UNNECESSARY EPIDEMIC Hidden Powerhouses Underlie Meth's Ugly Spread

The Oregonian ^ | April 3, 2005 | STEVE SUO

[Travis McGee]

"The reality is that 80 percent of meth comes from Mexican drug cartels operating here, in the rural expanses of Central and Southern California. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, only 20 percent of the supply is made by local users themselves."

Police say the cookie-cutter approach reflects the guiding hand of Mexico-based drug cartels, which run the labs in California and distribute the finished product across the country.

Labor comes from migrant workers. California drug agents call these lab operators "mopes" -- police lingo for low-level henchmen.

After laying in a supply of groceries, the mopes would work for two days without sleep to monitor the delicate reaction. A misstep could cost $50,000. Some are told their families in Mexico will be killed if they speak to the police. At times, drug agents have come upon mopes in a lab padlocked from the outside.

Don't worry about our open borders, folks. These hardworking undocumented immigrants are just running the meth "superlabs" Americans are too lazy to run.

[Travis McGee]

Disgusted ping.

[2banana]

Don't worry, the Mexicans are only making the meth that Americans refuse to make...

[Rabid Dog]

Interesting and probably closer to home than we think.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Anybody with a couple of semesters of college organic chemistry could probably set up a superlab if they were so inclined.

It's not rocket science, unless you are a meth user.

[Little Pig]

Bastards. No wonder R-12 is so friggin hard to get for us "real car" drivers. (yes, I know the drug is a far worse problem, but this just adds insult to injury).

[Mr. Mojo]

It would be nice if President Bush would get as angry about the fact that Mexican drug cartels are operating within the U.S. as he is about American patriots defending our borders against the influx of these cartels (and other criminals).

[Calusa]

What's the freon for?

[sasafras]

Thank GW for allowing Mexicans to deal the drugs Americans dont want to deal. Bush is a disgrace and the reason all of us will be calling Hillary, Pres. Clinton in 08. GW is just like his dad, refuses to listen to the American public and act like he knows best while most of us realize he is could care less about our welfare as long as business and the world order are served.

[Little Pig]

Air conditioning. The new R-134 can't get nearly as cold as the old R-12 did, plus you have to replace damn near the whole A/C system to convert an R-12 system to R-134.

[CGTRWK]

Designed for scientific research, the 22-liter reaction vessel could hold the contents of 11 two-liter soda bottles.

It would be nice if news didn't have to be written on the level of not too bright 4th graders.

[Travis McGee]

So you are a supporter of easy access to massive amounts of meth.

Nice to know.

[Travis McGee]

Is that only if you pour the soda out, or can you fit the entire bottles into the reaction vessel? I'm so confused....

[Calusa]

Sorry. I mean why is it used in the illegal labs?

[HiJinx]

Travis, do you suppose - a la the Boston Globe article - the owners/operators of these superlabs are contributing to the solvency of the US Social Security Administration? /rhetorical question

[E. Pluribus Unum]

So you are a supporter of easy access to massive amounts of meth.

Nice to know.

No, I just don't see how you are going to stop it unless you are a supporter of censoring the Journal of the American Chemical Society or some other Fascist response.

[Travis McGee]

For one thing, keeping criminal aliens (who are running the superlabs) out of the USA.

If you read the article, you would know that the Mexican syndicate run superlabs are making 80% of the meth.

[azhenfud]

These are not "drug dealers"; they're "undocumented pharmaceuticals distributors"

[Travis McGee]

Maybe we better ask the NYT about the economic benefits of meth superlabs operated by Mexican criminal gangs.