subject: Houston Drug Trafficking leads to Human Trafficking [print this page] Houston Drug Trafficking leads to Human Trafficking
For years Texas drug rehabs have seen their fare share of problems that are now shifting. Drug abuse trends are changing and contributing the other problems plaguing society. Houston has long experienced its problems with drug trafficking. There are three main factors that contribute to trafficking in Texas and Houston: Proximity to the Mexican border, the population demographics created by a large migrant labor force. Not only is Houston in close proximity to the Mexican border and connected to I-10 it is also home to one the largest shipping ports in world making it a popular point of entry for international drug trafficking.
The Houston area continues to be a primary transshipment area for the bulk importation of most major categories of drugs, including marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine. Drug smuggling and illicit transportation are primarily dominated by Mexican, Colombian and Dominican poly-drug trafficking organizations. From Houston, methamphetamine is distributed to the Midwest and the East Coast. In Houston, crystal methamphetamine is being sold in local clubs and is also being offered by Mexican traffickers. Mexican marijuana is the predominant form of marijuana trafficked in the Houston area. Colombian heroin is transported through Houston to the Northeastern U.S.
In Texas as in other states and countries, with drug trafficking comes human trafficking. The FBI says that there are 127 active brothels in Houston, with 2 new ones opening each month. Ranking second to only California, Texas is a major hub for human trafficking with I-10 having been designated as the main route by the Department of Justice. Houston is considered a main trafficking hub city and a major destination for traffickers. With 3600 victims in 2001 and Houston being responsible for the second largest trafficking bust in 2007, it's rather easy to see why.
Texas and the Southwest border continue to serve as the biggest point of illegal entry into the U.S., largely because traffickers are able to get aliens across without documents. The major points of entry into the U.S. are located in southern (Houston) and central Texas, southern California, Tucson, Arizona and areas of New Mexico. Contributing to this problem is Texas' huge geographic size and large Hispanic population making for more than optimal conditions for trafficking because of the ability to blend in with the community. As of January 2006, of all human trafficking victims certified in the U.S., 25% of them were in Texas, the majority of who were in Houston.
Drug abuse and Addiction bring abnormal, deviant behavior and for those that have suffered addiction having realized this deviant and demoralizing behavior only leads to further personal destruction. The sad part here is the young children victimized by those with addiction and behavioral problems who will go onto to lead lives of similar fate. Until drastic measures are taken and we stand for and deal with the underlying misconception of drugs and they affect human animalistic behavior literally on a cellular level, we are spitting into the wind when it comes to fighting the drug war.
