According to the Associated Press, from 2007 to 2010 there were over 80 corruption related convictions of law enforcement officials at all levels of government along the Southwest border.

In addition, about 10 percent of all new hires in the US Border Patrol are given a lie detector test. Out of the 10 percent given the test, 60 percent are found to be unsuitable for hire.

Source:  Associated Press, “US Customs: Mexican cartels corrupt border agents,” Google News, March 11, 2010.

Between 2006 and 2008, 7 percent of 12 year olds in the United States reported to having sniffed inhalants such as glue, nail polish remover, spray paints and cleaning fluids.

Source:  Mark Guarino, “Teens and drugs: After long decline, drug use climbs,” Christian Science Monitor, March 11, 2010.

According to the United States Government Accountability Office, between 12 to 41 percent of police recruits in Afghanistan have tested positive for illegal substances.

Source:  Sue Pleming, “Drug abuse is problem among Afghan police recruits,” Reuters, March 10, 2010.

According to officials, in 2010 black tar heroin from Mexico accounted for two thirds of the heroin market in the United States.

Source:  Sam Quinones, “A lethal business model targets Middle America,” Los Angeles Times, February 14, 2010.

The United States Ambassador to Afghanistan reported in December 2009 that up to $10 Million in opium money is being funneled to the United Arab Emirates every day.

Source:  Zawya Dow Jones, “FOCUS: Dubai’s Dark Side Exposed By Al Mabhouh Killing,” Wall Street Journal, March 4, 2010.

A report by the House of Commons found that between 25 to 30 tons of cocaine enters the United Kingdom each year.  Around 3.5 tons of cocaine was seized by law enforcement in 2009.

Source:  Thomas Penny, “Cocaine Seizures Are ‘Woefully Inadequate,’ U.K. Lawmakers Say,” BusinessWeek, March 3, 2010.

Cannabis cultivation in Mexico was nearly 30,000 acres in 2009, an increase of 35 percent from the previous year.

Source: “Marijuana cultivation up in Mexico in 2009 – US,” Reuters, March 1, 2010.

The International Narcotics Control Strategy Report published by the US State Department reported that 36,332 people were arrested in Mexico in 2009 in part of the ongoing anti-drug trafficking campaign.

Source: “Marijuana cultivation up in Mexico in 2009 – US,” Reuters, March 1, 2010.

The US Department of State reported that in 2009, Bolivia’s cultivation of coca increased by 10 percent over the previous year.

The potential production of cocaine in the country increased to 195 tons, an increase of 50 percent from the 130 tons in 2007.

Source:  AFP, “Mexican drug lords face ‘existential threat,’ US says,” Yahoo News, March 1, 2010.

A study released by the Partnership for  a Drug Free America found that 25 percent of teens between grades 9 and 12 reported to having smoked marijuana within the last month in 2009.

The percentage was up from the 19 percent in 2008.

Source:  Associated Press, “Study: Teen pot, alcohol use rising,” Las Vegas Sun, March 1, 2010.