Effects of drug cartels on U.S. border states Research Paper

Effects of drug cartels on U.S. border states - Research Paper Example With the infiltration of the drug cartel into the United States there comes some serious issues. There are several different cartels in Mexico and these organizations will often get into violent battles over drug trafficking routes, leading to violence within the United States border states, (http://www.borderlandbeat.com/2011/04/mexican-cartels-migrate-to-usa.html). Obviously, the drug cartel brings more drugs into the border states and cities. More illegal drugs in any area is never a good thing. Drugs become more accessible to people, leading to a variety of issues. Lastly, there are economic concerns that arise in these border states due to the presence of the drug cartel. The interesting part is that these economic concerns are not all negative. There can be positive impacts related to the influx of money into the cities and border states. There are two ways in which drug cartel members participate in the economic climate of the city in which they live. Some members of drug cartels operate their own business, disguised as a legal company, but actually serving as a front for their drug business. These businesses can launder drug money and be a store front of sorts for the distribution of illegal drugs. These businesses are also a way to purchase necessary supplies legally, (Freedman, 2011). An example of this happened in San Antonio, Texas. There was a real estate developer named Marin â€Å"Gordo† Herrera. Even in the recent difficult economic times, Herrera was able to develop two successful real estate development companies and manage to avoid the foreclosure crisis. During this time, he was able to earn more than $4 million in profits. This money and the purchase of 77 properties contributed positively to the San Antonio economy, (Freedman, 2011). However, Marin â€Å"Gordo† Herrera was actually a primary member of a Mexican drug