Drug War Zone: Frontline Dispatches from the Streets of El Paso and Juarez (The William and Bettye Nowlin Series in Art, History, and Culture of the Western Hemisphere)

Thousands of people die in drug-related deaths every year in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, adjacent to El Paso, Texas. Juarez has become the most violent city in the Mexican drug war. Much of the cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine consumed in the United States is imported across the Mexican border, making El Paso/Juarez one of the major drug-trafficking venues in the world. In this anthropological study of drug trafficking and anti-drug law enforcement efforts on the U.S.-Mexico border, Howard Campbell uses an ethnographic perspective to chronicle the recent Mexican drug war, focusing especially on people and events in the El Paso/Juarez area. It is the first social science study of the violent drug war that is tearing Mexico apart. Based on deep access to the drug-smuggling world, this study presents the drug war through the eyes and lives of direct participants. Half of the book consists of oral histories from drug traffickers, and the other half from law enforcement officials. There is much journalistic coverage of the drug war, but very seldom are the lived experiences of traffickers and 'narcs' presented in such vivid detail. In addition to providing an up-close, personal view of the drug-trafficking world, Campbell explains and analyzes the functioning of drug cartels, the corruption that facilitates drug trafficking, the strategies of smugglers and anti-narcotics officials, and the perilous culture of drug trafficking that Campbell refers to as the 'Drug War Zone'. Contents......Page 6 Introduction......Page 8 PART ONE. Smuggling in the Drug War Zone......Page 42 Introduction: Drug Trafficking -- Studies and Sources Relevant to the Mexican-American Drug War Zone......Page 44 La Nacha: The Heroin Queen of Juárez......Page 47 The Roots of Contraband Smuggling in El Paso......Page 60 Female Drug Lord......Page 67 Community-Based Drug Use, Smuggling, and Dealing in the 1970s and 1980s......Page 83 Selling Drugs in Downtown Juárez: Juan and Jorge......Page 104 A Young Smuggler and His Family......Page 113 Blaxicans: The Life of a Chicano Smuggler and Musician on the Borderline of African American and Mexican American Culture......Page 120 Drug Addiction and Drug Trafficking in the Life of an Anarchist......Page 138 Drug Smuggling through Tunnels: The Tale of a Scuba-Diving Instructor......Page 165 Witness to a Juárez Drug Killing......Page 173 Photo Insert......Page 178 PART TWO. Law Enforcement in the Drug War Zone......Page 198 Introduction: Ethnographic Dimensions of Law Enforcement in the Drug War Zone......Page 200 Undercover Agent on the Border: Cultural Disguises......Page 206 The Death of Francisco......Page 220 A Juárez Policeman Fighting Drug Traffickers......Page 227 Journalism and Drug Trafficking: Covering the Narco Beat on the Border......Page 242 Patrolling the Drug War Zone: A Border Patrol Agent in the War on Drugs......Page 254 Intelligence and the Drug War: Commander of an Antidrug Task Force on the Border......Page 266 Excerpt from Weed: Adventures of a Dope Smuggler, by Jerry Kamstra......Page 284 Agent against Prohibition......Page 286 Epilogue and Conclusion......Page 292 Notes......Page 302 References......Page 314 Index......Page 324 Winner, Southwest Book Award, Border Regional Library Association, 2011 Thousands of people die in drug-related violence every year in Mexico. Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, adjacent to El Paso, Texas, has become the most violent city in the Mexican drug war. Much of the cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine consumed in the United States is imported across the Mexican border, making El Paso/Juárez one of the major drug-trafficking venues in the world. In this anthropological study of drug trafficking and anti-drug law enforcement efforts on the U.S.-Mexico border, Howard Campbell uses an ethnographic perspective to chronicle the recent Mexican drug war, focusing especially on people and events in the El Paso/Juárez area. It is the first social science study of the violent drug war that is tearing Mexico apart. Based on deep access to the drug-smuggling world, this study presents the drug war through the eyes and lives of direct participants. Half of the book consists of oral histories from drug traffickers, and the other half from law enforcement officials. There is much journalistic coverage of the drug war, but very seldom are the lived experiences of traffickers and'narcs'presented in such vivid detail. In addition to providing an up-close, personal view of the drug-trafficking world, Campbell explains and analyzes the functioning of drug cartels, the corruption that facilitates drug trafficking, the strategies of smugglers and anti-narcotics officials, and the perilous culture of drug trafficking that Campbell refers to as the'Drug War Zone.' A Social Science Study Of The Mexican Drug War In The Early Twenty-first Century, Focusing On People And Events Along The Border Of El Paso, Texas, And Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. Part 1. Smuggling In The Drug War Zone: Introduction: Drug Trafficking - Studies And Sources Relevant To The Mexican-american Drug War Zone ; La Nacha: The Heroin Queen Of Juarez ; The Roots Of Contraband Smuggling In El Paso ; Female Drug Lord ; Community-based Drug Use, Smuggling, And Dealing In The 1970s And 1980s ; Selling Drugs In Downtown Juarez: Juan And Jorge ; A Young Smuggler And His Family ; Blaxicans: The Life Of A Chicano Smuggler And Musician On The Borderline Of African American And Mexican American Culture ; Drug Addiction And Drug Trafficking In The Life Of An Anarchist ; Drug Smuggling Through Tunnels: The Tale Of A Scuba-diving Instructor ; Witness To A Juarez Drug Killing -- Part 2. Law Enforcement In The Drug War Zone: Introduction: Ethnographic Dimensions Of Law Enforcement In The Drug War Zone ; Undercover Agent On The Border: Cultural Disguises ; The Death Of Francisco ; A Juarez Policeman Fighting Drug Traffickers ; Journalism And Drug Trafficking: Covering The Narco Beat On The Border ; Patrolling The Drug War Zone: A Border Patrol Agent In The War On Drugs ; Intelligence And The Drug War: Commander Of An Antidrug Task Force On The Border ; Excerpt From Weed: Adventures Of A Dope Smuggler By Jerry Kamstra ; Agent On Prohibition -- Epilogue And Conclusion. Howard Campbell. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. An anthropological study of drug trafficking and anti-drug law enforcement efforts on the US-Mexico border. It uses an ethnographic perspective to chronicle the Mexican drug war, focusing especially on people and events in the El Paso/Juarez area.