« Previous Entries
» Next Entries

Asia

Asia, War on Drugs
Myanmar Burns Drugs Too!
06.26.06 | Permalink | Comment?

In another vacuous display of international solidarity in the drug war, Myanmar has joined the throng of countries marking “International Drugs Day” with a display of deference by way of incinerating drugs.

Despite being the source of over 300 tons per year of opium, not to mention hundreds of milllions of methamphetamine tablets, Myanmar felt that incinerating just under 700 kilograms of illicit narcotics would be enough to convince the world that it is serious in its efforts to fight drugs.
Asia, War on Drugs
More Drug Bonfires!
06.26.06 | Permalink | Comment?

This time it’s Thailand’s turn to demonstrate their commitment to the war on drugs by incinerating a great big massive bunch of them!

Over three tons of illicit narcotics were incinerated in Thailand today to mark the “Internation Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking” in a good, old fashioned drug bonfire. The drugs included 32 million tablets of methamphetamines weighing in at almost 3 tons.

Importantly, as the newspaper article mentions, there were lots of journalists as well as members of internation agencies and organisations on hand to witness the event. And there is really the crux of it. These ridiculous events are basically a public spectacle for cash strapped governments to demonstrate to the world that they are capable of taking orders in the war on drugs.
Asia, Smuggling
Woman Swallows 320 Heroin Condoms!?
06.24.06 | Permalink | Comment?

According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, a woman has been detained by Australian customs with 320 heroin-filled condoms in her stomach.

In an attempt to smuggle drugs into the country, the 25 year old woman went on what must be close to a world record for heroin-filled condom eating! (Unless of course, the newspaper made a mistake and the actual number was 32?)

Police escorted the woman to a medical facility where staff waited until she passed around 300 grams of heroin after which she was charged with importing drugs.
Asia, War on Drugs
The Last Days of Disco
06.24.06 | Permalink | Comment?

As part of its new campaign against drug use in entertainment venues that launched this month, Beijing authorities have just opened up a new front in China’s general war on drugs: “disco” music.

On the first day of this month the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Public Security began its assault on drug use in karaoke bars, dance halls and various drinking spots, with up to 10,000 businesses said to be signing “responsibility agreements” in the near future. They face fines up to a couple thousand dollars and suspension of their operations for six months if there is “solid evidence” of “drug abuse” on their premises. Two karaoke bars have already been shutdown, with more to be suspended.
Asia, Smuggling, War on Drugs
Golden Triangle Drugs to China Shrinking
06.22.06 | Permalink | Comment?

China has claimed a victory in their own war on drugs originating in the Golden Triangle.

The Golden Triangle area of Myanmar, Northern Thailand and Laos had been responsible for supplying the bulk of heroin flowing into China via Yunnan and Guangxi provinces which it borders, with the Golden Crescent supplying a sizeable amount of opium and heroin to Xinjiang in Western China.
Asia
“Diesels Are the New Heroin”
06.21.06 | Permalink | Comment?

That’s not a quote from another Naomi Klein screed but the catchy title of an article in Wired about westerners buying imitation jeans in Thailand and then selling them to other westerners back home over eBay. Instead of foreigners deciding to become drug mules to fund their stay in Thailand, they now act as clothing [...]
Asia, War on Drugs
Public Displays of Drug Cooperation
06.20.06 | Permalink | Comment?

Almost on cue, China has signed a deal with Afghanistan to help combat the growing problems of terrorism and drug crime.

This comes almost immediately in the wake of Afghanistan’s recent and very public destruction of seized drugs which we maintained was more or less a gesture to increase the pressure for foreign aid as well its more prolonged campaign to garner support in the drug war from their neighbours.
Asia, War on Drugs
Spotlight on foreigners in Mumbai hotels
06.19.06 | Permalink | Comment?

Police in Mumbai have begun to crack down on foreigners staying in local hotels in response to a recent high profile drug bust in India, as well as on visitors from Kashmir after recent terrorist attacks in the troubled region.

In the aftermath of the Rahul Mahajan drug case in which several Nigerians were said to be involved in supplying the drugs that made their way to his Delhi house, the spotlight has been thrown on Nigerians in general throughout India, some of whom are being blamed - seemingly single-handledly at times - for a lot of the drug peddling taking place in various cities, with Mumbai being no different.
Asia, The Media
Name and Shame the Dealers
06.16.06 | Permalink | Comment?

Democracies usually carry some pretty strict provisions against accusing anybody of a crime prior to a guilty judgement by a court.

The tenent of “innocent until proven guilty” is a foundation of the system and anybody, including the press, who falsely accuses an individual of being a drug dealer (for example) faces some pretty stiff criminal and possibly civil penalties. Cases of individuals suing newspapers for false accusations are quite common in the west.

One thing that struck me when reading an article about some arrests in Pakistan involving drug dealers and traffickers is that the newspaper seemed to go to great lengths to identify not only the individuals involved in the arrests, but also the vehicles they were using to transport the drugs.
Asia
Nepal, Drugs and the Insurgency
06.16.06 | Permalink | Comment?

This week brought positive news for Nepal and its neighbours on a number of fronts.

The big news is that the Nepalese Maoists who have been fighting a bloody insurgency in the country for several years has struck a deal that will see it included in the decision making process. The current government is to be dissolved and a new interim government set up that will include the Maoists.

Now depending on your political bent that may or may not be good news, but it will have the very positive outcome of effectively ending the insurgency if done successfully.