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| -Lurid Crime Tales- |
| New Twists In War On Drugs |
| 2010-08-19 |
| Tempe police Wednesday announced the conclusion of a major heroin operation that broke new ground in the way evidence was seized and revealed startling information about how prescription drug addicts are increasingly turning to heroin. The end result of the seven-month Operation Dark Carnival, Tempe's third such bust this year, was the arrest of 40 people, including 15 suspected heroin dealers from 10 different trafficking organizations, several of which are directly tied to Mexico. The operation got the "carnival" name from the tiny balloons that drug dealers are using to stash one-fourth grams of heroin. They hide them in their cheeks. When police came around, suspects routinely swallow them. Seven months ago, police began obtaining search warrants and started pumping suspected dealers' stomachs or giving them laxatives to obtain the drug evidence. "It was a most unpleasant aspect for most of our drug dealers." ... and for the people who had to root through the end product to extract the evidence... The investigation got its start from a series of burglaries. Police found that an "overwhelming majority" of the burglary suspects, mostly ages 19 to 25, were committing the crimes to support a heroin habit. This led to a new investigation in heroin dealing, which is skyrocketing in Arizona and across the country. In Arizona since 2007, heroin seizures have soared by more than 50 percent. Much of the drug flooding Arizona is Mexico's black tar heroin. This ties in with a new trend of Oxycontin addicts switching to heroin, which is about half the price. While 400 milligrams of Oxycontin, which contains opiates, can cost up to $350 day for an addict, 2 grams of heroin costs about $170, Hale said. Also, the DEA has put at least two area Oxycontin-dealing Medical Doctors out of business, which resulted in dozens of desperate Oxycontin junkies going cold turkey at once. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose |
| #6 Heroin is a treatment drug, not a criminal drug. Methadone just turns heroin junkies into methadone junkies. Oddly enough, if they can get a pure supply, heroin junkies can live for many years with only modest side effects. Typically they are brought down by bad quality drugs, contaminated needles, and poor living conditions, not the heroin. While closing the border is admirable, it will not even put a dent in the heroin trade. Especially the inexpensive Mexican brown heroin. For some damn reason, rich kids in Odessa fell in love with it as a snorting, not injecting drug, and it was killing high school VIP kids. And, credit where credit is due, St. Darwin cannot be denied stupid kids. They will come up with some way to off themselves. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2010-08-19 20:59 |
| #5 Methamphetamine and speed are right out, because they can and do turn some people dangerously psychotic. Cocaine less so, though it is physically destructive. Heroin isn't physically destructive? So we should just give it away to our high school and junior high school students, right? Because that's what's gonna happen. How about if we secure the damn border instead? |
| Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 2010-08-19 14:29 |
| #4 BP: I'm actually more in favor of decriminalizing heroin than I am Oxycodone drugs, because heroin is far more predictable in action. Methamphetamine and speed are right out, because they can and do turn some people dangerously psychotic. Cocaine less so, though it is physically destructive. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2010-08-19 14:19 |
| #3 So now we're gonna have to legalize heroin? Hey, I mean, if junkies are having to turn to burglary to support their habits, couldn't we reduce the burglary and other crimes by legalizing heroin? /sarc |
| Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 2010-08-19 14:18 |
| #2 Oxycontin is weird stuff. Especially older people can get bizarre psychological side effects. And addicts are often more aggressive than are heroin junkies. Usually middle or upper class, and otherwise healthy, they are used to getting what they want, and have the money and chutzpah to get it. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2010-08-19 14:15 |
| #1 2 grams of heroin costs about $170 (because Drug Prohibition acts acts a 10000% tax.) Want burglary to fall 99%? Decriminalise Chemical choices. |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2010-08-19 14:14 |