Victory!

[Rave]

This story was all over the evening news two days ago. 500 Police officers delivered a 'huge blow' to the illegal drugs industry:

BBC NEWS | UK | Drugs raids 'hugely successful'

Detective Superintendent Steve Richardson said: "Today's operation has been hugely successful"/

Been hugely succesful has it? I guess that must mean that you're pretty close to winning the war on drugs then?



The BBC is supposed to provide a balanced view of the news. Did they point out that a £5.5m drug seizure accounts for less than 0.1% of the annual British drugs market?

BBC News | UK | Life of Crime | Organised crime: Global threat to the UK

Did they ****.

Ask yourselves this: how many times have you seen a news item which involves a bunch of policement in riot gear knocking down a drug dealer's door. Me: I've seen literally hundreads over the last ten years. And- it's still a piece of piss to buy drugs on the streets of London.

In general, I'm not a conspiracy theorist. To me though, it couldn't be more obvious that the war on drugs can never be won. You don't have to be a genius to put two and two together. Either our senior politiciians are all, without exception, chronically stupid, or they're too afraid to challenge the Murdoch/Rothermere Idiocracy that controls the major media outlets in this country.

[Bhavv]

The police are doing their best. Dont forget that they are risking their lives by dealing with criminal scums.

[funke_munke]

Dont forget that they are risking their lives by dealing with criminal scums.

Shouldn't that enforce the idea that Rave's point of it being an unwinnable war should be taken more seriously?

[TeePee]

'War on Drugs'? Wasn't that the 1980's version of the 'War on Terror'? But isn't that really just another version of the 1950's 'War on Socialism', which is simply a part of the US government's strategy to distract a stupid public while they get their kickback for diverting million's of dollars into research into Alaskan 'Alternative Salmon Products'.

England would be better off legalising all drugs than following the US's lead so often. (In fact, the matter was brought up in Prime Minister's Question Time this week.)

[AndrewJ]

The police are doing their best. Dont forget that they are risking their lives by dealing with criminal scums.

O'Rly.

My single mom neighbour with a son, * husband was abusive and left* had her kitchen door window smashed, they broke in and took her fridge and cooker... why we don't know but we suspect some travellers down road.

She calls Police when she come back night after since she was away, took them literally 14hours to respond.

I park a car outside my house for 2days without tax or MOT, waiting for a trailer. I had a knock on door from a copper, I know a mate of mine who had a white indicator because the orange filament had worn away with age, pulled over in minutes, you get a speed ticket for 34mph in a 30mph zone, yeah perhaps if the police either

1) Stopped going for easy to fix crimes to bump up statistics

2) Got more police

3) Where given more power and not hand tied by the nanny brigade

Or perhaps all three, we may actually get somewhere with todays crime.

[merdat]

Well, every little helps, - CROP FAILURE -local story. Firemen responding to a premises alarm thought that they detected the smell of burning so forced access to ensure that there was no fire. Low and behold they found a 'cannabis factory' . -You could say 'an own goal'. Not only that but when police did some investigation that found other premises in a different Town which were being used for the same purposes.

[JPreston]

it's still a piece of piss to buy drugs on the streets of London.

But it won't be anymore, not after today's hugely successful raid!!

[Stewart]

Yeah Rave, can't you read? The raid was 'hugely successful', I'd wager you wont be able to get your hands on a 10 bag anywhere within 30 miles of the Gherkin after this 'hugely successful' raid.

[DavidM]

I agree with AndrewJ

[Tumble]

Well, every little helps, - CROP FAILURE -local story. Firemen responding to a premises alarm thought that they detected the smell of burning so forced access to ensure that there was no fire. Low and behold they found a 'cannabis factory' . -You could say 'an own goal'. Not only that but when police did some investigation that found other premises in a different Town which were being used for the same purposes.

YouTube - Stoned FireFighter

hehe

[Optical668]

Whens theres a demand for these drugs theres always going to be someone there to supply them. They seized alot of drugs, arrested some people yeh great. But the producers who manufacturer the drugs who make billions can and will just make more drugs and simply replace the people who got arrested. When theres money to be made you can be sure someones gonna be there to take their place.

[greenalien]

Prohibition => Gangster culture.

It happened with Alcohol in the USA in the 1920s and nobody seems to have learned the lesson then.

If taking drugs is a crime - who's the victim?

It would be more sensible to legalize all drugs, then they could be taxed, making money for the government and providing quality control for users. The money currently wasted on enforcement could be spent on education, ensuring anyone tempted to experiment with drugs made an informed choice. And nobody would have to face burglary or mugging from a junkie who needs to pay for their next fix.

[TheAnimus]

And nobody would have to face burglary or mugging from a junkie who needs to pay for their next fix.

Because as it stands the only crime thats committed is to pay for illegal things!

[Wyoming]

In addition to what greenalien said, if drugs were legalised then there would be less chance of them being adultered with other substances and the user could have more idea of the potency of the substance that he/she was using.

I would provide the link, but I'm posting from my mobile, but a quick google for "milton friedman america's drug forum" should provide you with a brilliant interview where friedman goes through the pros and con [singular] of legislation.

[pollaxe]

I always figure that the media is more interested in drama than news.

[godsdog]

Too many stupid people out there wanting demand met, too many 'legitimate' institutions enjoying the fruits of the trade. What is it? Oil, arms and drugs the three top earners....nothing new to see here, move along.