Judging by recent news accounts, illegal drug trafficking is no longer a creeping societal menace. Instead, the nation has in it's hands a full blown crisis. If one attributes much of the increased prosecutions or interdictions on vigilant law enforcement particularly on the part of the drug squad, you are left to wonder whether the sheer size or frequency of cases don't point to a marked increase in the overall volume of drug dealing. From the seaport to the airport not to mention at the numerous porous borders, police are said to be seizing large volumes of drugs that seem to be headed to third countries primarily in Europe. Over the years dealers have evolved a rather sophisticated method of operation that relies on moving the drugs from producer countries, taking them to transshipment countries and finally to consumer nations. Typically the dealers look to small and strategically located countries like those in the Caribbean for dealers interested in the US market and West Africa for dealers angling for Western Europe. Countries where there is a penchant for corruption and greed become particularly susceptible as the dealers are more than willing to aggressively buy access and influence. Even individuals who up until the drug proliferation have been engaged in legitimate business may not be immune to the ever present desire to make quick money relatively easily either through participation in laundering transactions or serving as conduits during transshipment. Our country fits this rather ominous bill and I fear the emerging trends point to a nation at the cusp of being gradually overwhelmed by crime syndicates who want to use Gambia as a major drug transshipment point by taking advantage of the nation's weak capacity for law enforcement and overall border insecurity and pervasive corruption. We don't frown on much less investigate folks who display sudden wealth. Instead they can expect much adulation and respect thus fueling the never ending myth that there is indeed easy and fast money to made out there. Once we manage to get stuck with the dubious distinction of being a major drug transshipment point, we will find out that it is almost impossible to shake off such a label. Just ask the good people of Nigeria who must endure humiliating treatment as they travel the world. Bad reputations on nations are often like albatrosses; they persistently hang on the necks of citizens. As a result a legitimate businessman who just wants to come to New York or Madrid to buy merchandise for his store in Albert Market would find himself subject to endless scrutiny for simple business visa application that should be routine and automatic. Consequently, list members I would suggest the government do two things as a matter of urgency. First enact into law severe penalties that includes mandatory sentences for those found guilty of possession, distribution and laundering drug proceeds. The current laws are inadequate to serve as a deterrent. Secondly the scope, training and resources of the drug squad has to be vastly increased if the problem can even begin to be addressed. One way to make the unit more effective is to reconstitute it to incorporate a marine detachment that would be assigned through a defense department laison , a similar detachment from customs specifically trained to look for drugs and a phalanx of trained detectives all under the overall command of the director of the drug squad. This would enable the unit to have better surveillance especially at the airport and at the sea where the transshipments must occur. The idea is to choke off the dealers ability to ship the drugs out of the Gambia to the consuming markets assuming he has an easier time getting it in through the porous border. While I do not underestimate the threat drugs pose to our own people considering all the attendant problems of crime and other ills drug consumption precipitates, the real incentive for these hideous dealers is the richer overseas markets. We must slay this monster before the nation is overwhelmed. The resources for a revamped drug squad should come from existing government allocations. I would get it from two sources; from the D60 million allocated to the Presidency over D3million of which is slated to be paid to Yahya Jammeh as perdiem and personal allowances for the nonsensical trips he makes the world over. The rest would be the entire allocation for the N.I.A for fiscal 2000. They ought to be disbanded , and be asked to hand in their radios and expensive cell phones and summarily dismissed because they are up to no good other than hauling reporters and other innocent civilians to their dingy offices to visit evil on them. If we don't do anything soon, we will find ourselves run by drug kingpins. Karamba ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------