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| Winnipeg Police Ford Interceptor |
Police estimate the Hell's Angels operation brought in $100,000 a month.
A side note: Where does all the confiscated money go?
Today, another 11 gang members were arrested. This time from the Mad Cowz. Once again the arrests center around trafficking, specifically cocaine.
If the belief in Winnipeg is that the arrest of so many in organized crime will make the city safer, it is probably not going to happen.
Why?
Demand.
There will be demand to fill the insatiable need for drugs in Winnipeg and the province.
If you wonder why there is so much organized crime in Winnipeg, it is because there is so much demand for drugs. Looks to your friends, your neighbours and yourself. If you are using in some form or fashion, it is likely you contribute to organized crime. The harder the drug, the more likely that organized crime was responsible for bringing it to you.
I know some recreational users of drugs probably don't want to responsibility for their behaviour citing that they have never been arrested or are not scum like those who distribute but it hard to reconcile with outcomes.
The fact of the matter is that Winnipegger's demand is responsible for the fight amongst distributors of drugs.
Now people can argue that the government should take a role in these drugs as they did with alcohol and still do today. I don't disagree and some police say the same thing. I personally don't have a use for drugs but then I am not suffering from cancer where the doctor might be recommending it either.
The point is that our morality on things like alcohol and gambling have run into a brick wall with things like demand. The government gave in on the first two. No one in their right mind has called outright for Prohibition despite the huffing and puffing.
And while government may be addicted to alcohol, gambling and cigarette taxes, it is probably better than the carnage of illegal activity. At some point, we ought to...need to think about this in regards to drugs.
But we don't live under government sanction and control of drugs now. Our provincial and federal governments are pressing ever harder on drugs and large segments of the population are pushing back with demand and those that supply illegally are jumping in.
It is something to think about when the various names of arrested suspects appears on TV. How many are them are there to supply the supposed victimless crime of using drugs?
In the end, what we can expect is a long, hot summer of violence connected to the vacuum left by another police sweep of suppliers. While I certainly don't advocate the police not doing their jobs, it does seem like an endless circle.
People who demand drugs should know their part in this cycle.
If the belief in Winnipeg is that the arrest of so many in organized crime will make the city safer, it is probably not going to happen.
Why?
Demand.
There will be demand to fill the insatiable need for drugs in Winnipeg and the province.
If you wonder why there is so much organized crime in Winnipeg, it is because there is so much demand for drugs. Looks to your friends, your neighbours and yourself. If you are using in some form or fashion, it is likely you contribute to organized crime. The harder the drug, the more likely that organized crime was responsible for bringing it to you.
I know some recreational users of drugs probably don't want to responsibility for their behaviour citing that they have never been arrested or are not scum like those who distribute but it hard to reconcile with outcomes.
The fact of the matter is that Winnipegger's demand is responsible for the fight amongst distributors of drugs.
Now people can argue that the government should take a role in these drugs as they did with alcohol and still do today. I don't disagree and some police say the same thing. I personally don't have a use for drugs but then I am not suffering from cancer where the doctor might be recommending it either.
The point is that our morality on things like alcohol and gambling have run into a brick wall with things like demand. The government gave in on the first two. No one in their right mind has called outright for Prohibition despite the huffing and puffing.
And while government may be addicted to alcohol, gambling and cigarette taxes, it is probably better than the carnage of illegal activity. At some point, we ought to...need to think about this in regards to drugs.
But we don't live under government sanction and control of drugs now. Our provincial and federal governments are pressing ever harder on drugs and large segments of the population are pushing back with demand and those that supply illegally are jumping in.
It is something to think about when the various names of arrested suspects appears on TV. How many are them are there to supply the supposed victimless crime of using drugs?
In the end, what we can expect is a long, hot summer of violence connected to the vacuum left by another police sweep of suppliers. While I certainly don't advocate the police not doing their jobs, it does seem like an endless circle.
People who demand drugs should know their part in this cycle.
1 comment:
Here's food for thought - by arresting the established dealers and eradicating the established gangs, a void is left that will cause fighting to occur as new players battle for the turf. Since the demand for drugs will remain, wouldn't it make more sense to leave the status quo in place, so long as there is minimal effect to bystanders?
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