Maxwell Martinez

The Wild West

In every direction of the world arises the transportation of illegalities, finding their way to
innocence, creating corruption, and destroying the cultures around us. The economic growth
through rapid increase in illegal purchases and exportation has induced the inability to fall away
from the inaccurate form of government that allows the free flow of law. As this lack of
sovereignty and independence flows from countries in Western Africa, certain governments have
existed through this corruption and have been finding growth in their independent economies.
West Africa has become a gateway in the drug trafficking business because of their location.
African countries means for exportation and routes of business into Europe have been
increasing in mass and numbers. In addition to those growing routes, their location is important
to the trade. Over the past 20 years around the world drug trade has increased, causing demand
for increased business and violence. This is represented in an article by www.africaecon.org
stating, With the drug business thriving, violence has increased considerably in the area as
well. According to Mendes, killings have risen in Guinea-Bissau and he blames it on the
presence of shadowy businessmen who drive luxury cars and occupy expensive
apartments(West Africa and Drug Trafficking). More countries have given into the evolving
world culture, using mind altering drugs such as narcotics and natural drugs like marijuana as a
resource for illegal income. Around the world this has caused uprisings of governments and
missions in order to drown out the trade altogether, bringing a positive environment for the world
to grow in.
Illegal drug purchases in Western Africa, cause instability to the balance of national economies,
disruption of national economic states such as state institutions, and increasing inequality. Drug
trafficking has caused ripple effects, destroying and building up national economies as well as
international markets (as shown in Western Africa). As these ripple effects exist, it places an
unpredictable aura to governmental standpoints that can be very futile to the integrity of national
sovereignty.
In Ken Opalos article, The Drug War Moves East As Cartels Influence In Africa Grows,
Opalo states, In the last decade, however, drug trafficking has emerged as an equally formidable
threat to state institutions in the region(Opalo). Drug trafficking shifting towards Western
Civilizations enforces problems that could potentially escalate such as hospitals and
governmental oriented business and locations to become corrupted and limited in service.
Knowing this, if drug trafficking in Western Africa destroys the basic needs of a government to
function, then why is this problem allowed to continue existing in the world?
In the article published by www.africaecon.org, the author states, West Africas high level of
corruption makes effective law enforcement difficult to occur, since the continent suffers from
hunger and unemployment(West Africa and Drug Trafficking). This statement brings up the
problem of economic inequality of states in Western Africa in result of their governments
becoming corrupt. When a nation's government is corrupt it causes the countrys national

economy to plummet because there is no basis of national security or laws to regulate the people
in and out of the state.
In another section of the article published by www.africaecon.org, the author gives substance to
the idea of instability of national economies in Western Africa in result of illegal drug purchases
by stating this, There are very important economic implications that come along with drug
trafficking. For countries as poor as Guinea-Bissau, the drug trade makes enormous contributions
to national income while simultaneously hindering diverse investments that would otherwise
benefit the continent due to increases in violence. The trade in cocaine is about $2 billion a year,
which is almost twice the Guinea-Bissau GDP. In European cities, however, the value could be
as high as $20 billion. Because this type of international trade deals with billions of dollars,
criminal activity increases and tends to get more violent(West Africa and Drug Trafficking).
This shows that while the purchases of illegal drugs may increase the income of the national
economy directly, it affects individual income of citizens and their overall wealth.
As the world lies in this gigantic and frightening path ahead, one thing is for certain, we cannot
disturb the rapid rate of drug trafficking throughout the world without becoming united, realizing
that one single country can't conquer this feat alone. Piling up over the past decade, has been the
growth of exportation and purchases of drugs globally, giving way for new business heights in
the drug game, disturbing the prosperity and sovereignty that nations have fought to uphold in
histories dark moments. We can beat this plague and corruption in our world, we just have to
believe we can.

Work Cited
1) Boekhout Van Solinge, Tim. "Drug Use and Drug Trafficking in Europe." Drug Use and Drug
Trafficking in Europe. N.p., 1998. Web. 12 Feb.2015
2) Opalo, Ken. "The Drug War Moves East As Cartels Influence In Africa Grows." Footnote Atom.
N.p., 5 Sept. 2012. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.
3) "West Africa and Drug Trafficking." Africa Economic Institute : West Africa and Drug Trafficking.
Www.africaecon.org, 11 Feb. 2015. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.
4) "West Africa Combats Illicit Drug Trafficking." VOA. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2015.
5) McConnell, Tristan. "West Africa Newest Market in Global Drug Trade." GlobalPost. N.p., 24
June 2011. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.