investigativeconsultants.com It seems as though the working citizen is not the only one, suffering from the bad economy. According to Fox News Latino; The Drug Cartel and other organized crime groups are taking alternative measures to "meet their quota," in these tough financial times. Because of the market meltdown of 2008, counterfeiting and piracy have become major issues, especially for those who earn an honest living by creating and producing goods. More than 200 billion dollars in tax revenue disappears out of the US economy each year, because of counterfeiting and selling on the black markets, explained the Department of Homeland Security. Not, including the amount lost to those who innovate and manufacture the items. Recently, the DHS operated a major bust in a flea market in El Paso, Texas. The counterfeit items accrued over $9000 total. This is a very small amount of what the counterfeiting industry makes, but it does convey an idea of how much money is truly lost. Unfortunately, this issue discourages owners and innovators from making products. High-end accessories, DVDS, along with fake medication are just a few of the many items counterfeited from the Mexican drug cartel. Even worse, the money is used to buy illegal weapons, fund terrorism and other crimes throughout the world. The Department of Homeland security is doing everything they can to crack down on this issue worldwide. You can do your part and report counterfeiting to INFO@INVESIGATIVECONSULTANTS.COM