Posted on 08/29/2009 12:48:59 PM PDT by AuntB
The Drug Enforcement Administration Friday announced that it found 14,500 marijuana plants growing in a Colorado national park, authorities say are linked to Mexican drug cartels...... they have seen an increase in outdoor marijuana operations run by Mexican drug cartels.
In the most recent Colorado case, the marijuana was found in "the remote, rugged terrain" of Pike National Forest, which is about 60 miles southwest of Denver.
"The persons who were involved in this criminal activity had no regard for the damage caused to the forest and environment by the waste they left behind," said Jeffrey D. Sweetin, special agent in charge of the DEA's Denver office. "The public's safety is also at risk for those who recreate on our public lands due to these trafficking groups operating there."
DEA said Mexican migrant workers had been recruited to work at the site and harvest plants.
Mr. Sweetin said growing marijuana on public land in the United States has become attractive to drug cartels ......outdoor operations can be set up for relatively little money.
Authorities are concerned about the legal ramifications of such sites and the environmental consequences, which, they say, are severe..... these include "damage to the lands due to clearing the areas to prepare the garden site, trash left behind, chemicals used to grow the crop [seeping] into the watershed, and the public-safety issues associated with the recreating public coming in contact with these organizations ....."
In a statement (about the LaBrea 88,000 acre fire), the Forest Service said the blaze was sparked by a "cooking fire in a marijuana drug-trafficking operation ... believed to be run by a Mexican national drug organization.
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
The warning was so stupidly worded that it could apply to anyone who spoke Spanish out for a weekend camping trip. In northern New Mexico that is about one-half of the LEGAL population. I'm not a fan of illegal immigrants, not by a long shot. But in this case I have to agree with the charge of profiling. It threw away the barrel for a few bad apples. Use common sense when in the back country, folks. And if you run into any of these types, it might just be a good idea to be armed and be able to use it.
Item: Drug prohibition is funding the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Item: In Colombia, the FARC is funded by drug prohibition as is Evo Morales in Bolivia. They join with Hugo Chavez to threaten our interests in South America.
Item: Mexico, especially in the north along the border, has turned into a lawless violent failed state due to the drug cartels and has spilled over into the US.
Item: US, the MS-13 and other violent gangs funded by drug prohibition and threatens our southern tier of states.
When is enough, enough?
The “national security conservatives” who support the drug war aren’t conservative at all.
If anything we should continue to kick and mock those who are so stupid as to support such an expensive useless endeavorer.
Conservative is not the word I’d use to describe them. Authoratarian jackass is what I use to describe supporters of the drug war. Conservatives they are not
That's not a National Park that is a National Forest. Two separate agencies of the FedGov. Just sayin'.
"...and the public-safety issues associated with the recreating public coming in contact with these organizations while they're operating on our national lands."
If it was a National Park we can thank Congress for not allowing citizens to carry arms in them.
One minor point to the author. Pike National FOREST does not contain any National Parks (There is Florissant Nat’l Monument - not where this stuff was found). A National Forest is not the same as National Park.
Anthropogenic Global Warming is causing the pine beetles to kill those trees. Can’t you see it? /s
I am going elk hunting in about seven weeks and hope I don't run into these thugs as it will be about harvest time. At least we will be armed.
Hah! Next you'll be telling me that broccoli dealers don't shoot each other in turf wars.
I have a question - have you ever had to deal directly with a crackhead or a heroin junkie in your life?
Not a trick question - I think pot should be legalized, but I have serious problems with legalizing 'hard' drugs.
Please demonstrate how pot is more harmful than alcohol. Also please note my previous post where I challenged a poster calling for blanket drug legalization.
Blanket laws historically are stupid. Let's look at each drug compartively.
The fact is that silly marijuana laws are bringing these Mexican gangsters into the United States. (/s is not applicable)
Ever deal with a serious alcoholic? Not much difference really except junkies and crackheads have to associate with some pretty unsavory characters to get their fix whereas the alcoholic can buy his fix from the corner store. As far as the damage and pain they cause themselves and those around them, not much difference at all.
Yeah, I've had to deal with alcoholics.
And they were mild compared to crackheads and methheads that I've know.
So tell me - have YOU ever had to deal with crackheads and/or methheads?
Yes I have and I've dealt with some pretty hardcore alcoholics. The alcoholic who loses his job and winds up in the hospital after a days long drinking binge isn't a whole lot different from the crackhead or methhead who does the same. Heroin junkies, on the other hand, can function surprisingly well, keeping their addiction hidden until the withdrawal symptoms kick in.
I've known plenty of functional alcoholics. I've met plenty of pot smokers who have no problem holding a job.
I know of maybe one crackhead who can hold a job, but she's still a vicious psycho who has stolen in the past. Methheads? Furgetaboutit.
So, like I said - a blanket call for drug legalization is stupid. Some drugs just cross a certain threshhold on their own. Pot should be legalized or at least decriminalized. Heroin needs to stay criminalized but with a lot of leeway regarding sentencing. Cocaine and meth need to have sentencing guidelines with a big honkin' stick available for posession - to let those around the perp testify as to how much of a problem that person has become.
Mandatory maximums are stupid, too. Judges need some leeway to filter out the major problem cases. But you cannot take away that lever.
Drugs are illegal and you’re confronted with junkie crackhead. Obviously, making drugs illegal didn’t provide protection. I actually think taking the illegality away from the drug trade will reduce the incentives for violence. Most of the violence is related to the illegality of the trade, not to any effect of drugs, hard or soft.
If the ultimate goal is reducing usage and not punishment, and rehab works in the same percentage regardless of voluntary or involuntary admission, why not make that the sentence?
“I can’t remember busts of this size and number in the past related to the Mexican cartels.”
It’s been going on for years, it’s just been kept under the MSM radar. Check these photos of cartel camps from 2005 & 2006.
http://towncriernews.blogspot.com/search?q=invasion+lou+dobbs
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