On March 14, 2024, the Georgetown Americas Institute hosted Vanda Felbab-Brown, director of the Initiative on Nonstate Armed Actors and senior fellow in the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology at the Brookings Institution, for a conversation about the policy challenges posed by the global synthetic drug revolution. The conversation was moderated by Alejandro Werner, founding director of the Georgetown Americas Institute.
The global synthetic drugs revolution has transformed the landscape of the drug trade, presenting new challenges for law enforcement, policymakers, and public health officials which require a comprehensive and coordinated response.
Despite the media attention that fentanyl has received, Felbab-Brown emphasized that the proliferation of synthetic drugs is not limited to opioids, with methamphetamines gaining traction in regions where they were once uncommon. She pointed to countries in Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East that are experiencing alarming spikes in consumption of methamphetamines or methamphetamine-related substances.
Felbab-Brown argued that the allure of synthetic drugs lies in their profitability and ease of production, as traffickers no longer need to control territories for cultivation. With China and India serving as principal sources of precursor chemicals, drug synthesis has become more accessible, leading to the proliferation of potent synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
“Because of their potency ratio, synthetic opioids are particularly advantageous to drug traffickers. The amount of precursors or finished drugs needed to supply a market is very small compared to heroin or cocaine.” - Vanda Felbab-Brown
Two groups of criminal organizations dominate the global synthetic drug trade: cartels in Mexico and criminal networks in China. Focusing on the former, Felbab-Brown illustrated how the cartels have expanded their operations beyond drug trafficking, operating in other illegal sectors and infiltrating legal economies and institutions in Mexico. By exerting control over various sectors from fisheries to agriculture and even influencing political processes, Mexican cartels wield immense power and wealth, further exacerbating the crisis.
Felbab-Brown described how the cartels’ expansion into legal economic activities is motivated by increased money laundering needs but argued that this is just a piece of the puzzle. Profit is also a big driving force behind this transition, with cartels becoming truly “poly crime entities” that no longer rely exclusively on drug trafficking.
Another key factor driving this expansion is the pursuit and enforcement of political power, which, contrary to common belief, is central to cartel operations. Felbab-Brown argued that cartels seek to shape their local and national political environments to protect themselves and their activities from law enforcement and prosecution.
“The cartel’s objective is not to institute the new ideology … but to shape the political environment to enable their business in legal and illegal economies.” - Vanda Felbab-Brown
Felbab-Brown also discussed the tensions and rivalries between different illegal groups, specifically the Jalisco and Sinaloa cartels. This competition extends to the legal economy and local proxies, with exclusivity and control being key objectives. The violence witnessed in Mexico has spilled into countries like Colombia and Ecuador, where drug cartels seek to dominate other sectors such as illegal mining and logging.
Felbab-Brown stated that failed criminal justice reforms and a lack of effective law enforcement strategies in Mexico have allowed cartels to flourish, leading to widespread violence and corruption. The Mexican government's reluctance to cooperate with the United States on security matters further complicates efforts to combat drug trafficking. She also highlighted the global implications of the Mexican cartels and their presence across continents, with rising violence and drug-related incidents in countries far from the epicenter of the crisis.
“The inadequate policies inside Mexico are generating pain in other parts of the world and of course no more dramatically than in the Americas.” - Vanda Felbab-Brown
Addressing the root causes of cartel expansion is necessary to mitigate these cross-border consequences. Doing so demands comprehensive strategies that go beyond law enforcement, encompassing anti-corruption efforts, economic development, and strengthening institutions in countries with strong cartel presence.
Felbab-Brown also discussed other challenges of synthetic drugs such as users’ difficulty with dosage regulation, resulting in heightened risk and lethality. In her view, policymakers and authorities need to understand the specific challenges that these substances pose in order to better address them.
The event was moderated by GAI Founding Director Alejandro Wener.
March 7, 2024
The Georgetown Americas Institute is pleased to host Vanda Felbab-Brown, director of the Initiative on Nonstate Armed Actors and senior fellow in the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology in the Foreign Policy Program at the Brookings Institution, to a conversation about the policy challenges posed by the global synthetic drug revolution.
