Monday, June 21, 2004

Why drug cops can't win Joel Miller's article Why Drug Cops Can't Win" at World Net Daily is an interesting read. (Joel Miller is also author of the new book "Bad Trip: How the Drug War is Destroying America.") In the World Net Daily article, Miller relates, from discussions with drug traffickers reported in his book, some of the techniques and tactics used to smuggle drugs: Covertly building a submarine capable of hauling 10 tons of cocaine to carry it from Colombia to the U.S. Using time-released buoys and GPS trackers to sync drug shipments on the open sea. Combining cocaine with plastic resin and producing functioning, commercial goods from which the drug can be chemically extracted once across the border. Disguising stashes of cocaine in hollowed-out passion fruit or in plastic plantains; hiding psilocybin mushrooms in chocolates. Digging a 1,200-foot tunnel, complete with ventilation ducts and electric lights to take marijuana and cocaine from a home in Mexico to another in California. Dropping drugs in the uninhabited desert by plane and using GPS locaters on the ground to find and bring them across the poorly manned border. Training -- no lie here, folks -- pigeons to fly packets of dope across the border. As Joel explains: Whatever police do to clamp down, smugglers maneuver around. Some get caught while others make the appropriate adjustments to their tactics, and some are just lousy smugglers to begin with. But consistently nabbing 10 percent is hardly something to brag about. Do drug warriors honestly wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and get a rush of pride that only 90 percent of illegal narcotics are getting through thanks to them? Sadly -- and adding an entirely new dimension to the word "pathetic" -- yes, they do. As for the rest of us, we need something different. The war on drugs is spending taxpayer money by the billions and tossing it down a thousand rat holes. Thanks to Dave at What Would Dick Think? for the link. 9:01:14 AM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []

Drug War 'Ark of the Covenant' is Empty Nice column by Dean Becker in this month's The Free Press (Houston, TX) For 89 1/2 years, we have escalated the mechanisms, the bloodshed, the deaths, disease and misery of our nation through our policy of "drug prohibition".  Based on racial screeds and hysterical posturing, the drug war has taken on a life of its' own. There is no justice, no logic, no basis whatsoever to this drug war.  There is not one person of stature within the legislature, not one cop or drug czar, not one doctor or journalist who dares to defend this drug war policy in an open, public debate.  It cannot be done.  The prohibition of drugs is a sham, the largest fraud ever perpetrated on the peoples of this earth. ... Fear runs the drug war.  True ignorance or superstition are rarely a part of the equation in this day and age.  Fear of job loss, of societal demonization, fear of losing votes in an election all stand in the way of truth, progress and freedom.  The councilmen, mayor and district attorney all showed their fear, by falling back to faux superstition, feigned ignorance or the silence of the lambs as their defense. When the call for change first occurs for marijuana policy, for overall drug reform, it's not likely to come from the mouths of the councilmen, mayor, district attorney or police chief.  The call must come from those citizens brave enough to recognize and put forth that "the emperor has no clothes." There is nobody in a position of authority who can defend this abominable drug war. It is our job to drive these drug warriors down to the river of reform for baptism.  Forcibly, if need be. When do we stop putting our children behind bars for little baggies? It's your decision. 8:37:32 AM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []