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Drone activity by drug cartels surges on San Diego's border with Mexico

WCH

WCH

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SAN DIEGO — U.S. Border Patrol agents based in San Diego have spotted 15 drones flying between Tijuana, Mexico, and Southern California over the past 12 months, according to new data provided to the Washington Examiner.

Not one of the drone operators involved in those incidents was prosecuted for using an unmanned aerial system, or drone, around the international border, which is protected air space.

From Oct. 1, 2016, through Sept. 30, 2017, the same border sector reported two known incidents. In fiscal 2016, five occurred. Before then, it wasn't even tracked.

Snip...

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/...rtels-surges-on-san-diegos-border-with-mexico

This is the part that really caught my attention;

Villareal said the devices could be used to carry out a massive attack on the public. Someone looking to carrying out a terror attack could plant synthetic fentanyl on the drone and release it over a group of people. Just three tiny grains of the strongest fentanyl being smuggled into the U.S. is enough to put a person in a coma and a small baggie full of the substance would have devastating effects.

“It's the perfect criminal tool,” Villareal said. “A single pound of fentanyl [dropped above a crowd] would devastate a whole stadium.”
 
The best way to beat the cartels is also the simplest: legalize drugs.
 
PoS said:
The best way to beat the cartels is also the simplest: legalize drugs.
Click to expand...

Fentanyl? Heroin? Coke?

FWIW I have no problem with the legalization of marijuana.
 
WCH said:
SAN DIEGO — U.S. Border Patrol agents based in San Diego have spotted 15 drones flying between Tijuana, Mexico, and Southern California over the past 12 months, according to new data provided to the Washington Examiner.

Not one of the drone operators involved in those incidents was prosecuted for using an unmanned aerial system, or drone, around the international border, which is protected air space.

From Oct. 1, 2016, through Sept. 30, 2017, the same border sector reported two known incidents. In fiscal 2016, five occurred. Before then, it wasn't even tracked.

Snip...

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/...rtels-surges-on-san-diegos-border-with-mexico

This is the part that really caught my attention;

Villareal said the devices could be used to carry out a massive attack on the public. Someone looking to carrying out a terror attack could plant synthetic fentanyl on the drone and release it over a group of people. Just three tiny grains of the strongest fentanyl being smuggled into the U.S. is enough to put a person in a coma and a small baggie full of the substance would have devastating effects.

“It's the perfect criminal tool,” Villareal said. “A single pound of fentanyl [dropped above a crowd] would devastate a whole stadium.”
Click to expand...

That seems to assume that the arial dropping of synthetic fentanyl would somehow cause folks to ingest it. There are likely many other toxic substances (biological weapons?) that could be used (spread) in the same way. What is the proposed solution since even the Great Wall of Trump would not stop any form of aircraft?
 
WCH said:
SAN DIEGO — U.S. Border Patrol agents based in San Diego have spotted 15 drones flying between Tijuana, Mexico, and Southern California over the past 12 months, according to new data provided to the Washington Examiner.

Not one of the drone operators involved in those incidents was prosecuted for using an unmanned aerial system, or drone, around the international border, which is protected air space.

From Oct. 1, 2016, through Sept. 30, 2017, the same border sector reported two known incidents. In fiscal 2016, five occurred. Before then, it wasn't even tracked.

Snip...

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/...rtels-surges-on-san-diegos-border-with-mexico

This is the part that really caught my attention;

Villareal said the devices could be used to carry out a massive attack on the public. Someone looking to carrying out a terror attack could plant synthetic fentanyl on the drone and release it over a group of people. Just three tiny grains of the strongest fentanyl being smuggled into the U.S. is enough to put a person in a coma and a small baggie full of the substance would have devastating effects.

“It's the perfect criminal tool,” Villareal said. “A single pound of fentanyl [dropped above a crowd] would devastate a whole stadium.”
Click to expand...

