Posted on 08/05/2006 9:37:16 PM PDT by John Semmens
U.S. officials shut down a ring that’s smuggled tons of khat -- an illegal East African stimulant -- into this country over the past year and a half. The drugs seized have a street value of some $10 million, and the proceeds reportedly helped finance Somali warlords.
According to the federal indictment, the ring used U.N. diplomatic pouches to smuggle the narcotics into the United States. Osman Osman, a Somali clerk in the U.N. mailroom, is believed to be the leader of the operation.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan protested the U.S. government’s actions in the case. “These accused individuals were providing a highly useful service to many of our staff and members of the various delegations from around the world,” said Annan. “It’s hard to get good quality khat in New York City. You can’t just walk into Walgreens and buy it.”
Annan contended that because the drugs were smuggled in diplomatic pouches they should have been immune to interdiction. “Diplomatic immunity is absolute,” said Annan. “Drugs, poisons, weapons, bombs--whatever goes into a diplomatic pouch--has absolute immunity from search and seizure. Our mail must be secure from interference if the UN is to carry out its important work in an environment of mutual trust and respect.”
The Secretary-General’s formal protest demands that the seized drugs and money be returned and the accused individuals be exonerated. “This vital service must be restored,” said Annan. “Many of our members depend on a steady supply of khat to keep them going. All the seized assets must be returned and the accused individuals granted a New York City business license to establish legitimacy and prevent future recurrences of unwarranted interference from the police.”
Khat is a natural stimulant from the Catha edulis plant, which grows in East Africa and Southern Arabia. The stimulant effects are btained by chewing the leaves of the plant. Extreme loquacity, inane laughing, and eventually semicoma may result. Used chronically, khat can lead to a form of delirium tremens. The effects of the drug may go a long way toward explaining what goes on in the UN.
In related news, Iran has rejected the UN Security Council letter ordering it to stop sensitive nuclear work by the end of the month. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan warns that this may require the UN to send a second, “harsher letter with fewer vowels and more ‘Ks’ and ‘Zs.’ Iran must learn that they cannot defy the UN without facing serious consequences.”
read more...
http://www.azconservative.org/Semmens1.htm
OMG, he sounds like he posts at DU!
ping
Surely you jest.
The nerve of that pompous windbag.... more like he does not want any interference with another of his little kickback schemes... it is time to send the UN the way of the league of nations.
so that's why ol' Kofi is so twitchy nowadays...
the scary part is that this is only semi-satire; a UN mail handler that was using the diplomatic pouches was arrested as part of a nationwide bust
but all things considered, since this is semi-true and written by the poster, shouldn't it have a 'vanity' label? (I ask because I honestly don't know)
Sounds less serious than the legal drug alcohol. Why are we wasting taxpayer dollars, and inflating the profits of Somali warlords, by banning this stuff?
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