Dr. Elaine Carey was appointed Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Oakland University in 2021. In addition to her role as dean, she is the co-founder of the university’s Center for Crime, Forensics, and Security Analysis. She has re-established the Institute for Social and Policy Research. Dr. Carey is the author of "Plaza of Sacrifices: Gender, Power, and Terror in 1968 Mexico" (2005) and the award-winning "Women Drug Traffickers: Mules, Bosses, and Organized Crime" (2014). Her recent presentation focused on the role of women in organized crime, specifically in drug trafficking.

She began her talk with a definition of organized crime, which is a group that is non-ideological, hierarchical, with a limited and exclusive membership that constitutes a unique subculture perpetuated through the specialization and division of labor. Organized crime is also characterized by monopolistic tendencies and governed by rules and regulations, two of which are specialization and certification.

Dr. Carey explained that drug trafficking organizations often operate like "royal families" with deep-rooted networks forming a global criminal enterprise. Despite a 1975 New York Times report citing gender bias in the narcotics trade, women have increasingly taken on leadership roles within these powerful organizations.

Dr. Carey highlighted two key historical figures as case studies. The first was María Dolores Estévez Zuleta, known as Lola la Chata. Active from the 1930s to the 1950s, she was one of Mexico’s first prominent female drug traffickers, dealing in marijuana, morphine, and heroin. Her notoriety was amplified through tabloid media, and she became emblematic of early drug trafficking culture in the country, living a life of luxury and public attention.

The second figure was Ignacia Jasso, also known as La Nacha or la Viuda de González. Unlike Lola la Chata, La Nacha lived modestly and operated her drug enterprise from her home. Known as the "Opium Queen," she played a significant role in the production, processing, and distribution of drugs, with her products reaching markets across the United States. Her motivation was rooted in securing financial stability for her family.

Dr. Carey also noted that women in contemporary drug trafficking have developed expertise, particularly in logistics—managing the complex transportation of drugs from Bolivia to Colombia and ultimately to the United States, where profits are generated and then laundered. Many female traffickers lead all-women crews and contract external “talent” for violent tasks when necessary, strategically navigating and influencing a traditionally male-dominated underworld.