Damn that war on drugs works so well! Let's get DJT to double down on it. Let the military run it, yeah! Send more troops to the border, yeah!
 
WCH said:
Fentanyl? Heroin? Coke?

FWIW I have no problem with the legalization of marijuana.
Click to expand...

Logic demands that IF you are going to assign a drug's legal status according to its toxicity, then you must include alcohol, tobacco and aspirin on your list of forbidden drugs.
 
PoS said:
The best way to beat the cartels is also the simplest: legalize drugs.
Click to expand...

Should other cartel (organized crime) activities also be legalized? Besides recreational drug sales, cartels (organized crime) also make money from human trafficking, protection rackets (extortion), gambling, other smuggling (copyright infirngement), loan sharking and prostitution.

The biggest failure of the 'war on drugs' is not concentrating on the demand side. The existence of a multi-billion dollar demand (for anything) is going to create a supply.
 
Thoreau72 said:
Logic demands that IF you are going to assign a drug's legal status according to its toxicity, then you must include alcohol, tobacco and aspirin on your list of forbidden drugs.
Click to expand...

I was just listing the comfortably numb varieties, I neglected to include Meth. I agree alcohol still needs to be regulated.
 
WCH said:
Fentanyl? Heroin? Coke?

FWIW I have no problem with the legalization of marijuana.
Click to expand...

All of them. the gubmint should have no say on what you want to put into your own body.

ttwtt78640 said:
Should other cartel (organized crime) activities also be legalized? Besides recreational drug sales, cartels (organized crime) also make money from human trafficking, protection rackets (extortion), gambling, other smuggling (copyright infirngement), loan sharking and prostitution.

The biggest failure of the 'war on drugs' is not concentrating on the demand side. The existence of a multi-billion dollar demand (for anything) is going to create a supply.
Click to expand...

The biggest income of the cartels comes from drug sales and distribution. With the kind of money they make from it, they are untouchable, but if you get rid of that source, then they become vulnerable.

You cannot stop demand. Prohibition has proven this. If people want to snort, inject, smoke, hit, etc. Then the best way to deal with it is to regulate it rather than ban it.
 
WCH said:
SAN DIEGO — U.S. Border Patrol agents based in San Diego have spotted 15 drones flying between Tijuana, Mexico, and Southern California over the past 12 months, according to new data provided to the Washington Examiner.

Not one of the drone operators involved in those incidents was prosecuted for using an unmanned aerial system, or drone, around the international border, which is protected air space.

From Oct. 1, 2016, through Sept. 30, 2017, the same border sector reported two known incidents. In fiscal 2016, five occurred. Before then, it wasn't even tracked.

Snip...

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/...rtels-surges-on-san-diegos-border-with-mexico

This is the part that really caught my attention;

Villareal said the devices could be used to carry out a massive attack on the public. Someone looking to carrying out a terror attack could plant synthetic fentanyl on the drone and release it over a group of people. Just three tiny grains of the strongest fentanyl being smuggled into the U.S. is enough to put a person in a coma and a small baggie full of the substance would have devastating effects.

“It's the perfect criminal tool,” Villareal said. “A single pound of fentanyl [dropped above a crowd] would devastate a whole stadium.”
Click to expand...

They spotted 15, so who knows how many they didn’t spot. I am surprised we haven’t had drone-based attacks in the US her. I’m sure it is only a matter of time. I do question whether or not dropping fentanyl pills would hurt anyone unless they picked them up and swelled them. Maybe if they were dropped in powder form and inhaled?
 
ttwtt78640 said:
That seems to assume that the arial dropping of synthetic fentanyl would somehow cause folks to ingest it. There are likely many other toxic substances (biological weapons?) that could be used (spread) in the same way. What is the proposed solution since even the Great Wall of Trump would not stop any form of aircraft?
Click to expand...

Personal breathing apparatuses for everyone at large outdoor events.?

If the Fentanyl were ground into a fine powder or mixed with an aerosol, it would be more lethal. It usually comes in a crystalline powder.
 
