Despite President Calderon’s efforts to end this war on drugs, the drug traffickers are inventing new ways to transport their illegal products across borders, continuously undermining the authority of the government. The United States and Mexican police recently discovered a tunnel used to smuggle drugs across the California-Mexico border. Police seized about 25 tonnes (equivalent to 1,000 kg) of marijuana. This was a highly sophisticated tunnel equipped with ventilation, lighting and a pulley-system, and happened to be 1,800 feet long and only waist high. The tunnel connected a warehouse in the United States to Tijuana, the main entry for the majority of drugs that are imported to California. The police believe that the tunnel had been in operation for less than a month. The Mexican police have been cracking down on the export of marijuana in Tijuana, seizing about 134 tonnes. This is not the first tunnel to be discovered and used to import drugs. In the past four years, about 75 tunnels have been discovered. This should have been deemed a sign of success. Mexican and United States authorities in coordinating their efforts seized the illegal drug and closed the tunnel; however, in the large scope of the problem this is such a minimal success as compared to the paramount problem that has been occurring for the past four years.

Ever since December 2006, President Calderon called for a “war on drugs,” launching a crackdown on the cartels that control the routes for trafficking drugs into the US market.  Despite the fact that Calderon has deployed the police and federal army to the borders to fight off the cartels on the major drug routes, the body count keeps on adding up. The evidence of 28,000 deaths in the past four years due to the cartels is proving that the government is not able to protect its citizens. Essentially, the power of the cartels remains the same. The consequences of this “war” put Mexico on the verge of becoming a failed state. Calderon has failed for numerous reasons. This is a multibillion dollar industry and there are huge profits to be made. Mexico is next door to their largest consumer: the United States. As long as the demand is high, there will be a supply. Another failure is Mexico’s inability to contain the violence within the state because the cartels have disregarded the authority of the government. The cartels are willing to use violence to prevent people from challenging them. Corruption has inundated the federal police force and Mexican army. Poverty and unemployment are major social factors that have demised the power of Mexico.  “Assassins are paid $45 a week by the local drug gangs … ‘not to become rich, simply to put food on the table.’”  Cartels move to new areas and find new ways, like tunnels to smuggle their products across borders, to keep the business growing. There is also a lack of confidence among the citizens in the Mexican government.  Ironically, in the United States this past Tuesday, November 2, California denied the legalization of marijuana. If this had been passed, maybe the illegal drug dealers would have little or no business. Even in the United States, when Americans are worrying about kidnappings, murders, and drugs penetrating the border, the guns are supplied by the States.