Drug crime

Question 1

Why is drug crime different to traditional typical crime?(3)

Answer 1

• Drug crime can be seemly victimless, as there is more often than not, not a direct victim (excluding date rape situations)
• Drug crimes are highly organised and planned out
• drug crime works on a supply-demand basis

Question 2

What are the similarities between tea/coffee and cocaine/herion

Answer 2

• high amounts of exporting/importing - from producer to consumer based on supply and demand
• semi-refined agricultural product
• produced only in certain parts of the world

Question 3

Why are tea/coffee and cocaine/herion different?

Answer 3

• social acceptability
• cost
• ease of exporting/importing
• legality
• everyday accessibility
• risks involved (high consequences)

Question 4

How much is .... worth per USD/KG?
cocaine?
herion?
tea?
coffee?

Answer 4

66,907 usd/kg
46, 835 usd/kg
3.5 usd/kg
3.62 usd/kg

Question 5

Why will drug dealing always continue?

Answer 5

• So hugely profitable
• The rewards often outweigh the costs
• even if dealers get caught, their place in the chain will quickly be filled
• Demand for drugs will always be massive

Question 6

When a dealer is caught what happens?

Answer 6

They get replaced quickly and dealers innovate and find new ways of dealing drugs, change tactics and become more careful

Question 7

What is the hierarchy of the supply of illict drugs?

Answer 7

production
international trafficking
wholesale
middle market
retail

Question 8

What stage of the supply of illict drugs are the most sellers and the least? also who are the police most concerned with?

Answer 8

most: retail
least: wholesale
police concern: wholesale

Question 9

What is the significance of the demand for illicit drugs?

Answer 9

• responsive to price changes, demand is responsive (elastic)

Question 10

What is the risk of arrest for drug users per year in the USA?

Answer 10

1%

Question 11

What is the elasticity demand for heroin between?

Answer 11

-0.10 to -1.50

Question 12

What is the elasticity demand for cocaine between?

Answer 12

-0.5 to -2.44

Question 13

How does law enforcement for drugs work?

Answer 13

Arrest big dealers which has a huge effect on dealing and consumption and demand goes down

Question 14

Weed prices in the UK… where is more expensive?

Where is cheaper?

Answer 14

expensive - northern places such as edinburgh, aberdeen, etc

cheaper - brighton, cardiff, southern places

Question 15

Which place has legalised weed and what has this done to the price?

Answer 15

Amsterdam

and price is more or less the same, however there is regulation there

Question 16

Talk through the diagram…

Answer 16

1) 1kg base colombia price is £10,000
2) X2 for risk = £20,000
3) + £5000 due to police intervention (50% of original price)
4) colombia 1kg is £15,000, but UK rp £25,000
5) But need to double colombia price due to risk so UK rp £30,000

Question 17

What is the realistic price of cocaine 1kg from colombia to UK rp?

Answer 17

£15,000 colombia

£25,000 UK rp