Narcotics Trafficking

By the late 1980s, Bolivians had become increasingly aware of the serious threat to their society posed by drug traffickers. One Bolivian editorial identified several dimensions of that threat: the existence of hundreds of clandestine airstrips in eastern Bolivia flights of unidentified aircraft in Bolivian airspace the presence of armed criminal groups the disappearance of, and trafficking in, Bolivian passports the intervention of officials of foreign governments in Bolivia's affairs the acceptance of foreign troops on Bolivian territory corruption within the national security agencies and courts of justice the growing control of mass media by narcotics traffickers the spread of drug abuse among Bolivian youth and the increased links between traffickers and guerrilla groups.

Data as of December 1989