Borders: ineffective fronts against international drug-trafficking

Given the evolution of illegal drug production in recent decades and even in recent years, the outcome of global prohibition appears clearly negative. The failure of counter-trafficking measures is just as obvious, as shown at the border level in this article through the brief survey of ground trafficking between Afghanistan and Iran, of air trafficking from the Andes, and of transatlantic maritime trafficking. Indeed, despite a wealth of financial, human, material and technological means, and despite occasional high interception rates, drug trafficking has never been truly and durably challenged. After describing and explaining why counter-trafficking actions and policies have proved ineffective at the border level, this article posits that an effective counter-trafficking policy should avoid purely repressive approaches for their effectiveness is as low as their cost is high. In the end, interdiction measures should not be limited to interception actions and border control efforts but focus on making spaces and societies less conducive to trafficking.