Previous Story
Conspiracy theory
|
Posted on Oct 16 2008
The joint federal and local Drug Enforcement agents should be commended for their actions in ensuring that the war against drugs is very much alive within our community. What transpired recently at the airport with the inbound Chinese tourists was unfortunate, but there is no excuse when there is probable cause, especially in the importation of illegal drugs.
There is an epidemic in the importation of illegal drugs, especially crystal meth, to the CNMI and 80 to 90 percent of recent drug busts involved Chinese nationals selling this drug on our streets. The most recent case was the individual who used a school bus stop as his drop-off or pick-up point. What’s next? Are we to wait until these illegal drug activities hit the classrooms? Who is going to be responsible? The Chinese government?
We agree that tourism is our main industry but we disagree with the governor’s conspiracy theory because the Drug Enforcement Administration was just acting according to its mandate. This issue now raises a huge question in the integrity of our government. Is the governor now promoting the idea that DEA should give immunity or special privileges to inbound tourist and exempt them from random searches or pat-downs and let them walk right through our borders regardless if there is probable cause that a passenger might be carrying illegal drugs? The other question is what has the local government done to deter such illegal activities?
As the governor, it is your duty to evaluate and control the situation, but to be biased in the name of tourism is highly inappropriate, especially when you denounce and penalize our own local enforcement officers publicly. We commend the efforts of all the men and women in uniform who put their lives at risk daily including their family to keep the CNMI safe and out of harm’s way.
[B]Gregorio Cruz Jr. [/B] [I]President, Taotao Tano[/I]
