Heroin and corruption in America have been intertwined, with a history of drug cartels bribing officials, from Mexico’s Guadalajara Cartel in the 1980s to the modern Sinaloa and CJNG cartels

. This corruption has hampered anti-drug efforts, sometimes redirecting them away from powerful organizations, while the domestic opioid crisis is linked to over-prescription, creating a separate but related problem. 

Examples of corruption and its impact

• Historical instances: The Guadalajara Cartel in Mexico reportedly enjoyed protection from the DFS, a federal intelligence agency.
• Modern cartels: The Sinaloa Cartel has been accused of using bribery to co-opt the federal government and hinder investigations into its activities. Other large cartels like the CJNG also operate in this environment.
• Impact on law enforcement: Corruption can create a system where anti-drug efforts are compromised or ineffective, as demonstrated by allegations that government resources were used to target the Sinaloa cartel’s rivals rather than the cartel itself. 

The opioid crisis and its connection

• Over-prescription: The “Opioid Crisis” is largely theorized to have started with the over-prescription of opioids in the 1990s.
• Changes in access: Guidelines from the CDC in 2016 aimed to restrict access to prescription opioids for chronic pain, leading to a shift in the market and potentially contributing to increased heroin use as a substitute for prescription drugs. 

The “War on Drugs”

• Ongoing conflict: The United States has been engaged in the “War on Drugs” for over 50 years, leading to ongoing conflicts with various cartels.
• Complex issues: The problem involves complex issues of international drug trafficking, domestic prescription drug abuse, and corruption that can affect law enforcement and government agencies. 
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  The intersection of 
  heroin trafficking and corruption in the United States involves criminal networks bribing officials to facilitate illicit activities, as well as historical accusations of complicity by U.S. government agents in the global drug trade. 
  
  Corruption as an Enabler of Trafficking
  Facilitating the Supply Chain: Criminal organizations use corruption at every stage of the heroin supply chain. This involves bribing officials to gain information, facilitate transport at borders, and obstruct investigations.
  Border Corruption: Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs) use vast sums of money to bribe law enforcement and political bodies in Mexico to ensure safe passage of drugs, including heroin, into the U.S.. Cases have been reported in the U.S. as well, such as a former Border Patrol agent sentenced for drug smuggling and bribery.
  Infiltrating Public and Private Sectors:Corruption allows criminal networks to infiltrate various organizations, from port authorities to law enforcement agencies, to make their illicit activities invisible. 
  
  Historical Allegations of U.S. Government Complicity
  Authors and investigations have documented instances where U.S. diplomats and intelligence agents were allegedly involved in the narcotics trade, primarily during the Cold War. 
  Covert Alliances: The U.S. government has been accused of forming alliances with groups actively involved in drug trafficking for geopolitical reasons, particularly in Afghanistan and Southeast Asia.
  Transformation of Markets: Covert U.S. operations in Afghanistan are said to have contributed to the region becoming a major global supplier of heroin.
  Specific Incidents: Historical accounts detail meetings between U.S. agents and established criminal syndicates in Southeast Asia, which led to increased quantities of Asian heroin entering the U.S. market. 
  
  Current Law Enforcement Efforts
  U.S. agencies such as the DEA, FBI, and CBP actively work to combat drug trafficking and associated corruption. The Department of Justice has launched initiatives like “Operation Take Back America” and the Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit to tackle transnational criminal organizations and health care fraud related to opioids. 
  Recent examples of enforcement actions include:
  Charging individuals in large drug and money laundering operations.
  Targeting specific Mexican heroin trafficking organizations through Treasury sanctions.
  Prosecuting those responsible for distributing fentanyl-laced heroin that results in fatal overdoses. 
  For more information on current drug trafficking statistics and law enforcement efforts, you can visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website or the DEA website.