Final answer:
The term 'meat eaters' refers to law enforcement officers involved in serious corruption such as drug smuggling and money laundering. They are part of larger networks of transnational organized crime that leverage violence and corruption for profit, often deeply integrated into local cultures and economies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Officers who participate in widespread corruption including drug smuggling and money laundering are often referred to as meat eaters. This term contrasts with 'grass eaters', who might engage in minor corrupt acts such as accepting free meals or small bribes. Meat eaters are part of a larger issue of transnational organized crime (TOC), where these criminal groups leverage violence and corruption for profit, often crossing state boundaries and undermining the rule of law.
Countries with deteriorating economic conditions, such as those that experienced growth in organized crime networks in the 1970s, find crime syndicates integrating into the local cultures and economies. For instance, Mexico has regions where illegal drug income significantly impacts the local economy, with drug lords buying off law enforcement and even providing services to local communities, an action that elicits mixed reactions from residents.
In China, a widespread campaign against government corruption highlighted the depth of these issues within the system, including the influence of guanxi networks. Around the world, the lucrative nature of the illegal drug trade contributes to elevated crime rates, with gangs and organized crime syndicates playing significant roles, often with the complicity or direct involvement of corrupt law enforcement officers.