Federal Government Busts Smugglers Accused of Using Babies to Bring Drugs Into Country

AP ^ | Saturday, December 15

[Bad~Rodeo]

CHICAGO (AP) - Federal officials broke up a sophisticated drug-smuggling ring in which the suspects allegedly used baby formula cans and sometimes even rented babies to sneak cocaine and heroin into the country.

Thirty-five people were charged, including four Chicago parents accused of renting their children for money or drugs. Smugglers allegedly used one infant on six trips - the first at 3 weeks old.

"This operation preyed on the great respect that we as human beings all afford mothers and babies - and betrayed that respect brazenly," U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald announced Friday. "Renting babies for the purpose of allowing drug dealers to smuggle cocaine and heroin is truly a new low in drug smuggling."

Fitzgerald announced indictments alleging Chicago-based conspiracies in which cocaine and heroin were smuggled into the United States from Panama and Jamaica for distribution in Chicago, New York and England between 1996 and 1999.

Those charged included the four parents, organizers, couriers and alleged suppliers in Panama and Jamaica.

Women couriers using 20 infants made at least 34 smuggling trips, Fitzgerald said. The women used either their own children or babies provided to them for the trip.

In Panama, some of the women would be given baby formula cans containing liquid cocaine. Others would insert heroin into their body cavities. Still others traveled with cocaine in rum bottles or concealed in suitcase handles. All of them would return to Chicago or New York with the drugs.

Most of the couriers and parents were recruited from Chicago's impoverished Englewood neighborhood, said Michael A. DeMarte, agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Authorities said the smugglers punched holes in the baby formula cans with a hammer and nail, drained out the formula, then used syringes to fill them back up with liquid cocaine. The holes were then soldered shut.

The indictments were returned late Thursday by a federal grand jury and unsealed Friday.

The charges stemmed from an investigation that began in 1999, when a customs inspector in Newark, N.J., discovered that a woman traveling to London was carrying six formula cans filled with liquid cocaine.

Nineteen people were charged and 18 convicted in earlier phases of the investigation, bringing to 54 the total number of people charged. The investigation is continuing into whether more people rented their infants to smugglers.

Authorities said about 50 pounds of cocaine and two pounds of heroin were seized as part of the investigation.

[4Freedom]

In your mind, we automatically go from a discussion of serious border security and punishment to a police state.

There's a whole lot inbetween, but you can't see it if you're stoned.

[VA Advogado]

These people should be crushed, not coddled.

[4Freedom]

Real patriots don't do drugs. You're playing right into the hands of our enemies.

[VA Advogado]

You and your pro-drug pals have sunk to a new low.

[VA Advogado]

You legalize illegal drugs and alot more people will use them. It's just that simple and true.

Why they don't understand this is a mystery to the rest of us normal types. God help us if any of these pro-dopers ever gets in power with their looney, half-baked ideas.

[4Freedom]

As long as the pro-dopers remain in political obscurity, in the libertarian party, they can't do any real harm.

[VA Advogado]

As long as the pro-dopers remain in political obscurity, in the libertarian party, they can't do any real harm.

I've always suspected the libertine party was bigger than the election results indicate. However, given the disproportionate number of dopers who self identify, their high drug use, and the brain damage . . . . well, they have a difficult time remembering who to vote for. :)

[bassmaner]

In your mind, we automatically go from a discussion of serious border security and punishment to a police state.

It (the police state) is already well on its way. Try doing a bank transaction of $10K or more. Try carrying a large amount of cash on a plane or Amtrak train. And many misguided people are now clamoring for national ID cards -- guess what: it's law-abiding citizens who'll be scrutinized under such a scheme, while terrorists and other will criminals will fake their way through such a system, just like they always do. It may not seem too bad now, but once those liberties are gone, they ain't comin' back. Just like the proverbial frog in the slowly boiling water, you'll be cooked before you know it.

There's a whole lot inbetween, but you can't see it if you're stoned.

Oh, of course, resort to the ad homenim attack when you can't back up the argument. I shouldn't expect any less from a drug warrior.