PoS said:
All of them. the gubmint should have no say on what you want to put into your own body.



The biggest income of the cartels comes from drug sales and distribution. With the kind of money they make from it, they are untouchable, but if you get rid of that source, then they become vulnerable.

You cannot stop demand. Prohibition has proven this. If people want to snort, inject, smoke, hit, etc. Then the best way to deal with it is to regulate it rather than ban it.
Click to expand...

Legal prescribed drugs have proven the same thing and look at the current crisis. We can't encourage addiction.
 
Last edited:
Skeptic Bob said:
They spotted 15, so who knows how many they didn’t spot. I am surprised we haven’t had drone-based attacks in the US her. I’m sure it is only a matter of time. I do question whether or not dropping fentanyl pills would hurt anyone unless they picked them up and swelled them. Maybe if they were dropped in powder form and inhaled?
Click to expand...

The illicit kind comes in a powder.
 
WCH said:
I was just listing the comfortably numb varieties, I neglected to include Meth. I agree alcohol still needs to be regulated.
Click to expand...

By regulated, do you mean prohibited?

Isn't alcohol already regulated? The law forbids its sale to minors.
 
Thoreau72 said:
By regulated, do you mean prohibited?

Isn't alcohol already regulated? The law forbids its sale to minors.
Click to expand...
No, not prohibited. I drink.

Just agree with alcohol being thrown in with the rest of the addicting substances.
 
WCH said:
No, not prohibited. I drink.

Just agree with alcohol being thrown in with the rest of the addicting substances.
Click to expand...

So you think that alcohol should be handled like cocaine or morphine?
 
Thoreau72 said:
So you think that alcohol should be handled like cocaine or morphine?
Click to expand...

If we're going to legalize those drugs...probably so. IMO, we don't have a drug problem, we have an addiction problem.
 
WCH said:
If we're going to legalize those drugs...probably so. IMO, we don't have a drug problem, we have an addiction problem.
Click to expand...

Just like we have a hemorrhoid problem or a hypertension problem. Like it or not, addiction is part of the human condition. We manage to live with it for most substances like coffee and alcohol and tobacco, but bureaucrats and simple minds like to have a few drugs on the 'verboten' list because it gives them a reason for their job in the case of the bureaucrats, and an easy rationalization for the simple minds.
 
Thoreau72 said:
Just like we have a hemorrhoid problem or a hypertension problem. Like it or not, addiction is part of the human condition. We manage to live with it for most substances like coffee and alcohol and tobacco, but bureaucrats and simple minds like to have a few drugs on the 'verboten' list because it gives them a reason for their job in the case of the bureaucrats, and an easy rationalization for the simple minds.
Click to expand...
Alright, let's make everything legal and see what happens. A Libertarian utopia.
 
WCH said:
Alright, let's make everything legal and see what happens. A Libertarian utopia.
Click to expand...

You're going to need to be a bit more specific if we're going to have a meaningful discussion.

Do you mean that all consumer products should be "legal", or do you mean that consumer products AND human actions should all be legal? I'm sure you don't mean that murder or assault or torture should be made legal?
 
Thoreau72 said:
You're going to need to be a bit more specific if we're going to have a meaningful discussion.

Do you mean that all consumer products should be "legal", or do you mean that consumer products AND human actions should all be legal? I'm sure you don't mean that murder or assault or torture should be made legal?
Click to expand...

No, just what you can put into your body.
 
ttwtt78640 said:
That seems to assume that the arial dropping of synthetic fentanyl would somehow cause folks to ingest it. There are likely many other toxic substances (biological weapons?) that could be used (spread) in the same way. What is the proposed solution since even the Great Wall of Trump would not stop any form of aircraft?
Click to expand...

You forget this is trumps wall, it will be the greatest wall ever built, other walls will bow to it power, it will extend I to outer space where it will be patrols by our space force ships...
 
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