Terrorists, drug traffickers, and other criminal groups operate transnationally and often seek logistical and operational support from local communities. As a practical matter, this means that drug traffickers and terrorists can become increasingly vulnerable to effective law enforcement activity. Differences exist, however, between drugs and terrorism. The drug trade has a strong demand component. In contrast, there is no addiction-based international demand for terrorism.
Profit drives the drug trade.
Terrorists do need money to operate, but for the terrorist, funding generally is a means to an end and not an end in itself. Political ideology, radical religious viewpoints, alienation, or revenge, and not a desire for financial profit, usually drive terrorist activity. A central characteristic often used to distinguish terrorism from profit-motivated common crime is the willingness of terrorists to go after often random innocent targets in the claimed pursuit of some greater cause. Terrorists increasingly rely on drug money for funding. Terrorists and criminals alike need a steady cash flow to operate.