[bassmaner]

I've always suspected the libertine party was bigger than the election results indicate. However, given the disproportionate number of dopers who self identify, their high drug use, and the brain damage . . . . well, they have a difficult time remembering who to vote for. :)

Just pull that big lever at the top marked "D". That'll help give the gubmint more money to fight those evil dopers. Right, VA?

[Nate505]

A friend of ours told us that his friends went to Mexico for the day. They were in a shop with their three year old son. They stopped to look at something and when they turned around the little boy was gone. The police started a search and at the border crossing stopped and searched every car and truck. They found him in the back seat of a car, he had been gutted and was packed with drugs. There should be a death penalty for all drug smugglers.

That sounds like a total urban legand to me. You don't think a 3 year old US kid getting killed for drug smuggling would make huge, absolutely huge, headlines over here? And here's a novel idea....why not try the people for murder and execute them for that?

[Nate505]

Already 30% of the population supports the legalization of pot. The large majority of people against it are the WW2 generation. Guess what, they aren't going to live forever....

[Nate505]

How long do you think the public will stomach little Johnny down the street getting executed for drug smuggling, considering we can hardly execute murderers in this country?

[4Freedom]

If you're doing a legal transaction of $10,000 or more, what's the problem?

Who in the world carries a large amount of cash on a plane, train or bus, anymore? You'd be asking to be robbed.

If you're not smuggling anything across the border, who cares if the military searches your car and luggage? Who cares if the military makes it impossible to cross the border anywhere but at the legal crossing points.

These are alot of empty arguments.

I believe you made the first ad hominin' attack, Drugmaner.

[tpaine]

How did I get included in your imaginings here AV?

Could it be that congenital MR you have that we discussed yesterday?

[Cu Roi]

If you're doing a legal transaction of $10,000 or more, what's the problem?

The problem is that the government can sieze that money even if it simply suspects you may be involved in the drug trade. You do not have to be convicted of any crime, and the onus is often on you to get the money back. This is because the government often initiates civil proceedings against the property itself, which is afforded no rights under the constitution.

Who in the world carries a large amount of cash on a plane, train or bus, anymore? You'd be asking to be robbed.

It's your right to carry money wherever you want. That's why they call it ``legal tender''. Nobody asks to get robbed, although the government seems to be considering more and more patterns of behavior an excuse to rob you.

If you're not smuggling anything across the border, who cares if the military searches your car and luggage?

I do, since the searches are not always limited to your car and luggage. Some of us just don't like the idea of giving a bunch of stormtroopers the power to strip search any woman they find attractive under the pretext of looking for drugs.

[karebare]

I do see a big difference between the druggie and the murderer. Addiction and and psychopath,are very different creatures. What you propose will make it more likely to find a killer in the alley. And alot of people falsley accused.

[VA Advogado]

You know speaking of your involvement in the MR thread, I was pretty suprised that you responded by telling me you have had offspring. Based on your rather ignorant, bizzard, naive and misguided posts here I figured you were rather young yourself.

[Nate505]

It would appear you're living proof that one doesn't need to be young to be ignorant, bizzare, naive and misguided....

[VA Advogado]

What are you TP's second stringer?

[Zon]

Funny how the ones that hate the war on drugs the most end up saying some of the most violent and confrontational things.

161 posted on 12/28/01 11:13 AM Pacific by VA Advogado

 

I have no problem with Jack booted thugs when they're used against the right people. In this case, law breaking druggies are the right people. No mercy, no peas.

8 posted on 12/13/01 4:50 AM Pacific by VA Advogado

 

American twaddle. You're either with us or against us. You are clearly against us.

10 posted on 12/28/01 8:11 AM Pacific by VA Advogado

 

Ha, never. Its a lot easier to just crank up what we're doing now and keep you in the cross hairs. Give the BATF more effective tools, more money, more men and bigger bounties and we're there.

87 posted on 12/28/01 9:49 AM Pacific by VA Advogado

96 posted on 12/28/01 9:54 AM Pacific by VA Advogado