Download Jacob Cohen, Delegate to the Kingdom of Spain Committee on

Jacob Cohen, Delegate to the Kingdom of Spain
Committee on Combatting Illicit Drug Trafficking
For decades, drug trafficking has negatively affected Spain. Because of its long coast
on the Mediterranean, drug traffickers easily import drugs into Spain, and then
throughout Europe. Spain has long served as the prime European country to import
cocaine from South America and hashish from North Africa. Spain has also been used
as a point to import heroin from Southern Asia, but it is not the first choice for Asian
drug traffickers. As a result of the massive use of Spain as a port to traffic illicit drugs,
drug use in Spain is increasing rapidly as these drugs are imported. This only increases
the amount of drugs imported through Spain, as the country itself is a thriving market for
foreign drug traffickers. Drug trafficking is also bad for Spain because Colombian drug
lords use the country as a money-laundering site. Organized crime is also rampant in
Spain because of the massive drug trafficking in the country. Spain cannot thrive while
these problems persist.
In the past, the Kingdom of Spain has taken many efforts to reduce both the threat of
drug trafficking and the widespread use of illicit drugs. Most recently, in 2009, a Spanish
National Drug Strategy was introduced. The strategy calls for five steps: demand
reduction, which includes prevention, treatment, and social reintegration; supply
reduction; improvement of basic and applied scientific knowledge; training; and
international cooperation. So far, this strategy has not been greatly successful. Spain
also has laws to prevent the use and trafficking of drugs inside Spain. If one is caught
dealing drugs that can cause health damages, the maximum prison sentence is twenty
years and three months. Less severe charges can be given for less harmful drugs, or
less severe trafficking. The plans already created have helped reduce drug use levels a
little, but not enough. Also, as of now, efforts to eradicate international drug trafficking
are minimal. As an international governing body, the UN must more seriously address
the problem of drug trafficking.
The Kingdom of Spain suggests the creation of an international drug trafficking
prevention organization and the creation of several international treaties across Europe.
A drug trafficking prevention organization would have agents across Europe to
investigate large shipments that could likely contain drugs. The organization would also
work to reduce trafficking between countries by conducting searches along international
borders. These searches would be assisted by international cooperation already called
for in the 2009 Spanish National Drug Strategy. The treaties created with this
international cooperation would lead to not only the aforementioned searches, but also
to international laws on drug trafficking and more severe sentences for this offense,
standard across Europe. Illicit drug trafficking has hurt Europe for too long and has
taken too many lives. It is the UN’s responsibility to work as hard as it can to prevent
further trafficking.