Organized Crime

Organized Crime

1.0 Introduction

Organized crime often emerges where there is a power vacuum which is often occurs as a result of lack of the input of law enforcement agency of the state (Robinson, 2001). These crimes have many sources which include ethnic distance, geographic and social factors and also due to collapse of state agencies and institutions responsible for the enforcement of the law. Criminal groupings tend to be organized in a hierarchy and they engage in the provision of primitive state functions whose costs that are typically more than those associated with modern governance (Robinson, 2001). Though it is very difficult to completely eradicate crimes, there is need to control it since it brings a lot of threat to the government and its citizens. This literature is intended to discuss the existing literature on organized crime in Mexico and its impact in the society.

Mexico City is one of the cities in the world where organized crime has reached its peak. The impact of organized crime on both government and the citizens should not be underrated by any means. Since 2006, drug barons, security forces, politicians and the business community have become intertwined in a spectacular way and in one way or the other crime has reached its peak. One of such organized gangs is Los-Zetas cartel which operates in the Cadereyta, a town in Mexico City.

2.0 Why existence of these organized crime?

One of the reasons why this organized crime exists is due to power-vacuum which is manifested within the country and also due to an acute shortage of law enforcement agencies within the City (Abadinsky, 2010). The power vacuum is created as a result of lack of proper coordination of state agencies responsible for law enforcement and as a result of power struggle between the arms of government which result into situation of anarchy within the country (Abadinsky, 2010).

3.0 Unlawful activities done by organized gang

Killing of the people is one of the major illegal activities which the Los Zetas cartel organized gang involve in. One of the latest events is the appearance of over forty-nine bodies near Monterrey without hand and heads, the group claimed committing the crime. Another illegal activity is drug trafficking where they do traffic and sneak drugs to South American. Other activities include economic crimes like corruption, eliciting of illegal tax from citizens and forming completely separate political center of power apart from the legally formed one ( Monterrey, 2010)

4.0 Impact of organized crime in Mexico City

Economic Impact

Organized gang results in unproductive employment and allocation of factors of production and economic resources as they are used for irrelevant activities. In most cases, the gang spends most of their time fighting and trying to outdo one another. These then contribute to insecurity in the society and negatively affect business hence slowing down economic growth in an area (Abadinsky, 2010). Legal business within the city had to pay for additional cost to get security from these gangs and this makes the cost of doing business to go high and slow down economic growth. Wastage of public funds through corruption, and fund embezzlement do hinder public performance in service delivery to its citizens (Abadinsky, 2010).

Moral impact aspect

There has been moral erosion in the Mexican City as the drug cartels took control of Monterrey and made it into their ‘paradise’ (Monterrey, 2010)

Many of the crime bosses reside in the leafy residential areas of the city. Their sons go to the top class private universities and this leads them to become local elites. Various luxurious businesses flourish in this environment. This is because they can easily obtain money; they misuse the less fortunate people in the society as many ladies turned out to be sex workers who are later given money by with the children for these drug lords. They create a society of lawlessness.

Insecurity

Organized crime creates insecurity in the society as these people d kill innocent citizens as a form of revenge from other forms of competing gangs. The gangs rob, rape and kill citizens.

Destabilization of the government

As they attempt to form a different center of power, the organized gang destabilizes the government as they create a state of anarchy. They have the resources to fight and recruit fighters which they use to disrupt the smooth running of state functions and activities.

Ways through which the group as shown the organized crime

First, by the Los Zetas cartel claiming to have killed of over 49 people near Monterrey, this is a sign of a seriously coordinated crime which shows that the group is dangerous and should not be given any chance in the society. The second instance of showing the organized criminal activities is working alongside drug trafficking lords between the year 2006 and 2010. Drug trafficking is a prohibited business worldwide. Lastly, the support which these drug barons are being given by state officers through protection and income from extortion of public money (Monterrey, 2010)

5.0 Importance of analyzing this group

Due to the abnormally high rate of human rights violation of this group, it is of great importance to analyze the activities of this group. Many people have lost their live since 2006 and the international community should take stunt action against these people.

Reference

Abadinsky, H, (2010) Organized Crime 9th Edition; Wadsworth, Cengage Learning

Monterrey H. N (2010) Organized Crime in Mexico City: A Political Risk?]

Robinson, J.A. (2001) Social Identity, Inequality and Conflict. forthcoming, Economics of Governance