Human trafficking in Mexico is estimated to generate between $15 Billion to $20 Billion a year.

Source:  Arthur Brice, “Human trafficking second only to drugs in Mexico,” CNN, August 27, 2010.

Between September 2008 and February 2009, an estimated 10,000 migrants who were attempting to cross the border into the United States were kidnapped and held for ransom.

Source:  Sara Miller Llana, “Mexico mass grave highlights abuse of migrants heading to US,” Christian Science Monitor, August 26, 2010.

Human smugglers charge migrants $5,000 to be smuggled into the United States by sea.

More and more migrants are attempting to enter the US due to increase enforcement on the border between the US and Mexico.

Source:  AP, “Migrants turn to the sea to enter US illegally,” Google News, August 26, 2010.

From October 2009 to August 2010, US Border Enforcement agents apprehended 753 migrants attempting to enter the United States by sea.

In the same time period om 2008 to 2009, 400 migrants were caught. In 2007 to 2008, 230 migrants were apprehended.

Source:  AP, “Migrants turn to the sea to enter US illegally,” Google News, August 26, 2010.

Mexican drug cartels are estimated to bring in between $25 Billion to $40 Billion a year from the global drug trafficking operations.

Source:  “Mexico’s Calderon says will target drug cash,” Reuters, August 26, 2010.

The number of inhalant users in Mexico in 2008 was 533,797, a 70 percent increase from the 314,760 users in 2002.

The number of inhalant users who entered drug treatment centers in Mexico also increased 80 percent during those six years, from 4,050 to 7,293 people.

Source:  Sergio Solache, “In Mexico, lessons of addiction are stark,” USA Today, August 23, 2010.

Losses from credit card fraud in Canada was $477 Million (501 Million Canadian) in 2009, down from $488 Million (512 Million Canadian) in 2008.

Losses from debit card fraud increased to $135 Million (142 Million Canadian) in 2009, up from $100 (105 Million Canadian) in 2008.

Source:  Conal Pierse, “Mobsters want to be your online friends,” Vancouver Sun, August 21, 2010.

Between December 2006 when the crackdown against drug cartels became in Mexico until August 2010, 30 reporters in Mexico have either been killed or disappeared while covering the drug war.

Source:  Tracy Wilkenson, “Under threat from Mexican drug cartels, reporters go silent,” Los Angeles Times, August 16, 2010.

UNICEF estimates that there are 250,000 child prostitutes in Brazil.

Source:  Chris Rogers, “Brazil’s sex tourism boom,” BBC News, July 30, 2010.

From December 2006 to the end of July 2010, more than 28,000 have died in drug violence in Mexico.

In that same time period, drug cartels and government agents have engaged in 963 gun battles, almost a rate of one per day.

Source:  Arthur Brice, “Drug war death toll in Mexico since 2006 exceeds 28,000, official says,” CNN, August 4, 2010.