The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies co-host a full-day forum on national and international efforts to address the opioid crisis and the role of transnational organized crime. Forum speakers will address policy and propose strategic initiatives to reduce transnational organized crime (TOC) from a national security threat to a manageable public safety problem in the United States and in strategic regions around the world.
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Two of the greatest threats in the Northern Hemisphere are terrorism and drug trafficking. However, drug trafficking-related violence, cartel criminal diversification in national and transnational fronts, and terrorist-style displays of force are just the visible elements of a deeper, more complex social dynamics in the country. Drug trafficking, like international terrorism, is not a one-sided problem. It is a multi-level, multi-dimensional issue that must include different measures to effectively engage it. It is, by definition, a complex social phenomenon that does not hold definition. Mexico has its share of these problems. Among the major cartels operating in Mexico, the Zetas are the ones that have displayed a relatively high level of mobility, adaptability, and aggressiveness over the last few years. Other complicating factors are the transnational criminal organization development dynamics and adaptation to the environment. Consequently, military and law enforcement must constantly adapt to the new operating conditions they encounter as they regain control of public spaces in the country.
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