The United States has long received much of its drugs from Mexico and other South American countries. The drugs are smuggled through the South American countries and then brought into the United States to be dispersed among thousands of gangs and street dealers. In an effort to combat this, the United States patrols its borders, maintains intelligence on known drug cartels in Mexico and continues to share information with South American governments as it relates to the drug trade. But this is not the only thing being done to prevent the illegal sale and distribution of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana. Guatemala and other South American countries are fighting back in their own countries.

In fact, Guatemalan authorities have reported that in 2016, drug cartels were stripped of 27,397.3 pounds of cocaine, the largest combined seizure in the last ten years. The last seizure of the year, made on December 3, was over 3,600 pounds of cocaine, an estimated street value of $22.3 million.

In order to achieve these types of captures though, authorities have to utilize all of their intelligence information and maintain standard policies of searching incoming vehicles, boats and planes into their country.

“They transfer the drug from Ecuador or Colombia, they depart it from the port and they bring it to Guatemala via maritime routes. There it is received by a structure that transfers it to its destination, like Mexico, or distributes it among local structures, which in turn distribute it to other structures,” explained Aldo Chapas, an anti-drug prosecutor in Guatemala.

And while these seizures happened a different country, United States officials will also feel the benefits of the reduction of over 27,000 pounds of cocaine. Experts have agreed that reducing the addiction problem in this country is a two-part answer. First, the supply of drugs has to diminish. Second, citizens need to be educated, and treated for their addiction. With the help of officials in other countries where drug smuggling is a problem, the United States can focus more on treating and educating addicts throughout the country.

Although drugs like methamphetamine and heroin have largely overshadowed cocaine use in the United States, it is still very much a problem in our country. Regardless of how effective the efforts become to try and prevent drugs from getting into our country, as long as there is a demand then someone will always be looking to cash in as a supplier. For this reason alone, it is imperative for more resources to be allocated to treatment and prevention programs rather than trafficking.