Narkobiznes kokainowy i heroinowy w Ameryce Łacińskiej w latach 2001-2007
Cocaine and heroin, narcobusiness in Latin America in 2001–2007

Summary/Abstract: The article discusses transport routes and distribution of cocaine and heroin produced in Latin America. The subject is mostly the definition of changes that took place in narcobusiness in 2001–2007. The reason for embarking on this subject, were the significance and scale of the phenomenon, as – being psychoactive substances – heroin and cocaine have the greatest negative social and economic impact all over the world, while the illegal trafficking provides most of the value of the global drugs market. This problem is especially true about Latin America, where the world production of cocaine is concentrated, while heroin is also considered a major produce of the Colombian and Mexican narcobusiness. The years 2001–2007 were taken as the time framework. The year 2001 was chosen as it was marked by such events as the inauguration of George W. Bush Presidency in January, which meant return of Republicans to power, and September brought terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre, which opened a new chapter in American foreign policy known under the name of “global war on terrorism”. The events that took place in the USA are therefore the appropriate time divide for the purpose of the article. The other extremity of the period, i.e. the end of 2007, was assumed for the lack of significant changes in American administration and its policy-making, and results only from the time necessary to collect and analyse source materials.

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