The drug trade at a glance

Despite shifts in public discourse and policy debates on illicit substances, global drug prohibition endures throughout most of the world. In this landscape, the actors and enterprises that cooperate and compete in the trade of illicit drugs continue to find enough opportunity to justify the risks of engaging in illicit trade. The drug trade today is facilitated and augmented by the growth of technology and the endurance of links forged by globalisation, resulting in several actors participating in the market. To that end, focusing on single actors or organisations limits our understanding of the business of drug trafficking and its transnational nature. Accordingly, this chapter focuses on four core technical functions of the drug trade: the production of drugs, their transportation, their wholesale, and their retail. Analysing these aspects of the business, alongside market trends and shifts in policy responses, shows the ways in which drug traffickers and sellers have adopted strategies to minimise risk, improve profit and protect their interests.