I think it is logical to assume that drug enforcement agencies are not just rife with corruption, but likely handle the lion share of drug trafficking!

In order to go undercover and infiltrate a drug gang at a high level it is essential to behave like them in every way. That behaviour almost certainly involves being seen to commit several very serious crimes. If you aren't seen to commit them you aren't convincing. The squeamish need not apply. The purpose of such crimes is get significant quantities of money. The law enforcement officer may commit the crime so as to infiltrate, but the money comes too, and far in excess of what he earns. Solo crimes might get you in as part of a gang, but only at the lowest levels. You'd have to run a network of underlings, to be seen as a serious player, and at least some of those underlings would also have to commit serious offences in order to be convincing.

Secrecy is a given in drug-trafficking and thus, so too, is everyone spying on everyone. The ones best equipped for spying are the enforcement agencies, giving them a special advantage over all other players. Agents too have a perfect cover if caught with their fingers in the pie, and the entire force of government to bring to bear against anyone they choose.

So you have at least six powerful ingredients:
- ability to "suspend" scruples
- secrecy as part of the job
- an information advantage over the competition
- a cover story advantage over the competition
- a special powers advantage over the competition
- spectacular profits

Given those factors it's fair to ask the question -- how can drug enforcement agents NOT lead, or perhaps totally control, the global drug trade?

Ahhh, an oppotunity to remake "Traffic" with an all-American story.. No more spanish with english sub-titles!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cristero_War

The State to the South of the US has been hollowed out prior to this recent event and a peace brokered as the efforts of the US seemed to fail. The Cristero War was a Masonic effort along with other Masonic efforts funded by the US to de-stabilize entities that did not merit an invasion yet. As in all things done at arms length the need to deliver the final blow is up close and personal as was the case with Iraq.

An unusual and unpleasant parallel:

"As this column has often warned, Fourth Generation war is not just something fought “over there.” It comes to a theater near you. That includes places like Ft. Hood. Many 4GW entities know that the best way to deal with hostile state security forces, police as well as military, is to take them from within. Last week also saw the killing of five British soldiers in Afghanistan by an Afghan policeman working with their unit. Many police departments along the southern U.S. border are owned by the drug traffickers."

http://www.d-n-i.net/dni/2009/11/10/on-war-321-4gw-comes-to-ft-hood/

As a former participant in the "war on drugs" - an unfortunate phrase - I was a a prosecutor in a special drugs-enforcement group - I think this is an excellent piece. But the endgame can be avoided by either formally decriminalizing,or by lowering prohibitive pressures. In other words, take the money out of it.