NationStates Jolt Archive

How does a Mexican drug lord make it onto Forbes Magazine's list of the world's richest people? Apparently, by amassing a billion-dollar fortune as his country's most notorious drug trafficker.

Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, No. 701 on the list, heads the Sinaloa cartel, one of the biggest cocaine suppliers to the United States, according to Forbes.

The 51-year-old kingpin was arrested in 1993 on drug and murder charges but escaped from a Mexican prison in 2001, Forbes reported. The escape set off a wave of killing across Mexico, according to Reuters.

Drug violence between rival gangs has caused about 7,000 deaths in Mexico since the beginning of last year, and Guzman's Sinaloa cartel henchmen are considered some of the most vicious, Reuters reported.

Guzman often compared to the Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. Luisa Kroll, senior editor of Forbes, told Reuters that Guzman was not available for interviews, "but his financial situation is doing quite well." The magazine based its estimate on figures from drug-trade analysts and the U.S. government.

Mexican and Colombian drug traffickers laundered between $18 billion and $39 billion in proceeds from wholesale shipments to the United States in 2008, Forbes reported.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,508946,00.html
What are your thoughts on this?

That's rich. Massive lulz. 'Tis the spirit of capitalism.

If drugs were legal and regulated by the government though, just think of where that money could be going...

That's rich. Massive lulz. 'Tis the spirit of capitalism.

If drugs were legal and regulated by the government though, just think of where that money could be going...
Well, yes, plenty of tax revenue, I'm OK with marijuana legalization, but not other recreational drugs...

it always makes me angry how Mexicans take the jobs of hard working American citizens :mad:

Well, yes, plenty of tax revenue, I'm OK with marijuana legalization, but not other recreational drugs...

And why does it matter whether or not you are "OK" with them? how is it your concern?

And why does it matter whether or not you are "OK" with them? how is it your concern?

heroin is expensive enough without tax

heroin is expensive enough without tax

It would likely become far less expensive with its legalization.

I bet he hopes the War on Drugs never ends.

And why does it matter whether or not you are "OK" with them? how is it your concern?

^ This.

Also this guy will never be detained. He has enough money to buy off entire government branches (including the secretaries).

The war on drugs is a profitable war for a few people...

Also this guy will never be detained. He has enough money to buy off entire government branches (including the secretaries).

The war on drugs is a profitable war for a few people...

True.

hierarchy, and emotional attatchment to hierarchy, is, as usual, out of step with reality. in this case there is a potential and more then a potential, for disasterously unpleasant consiquences.

one needs to ask oneself the realities that give rise to such things.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,508946,00.html
What are your thoughts on this?

Why hasn't the Mexican government just sent in the army and cleaned out the drug lords and other such riff raff?

Why hasn't the Mexican government just sent in the army and cleaned out the drug lords and other such riff raff?

my guess is he has enough money to bribe the entire army and send them back to topple the government.

my guess is he has enough money to bribe the entire army and send them back to topple the government.

Bah.

Surely there's enough loyal troops and commanders that could do it.

Why hasn't the Mexican government just sent in the army and cleaned out the drug lords and other such riff raff?

A billion dollars can get you a decent sized army not only trained by top tier security professionals around the world, but more than enough ordnance to fight a war for several small countries.

my guess is he has enough money to bribe the entire army and send them back to topple the government.

That is why you always ensure that the problem is nipped in the bud. Come down tough and come down hard; I propose a Singapore type solution - hang anyone that is convicted of even having a small amount of drugs in their possession. Singapore doesn't have a drug problem, so it should work for the Mexicans too; after all, most people don't want to die.

That is why you always ensure that the problem is nipped in the bud. Come down tough and come down hard; I propose a Singapore type solution - hang anyone that is convicted of even having a small amount of drugs in their possession. Singapore doesn't have a drug problem, so it should work for the Mexicans too; after all, most people don't want to die.

Singapore is small, urban and wealthy. It is ruled by an effective one-party political system. Mexico is expansive with many rural areas and is economically divided with a competitive democratic system. Given the high geographic, economic and political differences between the two nations don't you think its somewhat unlikely that a simplistic 'one size fits all' approach will work here?

It would likely become far less expensive with its legalization.

it will need to be regulated. and that will add to the cost. add to that the fact that Heroin and other drugs can be manufactured in someone's basement just makes it harder for those places to be shut down.

Bah.

Surely there's enough loyal troops and commanders that could do it.

you do realize there is virtually a war going on down there right now... right?

That is why you always ensure that the problem is nipped in the bud. Come down tough and come down hard; I propose a Singapore type solution - hang anyone that is convicted of even having a small amount of drugs in their possession. Singapore doesn't have a drug problem, so it should work for the Mexicans too; after all, most people don't want to die.

I don't know if applying an Asian solution to a Mexican problem is a good idea.
The history, culture and politics are different.