Daily Hampshire Gazette – Columnist Richard Fein: Terrorists, gangs feed on drug scourge

This column focuses on the illicit drug trade, how it corrupts societies and leads to deaths. Drugs come in natural (e.g. opiates), chemical (e.g. fentanyl) and combinations. Globally, illicit drug traffickers make an estimated $650 billion annually. The beneficiaries are terrorists, criminal gangs and autocratic regimes.

How do terrorists profit from drugs?

Terrorism is defined as the unlawful use of violence and intimidation for political purposes. Some terrorist groups want to destroy another country, while others want to impose their religion on a targeted territory (e.g. ISIS in the Levant) or gain independence for their ethnic group (e.g. the Polisario of Morocco).

One of the most powerful terrorist organizations in the world is Hezbollah, an Iranian-mandated army based in Lebanon. Its stated goal is to destroy the State of Israel. Drug trafficking is a source of revenue for Hezbollah that allows it to fund its operations. According to the Washington Institute: “…Hezbollah has significantly expanded and institutionalized its drug trafficking logistics and money laundering activities, to the point where drug trafficking revenues constitute a major source of funding.”

One use of drug money is to buy and manufacture weapons. The money is also used to bribe government officials, police officers, and community leaders so that they do not interfere with drug trafficking or terrorist activities. Building a popular base within the population is an important asset. This has two aspects. First, Hezbollah has established social welfare programs that, in most countries, are funded by the government. Second, the production and transportation of drugs creates jobs.

Hezbollah's appeal to the Lebanese population varies by sectarian group. According to Foreign Affairs magazine, about 85 percent of Lebanese Shiites have “a great deal” of trust in it, or a “great deal.” However, among Sunnis, Christians, and Druze, the figure is 10 percent or less.

Terrorist groups like Hezbollah have another advantage: they want to make their enemies suffer. They do this by fostering the growth of drug addicts among the enemy population. To pay drug users, they commit crimes, burden the health system, and perhaps acquire weapons for local terrorists. According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, “drug trafficking in Israel is at an all-time high… Besides the obvious economic gains (for Hezbollah)… the other goals are to recruit agents in Israel and flood it with drugs in order to corrupt society in general and members of the police and army forces in particular.”

Nation states can also be drug traffickers. Iran is one example. According to the Brookings Institute, this country has one of the highest rates of drug addiction in the world. That is why Iran is trying to prevent drug trafficking from Afghanistan. However, the seized drugs are then smuggled into Saudi Arabia to get the population addicted.

Drug trafficking gangs share some characteristics with terrorist organizations. However, they are primarily interested in money. They terrorize to protect their lucrative businesses, not to destroy a foreign country or seek national independence. They seek to influence government officials, police, and judges not for political purposes per se, but to protect their businesses.

Consider the Sinaloa Cartel, one of Mexico’s oldest and most powerful drug trafficking groups. While drug trafficking is its primary business, the group also engages in extortion, migrant smuggling, oil and mineral theft, prostitution, and arms trading. The Sinaloa Cartel has systematically sought to build political capital among businesses, socially influential individuals (priests, politicians, the armed forces, civil servants, and government institutions), and local populations. It wields considerable influence over the Mexican government and public institutions, with strongholds in nearly half of Mexico’s states. Its methods go beyond intimidation, such as murder. It can curry favor by providing jobs or services to local businesses and individuals, such as keeping tax collectors and government inspectors away.

For nearly two decades, Mexican authorities have waged a fierce battle against drug cartels, but with limited success. Thousands of Mexicans, including politicians, students and journalists, are killed each year in the conflict. The country has suffered more than 431,000 homicides since 2006, when the government declared war on major drug trafficking organizations.

Drug trafficking is a significant problem for Americans. About 107,000 Americans died last year from drug overdoses. According to the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 27.2 million Americans aged 12 and older reported having a drug use disorder. Drug use is a global problem, but that doesn’t excuse the fact that our country is a major importer of illicit drugs. These drugs destroy American lives while benefiting some of the world’s worst people.

Richard Fein has a master's degree in political science and an MBA in economics. He can be reached at [email protected].