Part 10/15:
The Impact of Market Dynamics and Demand
English vividly describes how economic incentives drive trafficking organizations. To expand their markets, they often lower prices, making drugs more accessible and fueling demand. As demand grows, so does the sophistication of smuggling routes and diversification into legitimate businesses such as clubs, hotels, and restaurants—methods that serve as both profit centers and means of laundering money.
Particularly noteworthy is the shift seen after cannabis legalization in various U.S. states. English observes that marijuana demand has significantly decreased at the borders, with traffickers pivoting toward other commodities like human smuggling, which are now more lucrative and less risky.