Monday, April 14, 2008

The Growing Threats of Transnational Gangs and Criminals

By Jerry Brewer

What does insufficient international cooperation and coordination mean to transnational gang interdiction efforts?

Quite simply, the answer to this incredibly complex emerging threat is extreme havoc. Death and destruction are certainly more ominous words that describe this scourge.

In Mexico alone drug associated killings continue to climb above 2,000 per year. From a page out of the terrorist's repertoire victims are being beheaded and displayed along with the ritual slaughter.

The transnational gangster is essentially one who is criminally violent, and active and operational in more than one country. While many traditional street gangs were concerned over neighborhood security and "turf" wars associated with illegal activities, today’s transnational gangsters are more sophisticated, better armed and organized, and associated with violent crime syndicates. Too, these cartel associations have realized intense respect by fear reactions by police and governments with quasi or true terrorist and intimidation tactics.

And via this mindset, of power and financial acquisition through illegal activities, there are evolving political agendas. Agendas that are backed-up by military and paramilitary trained gangsters, armed with military grade explosives and assault rifles to pave their avenues with blood-soaked streets.

Through affluence gained by corrupt and nefarious means, this army of murdering bandits is delivering the contraband in demand, and taking as many human lives as necessary to achieve their mission-based agendas. The contraband sought is essentially lined with the blood of those that were perceived threats to the criminal enterprise. Of course, these heavily armed gangsters also kill indiscriminately, as well as kidnap and torture. Too, bribes to police and government officials are considered a rite of passage within this evil mindset, and assassination is the answer to those that refuse to comply.

Central and South America pay a heavy price to maintain any assemblance of democracy and democratic values within this war. Drug cartels within Mexico have been linked to bribes to officials in Ecuador, and they routinely work with gangsters in Guatemala, El Salvador and others along the "Pacific Corridor" waterway and inland routes.

Mexican cartels have found the incredible value of recruiting armed enforcers, trained soldiers and contract assassins that have tactical expertise to defend and facilitate their operational acts. The "Zetas” and "Kaibiles" are stark examples of these elite trained groups of hired killers.

Mexico’s Zetas boast of military trained recruits with advanced weapon training, as well as experience with infrared technology and American SWAT team mentality.

The Kaibiles are a product of Guatemala's military. These well trained special operations and counter-insurgency forces specialize in jungle warfare, and now deserters and former soldiers are doing it for a lot more money.

What does all of this violent mentality, and the threats from the south, mean to the U.S. Homeland?

This is certainly no secret to U.S. law enforcement personnel, the military, and intelligence officials. Many of them have encountered these soldiers of death on U.S. soil. Police encounter them in U.S. cities. And their reach is not hampered by fences or walls, with the possible exception limited only to those involved in people trafficking due to slow moving illegal migrants who are seeking a new life, as the criminals use their high power weapons and money to metaphorically cut a path.

All of this mayhem that now, and unquestionably, does not stop at the U.S. border is quite simply a recipe of demand and supply for illegal drugs and other criminal activities. The key ingredients are believed to be an insatiable yearly U.S. drug habit of around US$60 billion, with drugs flowing to the north and firearms moving to the south.

Among the most coveted and prized possessions of these organized criminal organizations are the lucrative transport and distribution routes. Much of the rival violence is bred at this level. However, the United States is not spared from this south of the border war as these operatives move through, and many reside in, U.S. cities. The FARC [Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia] guerrillas of Colombia are also described as "part and parcel" of the narcotics production and export threat to the United States, as well as other countries within this hemisphere and Europe. Furthermore, central Brazil, primarily São Paolo, has seen and experienced Mexican drug traffickers and their associated violence.

So what is the actual threat and long-range vision requirement U.S. policymakers must understand?

All concerned must know that the narcotics traffickers are showing no signs of scaling back their trade. And they must recognize that the proliferation of weapons (including those of mass destruction) poses an equal threat to that of terrorists looking for criminal associations to facilitate their own missions of death.

The United States must continue to increase intelligence collection to continue to discover the hidden plans and intentions of these adversaries. State sponsorship of these transnational criminals must not be tolerated. And political leaders in this hemisphere must consistently emphasize cooperation and coordination in their efforts.

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Jerry Brewer, the Vice President of Criminal Justice International Associates, a global risk mitigation firm headquartered in Miami, Florida, is a guest columnist with MexiData.info.