Smugglers on Drug Smuggling examines the organizational structures of drug smuggling from Colombia to the US. Career drug smugglers describe a series of often disconnected networks that enable smugglers to best organize their business in a way that will minimize the risks of apprhension and maximize profits.
Trade Review"The most comprehensive study of drug smuggling and drug smugglers I have seen." Paul Cromwell "[T]his book is informative, well written and interesting... The detail is rich and informative... A very interesting read on a topic about which conclusive information is difficult to find. Summing Up: Highly recommended." CHOICE, December 2008 "[A]n informative account about cocaine and marijuana smugglers incarcerated in U.S. penitentiaries... The book provides a fascinating overview of dynamics associated with cocaine and marijuana smuggling and of the challenges facing smugglers. The authors gained valuable information with respect to the sociology of the drug smugglers' worlds, and also about the perceptions of risk. They also gained insight with respect to current U.S. drug strategy, which suggests that current strategies appear out of sync with realities. The book makes a significant contribution to the field of criminology as well as social work as the profession strives to enhance its knowledge of the ecology of drug abuse and to develop its expertise in the area of substance abuse. Social works as a profession might be well served to draw on the methodological lessons and the knowledge of scholars such as Decker and Chapman." Sociology and Social Welfare, June 2009 "[A] significant addition to the growing interview-based research literature on organized crime... The findings of the study...create a quite vivid and detailed picture of drug smuggling into the United States... This book gives a straightforward account of drug smuggling through the eyes of incarcerated, mostly high-level drug smugglers... There is a lot of detailed information to be discovered both for students of the history of drug smuggling between Colombia and the United States, and for students of smuggling, illegal markets and organized crime in general." Trends in Organized Crime, March 2009
Table of ContentsTable of Contents
Chapter 1. Motivation for the Study
Understanding Drug Smuggling
Impact of Drug Interdiction and Eradication Efforts
Summary
Chapter 2. The Organization of the Study
Study Design
Interview Sample
Summary
Chapter 3. Drug Smuggling Organizations
Movement Away from Cartels
Structure and Movement of Drugs
Suppliers
Brokers in Colombia
Offices
Transporters
Brokers in the U.S.
Retailers
Summary
Chapter 4. Movement of Drugs
Transportation Routes
Source to Midpoint
Midpoint to United States
United States
Methods of Transport
Private Vessel
Commercial Vessel
Private Plane
Commercial Plane
Vehicle
Summary
Chapter 5. Roles, Recruitment into, and Remaining Involved in the Drug Smuggling Trade
Drug Smuggling Roles
Offloaders
Boat Captain
Airplane Pilot
Organizer
U.S. Brokers and Intermediaries
Recruitment into Drug Smuggling
Personal Ties
Organizational Ties
Government Recruitment
Motivation for Drug Smuggling
Leaving Drug Smuggling
Summary
Chapter 6. Balancing Risk and Reward
Minimizing Risks
Avoiding Detection
Changes in Smuggling Activities in Response to Risk
Getting Caught
Assessing Risk
Perceptions of U.S. Criminal Justice System
Role of Arrest
Role of Conviction
Role of Imprisonment
Role of Getting Caught
Role of Conspiracy
“If you Were in Charge”
Summary
Chapter 7. Making Sense of Drug Smuggling: Conclusions and Summary
Organizational Structure
Managing Risk
Potential Responses by Law Enforcement
References
Appendix1.
Instrumentation Study Design
Appendix 2.
Study Design
