Inside the Cocaine Trade Culture: Operations, Secrecy, and the Dynamics of Respect - Essay Sample

The first feature of the cocaine trade culture is that the business is done in apartments. Most of the drug dealers operate in apartments where they assume a home set up (William 14). One of the business premises occupied by the dealers was a one-bedroom apartment acting as the office. There was three staff in the office; Charlie was a guard who stayed at the door, he was armed, and his role was to maintain law and order (William 28). Masterap acted as the host; he would welcome guests into the sitting room (William 28). The sitting room was specially created to conceal the drug businesses taking place in the apartment. The sitting room was designed like a normal home with sofas and a TV (William 28). Chillie was the third member; he dealt with cocaine; he would receive and package the drugs for sale (William 28). Operating in an apartment was meant to reduce suspicion; the police would take time to determine cocaine sellers from the tenants. The Apartments also ensured that the sellers had ample time preparing and selling the drugs without interference. Operating in a secluded place ensured that the dealers had the freedom to work and discuss as they please.

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Cocaine dealers never stayed in the same apartment for a long time; they had to lose the police. Staying in the same apartment for long would make it possible for the police to track them and jeopardize their operations (William 104). Customers also led the dealers to change their apartments. Customers were afraid that the police might be tracking them, and visiting the same place so frequently would set them up. Therefore, moving from one apartment to the other creates a safe environment for both the dealers and the customers.

The dealers ensure that they remain open for the maximum possible time. The dealers would open the apartments as early as 11 PM and close as late as 4 AM (William 97). Some tenants in the apartments complained that the dealers were selling cocaine like newspapers. It is an indication that the dealers opened their businesses very often. The more hours they opened, the more the buyers will be distributed. When the buyers are randomly distributed, it reduces the chances of raising the alarm. They also try to maximize the profits, there is pride in making a lot of money, and therefore the dealers strive to ensure that they make the most money. One of the dealers bragged about selling a lot of cocaine; he says that Max should connect him to the dealer as he would like to meet him. The long open hours, therefore, ensured that the buyers are well distributed and ensure maximum profits.

Age groups are another feature in the cocaine market. The ranks within the network are determined by the age of the dealer, among other determiners. Older dealers are more experienced and command more respect than the younger ones. On the other hand, the younger dealers start their own businesses where they feel more responsible and powerful (William 19). Young customers and sellers also feel more secure and confident when trading with their age mates. This feature ensures there is maximum respect in the network.

Cocaine dealers must prove themselves to gain respect from other dealers. One of the drug dealers was using the pipe and would not control its effects; this made him incapable of controlling his group, who in turn did not respect him (William 104). Young members of the crew want to enjoy the respect accorded to the older members and therefore are willing to do anything to gain respect. Another dealer asked Max to connect him with their Colombian dealer because he felt that he had proved himself by earning a lot of money; he believed that he had gained the respect (William 19). Respect maintains law and order among the dealers; every dealer maintains their lanes and hence maintaining peace.

Work Cited

Williams, Terry Tempest. The cocaine kids: The inside story of a teenage drug ring. Da Capo Press, 1990.