Read more: Local, Crime, Marijuana, Drug Cartels, Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering, Felipe Calderon, U.S. State Department, Mexico
The cultivation of marijuana is on the rise south of the border, according to a report released by the U.S. State Department on Monday.
The International Narcotics Control Strategy Report shows marijuana production grew by 35 percent in Mexico in 2009.
Reuters reported that between $8 and $25 billion dollars of drug profits were laundered by Mexican drug lords during the same time period.
The news agency reported the increases despite Mexican President Felipe Calderon’s war against organized crime, which has left thousands dead.
Reuters reported that the production of illegal drugs such as cocaine and heroin fell in Colombia and Afghanistan during the same period.
Click here for a full copy of the State Department report
