MEASURING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LEADERSHIP DECAPITATION IN COUNTERING TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS
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Authors
Ortiz, Leah
Subjects
Transnational Criminal Organizations
leadership removal
leadership change
leadership decapitation
measuring effectiveness
Cali Cartel
Medellin Cartel
Sinaloa Cartel
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
FARC
Colombia
Mexico
popular support
law enforcement
violent rivalry
institutionalization
kingpin strategy
cartel
counter-TCO
TCO
leadership removal
leadership change
leadership decapitation
measuring effectiveness
Cali Cartel
Medellin Cartel
Sinaloa Cartel
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
FARC
Colombia
Mexico
popular support
law enforcement
violent rivalry
institutionalization
kingpin strategy
cartel
counter-TCO
TCO
Advisors
Dahl, Erik J.
Date of Issue
2019-03
Date
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
The United States government has utilized leadership decapitation strategies to counter illicit or insurgent organizations since the kingpin strategy was first developed in the late 20th century by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Most critical analysis of this strategy, however, deals with terrorist organizations rather than transnational criminal organizations (TCOs). This thesis looks to the findings in these critical studies that may also be relevant to countering TCOs and, based on them, asks: what are the main factors that determine the effectiveness of leadership decapitation in countering TCOs? This thesis applies the four factors found in the literature to impact vulnerability to leadership decapitation—institutionalization, popular support, history of violent rivalry, and law enforcement efforts—to four TCOs. It finds that Medellin and Cali cartels did not gain an advantage from any of the factors. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) received protection from leadership decapitation from three of the four factors but ultimately was defeated. In the final case, the Sinaloa cartel, all four factors were present to provide the organization with protection from decapitation. These results are important for governments and law enforcement organizations to understand as they work to defeat TCOs.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
National Security Affairs (NSA)
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.