Apart from tremendous damage it is inflicting on the world populations, trade in illicit drugs has acquired another dimension of macroeconomic black market, run by transnational criminal networks. Existing regime of international drug control proves to produce little results, while capabilities of drug trade networks have long ago surpassed it in scope and intensity, which is clearly illustrated by analyzing world market of opiate narcotics. Synthesizing various approaches to network threat conceptualization with historical and empirical analysis of phenomenon, this research aims at identifying the nature of challenge, posed by global drug trade networks, weak spots of international drug control and prospects of reforming its economic, legal, and moral foundations. This book intends to encourage an unprejudiced perception of the world drug problem as complex political emergency and should be especially interesting for international relations professionals, students, and journalists, undertaking research on illicit markets and global crime.
