Organ Pipe Smuggling Problem Only Getting Worse

Outside Magazine ^ | July 18, 2002 | Megan Miller

[SJackson]

A favorite destination in years past. Now a part of America essentially "out of bounds".

[ofMagog]

I've seen these cacti show up at various farmers' markets in a couple of states. They are also seen in many Phoenix yards, symbols of greed.

[coloradan]

More casualties in the War On (some) Drugs: organ pipe cacti. How much collateral damage is too much? Decriminalization would end this destruction.

[SJackson]

I wasn't thinking of the cactus. I've backpacked there a few times, wouldn't consider it now. I know a few colleges who would include it on student trips, but having found drug stashes on multiple occasions, won't run the risk of going there anymore. It's become a monument to our porous borders rather than the cacti.

[marron]

In many cases, seriously dehydrated hikers destroy cactuses to get to their stored water supplies.

Smuggle dope, smuggle illegals, thats bad, yadda yadda, but chop up a cactus to get a drink in the desert, and you are going to jail.

We have rangers with night vision, body armor, and M16's to see that you get what's coming to you.

[ofMagog]

Smuggling there would prevent me from visiting again, especially camping in the area.

[TigersEye]

I have heard that Organ Pipe is one of those UN International Peace Parks. So much for peace there.

[coloradan]

So, yet another casualty in the War On (some) Drugs is secure borders. There are undoubtedly many more.

[billyhill]

Either legalize pot or start protecting our borders from this scum by using our military.

[HiJinx]

Yup. Shoot to Kill.
We're just about there....

[Tony in Hawaii]

Who would want to smuggle organ pipes?

[Wolfie]

Organ smokers? (Don't go there...)

[Diamond]

Who would want to smuggle organ pipes?

LOL. That's also what I thought when I read the headline. I thought it was a story about out-of-control church organists or something.

Cordially,

[nepdap]

Both strategies pose dangers to smugglers, rangers, park visitors, and perhaps most of all, to the park's fragile desert ecosystem.

I agree with you -- it sounds like this article is more concerned about cactus than people.

[Cyber Liberty]

"They are also seen in many Phoenix yards, symbols of greed."

Well, that settles it for me: I'm buying one for my front yard.

[etcetera]

The article doesn't explain why the smugglers are carrying marijuana instead of cocaine. Cocaine has a higher value-per-pound rate than MJ, so you'd think that smuggling coke would make more sense financially.

But this article is more proof that MJ should be legalized to remove the profit motive.

[SJackson]

The article doesn't explain why the smugglers are carrying marijuana instead of cocaine. Cocaine has a higher value-per-pound rate than MJ, so you'd think that smuggling coke would make more sense financially.

The trip leaders that I've spoken to who no longer go there have observed cached baloons of what appeared to be cocaine. As another poster mentions, the article does seem more concerned about the cacti than people. When they mention But because it shares 30 miles of backcountry border with Mexico— fenced only with easy-to-cut barbed wire they fail to mention that we're talking a couple of single strands of wire that wouldn't keep a cow in or out (unless it's been upgraded in the last 8-10 years) and that a Mexican highway paralells the border of the park on the other side.

[Jonathon Spectre]

Both strategies pose dangers to smugglers, rangers, park visitors, and perhaps most of all, to the park's fragile desert ecosystem.

Oh, the lovely fragile desert. The cursed, rainless place where only the hideous and freakishly mutated survive. WTF is this, an episode of "Captain Planet"?

[strela]

Organ smokers? (Don't go there...)

Only if they were from Poland. Then they'd be pole ...

[Wm Bach]

I thought it was a story about out-of-control church organists or something.

J.S. Bach -The Great Organ Works.

And he has 16 children as proof.