[wanabidii] Press Releases: On the Occasion of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

You are subscribed to Press Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Press Releases: On the Occasion of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 06/26/2014 05:54 PM EDT On the Occasion of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking Press Statement John Kerry Secretary of State Washington, DC June 26, 2014 This is more than a moment to focus on drug abuse and addiction. It’s a time to connect the dots between the global flow of illicit drugs, violence that destroys communities and even nations the world over, and 21st century challenges, from human trafficking to elephant poaching to transnational crime and corruption. In short: Illicit trafficking doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s part of a web of crime that threatens our security. It’s all connected. I got my education on this insidious, connected network more than twenty years ago when I investigated and helped uncover a common international infrastructure for transnational crime, the Bank of Credit and Commerce International. Drugs were at the very center. It was a wakeup call about the clandestine interconnected world of money launderers, drug traffickers, arms merchants, and terrorists. We witnessed just how dirty drug money and narcotics and corruption and violence flow together. It is no less true today. In fact, it is more true. We live in the age of narco-trafficking 2.0 that funds an underworld of evil. These issues don’t stop at any border. That’s why the men and women of the State Department are on the front lines promoting citizen security in a vastly more complicated world where change is coming at us faster than ever before. We work with our partners to counter sophisticated supply chains that produce, distribute, and market illicit drugs and fuel transnational criminal organizations. And we are committed to sharing our experience and expertise with other countries wrestling with these challenges. Today of all days, we need to plot a national strategy to counter this global scourge. The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. Stay connected with the State Department:   External links found in this content or on Department of State websites that go to other non-Department websites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.  Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please visit subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com. This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. Department of State. This email was sent to wanabidii@googlegroups.com using GovDelivery, on behalf of: U.S. Department of State · 2201 C Street NW · Washington, DC 20520

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