Global swoop nets huge haul of fake drugs: Interpol

17:23 Global swoop nets huge haul of fake drugs: Interpol 0 Comments

Police and customs officers from 81 countries have seized 2.4 million doses of counterfeit medicine sold over the Internet during a one-week operation, international police body Interpol said Thursday. Fifty-five people were arrested during the September 20-27 operation, codenamed Pangea 4, and more than 13,000 websites closed down, Interpol said. More than 100,000 illegal doses were seized in France, over half of which were for supposed to be for treating male erection problems, France's medical security agency that took part in the operation, AFSSAPS, said. The operation was carried out for the fourth successive year in an effort to inform the public about the risks of buying medicines online. "Interpol's member countries and partners have shown through the success of Operation Pangea IV the Internet is not an anonymous safe haven for criminals trafficking illicit medicines," said Interpol secretary general Ronald Noble. The agency said it had targeted Internet service providers, online payment companies and delivery companies during the operation, in order that the whole supply chain of fake drugs be broken down. "We cannot halt the illicit online supply of medicines without a consistent, constant and collective international effort involving all sectors," said Aline Plancon, head of Interpol's fake drugs department. "The operation itself was only made possible thanks to a combined effort involving the 165 different participating agencies sharing and exchanging live information via Interpol's headquarters in Lyon," she said. Interpol has also posted messages on Internet video sharing sites warning punters "Don't Be Your Own Killer" by buying unlicensed pharmaceuticals.

Scottish supermarkets face extra tax on selling alcohol

10:57 Scottish supermarkets face extra tax on selling alcohol 0 Comments

Plans to hike business rates for major retailers of alcohol and tobacco in Scotland could see supermarkets pay around £110 million in tax over the next three years.   Finance Secretary John Swinney announced the new levy yesterday, as part of the Scottish government’s Spending Review.   Swinney said the review contained “tough choices, because of the cuts from Westminster that go too far, too fast”.   “We have had to restrict pay costs, reluctantly implement pensions increases on public sector staff, and maximise the income gained from asset sales,” he said.   He outlined that part of the extra revenue brought in would come from a tax on major retailers who sell alcohol and tobacco.   The measure was a surprise announcement, as during the last parliament a proposal to introduce a “Tesco tax” was voted down and it was not included the SNP’s manifesto.   Scottish Retail Consortium director Ian Shearer said: “This new tax is a blatant fund-raising exercise which is illogical and discriminatory. It targets a part of the retail sector which funds Drinkaware, rigorously prevents under-age sales with Challenge 25 and has led the way on clear alcohol labelling, giving it an exemplary record on the sale of alcohol and tobacco.   “Supermarket margins are already cut to the bone as stores compete to offer the best deals to cash-strapped consumers. The UK already has some of the highest alcohol taxes in Europe. This tax would make it harder for food retailers to keep prices down for customers, and makes Scotland a less attractive place to do business, invest and create jobs.”   The WSTA's Jeremy Beadles said he was "disappointed" the meaure had been announced with no consultation.   "The tax on large retailers will place an additional burden on Scottish businesses and push the price up for all consumers regardless of whether they consume alcohol at all,” he added.   “At a time of financial constraint, when many businesses in Scotland are already feeling the pinch and paying increase rates, we do not believe that punishing responsible consumers in Scotland with another tax is either fair or justified.”     Minimum alcohol unit pricing could become as reality north of the border by next summer, although the price has not yet been set. The Scottish government claims it is the “most effective and efficient way” of reducing consumption and alcohol related harm.

Prescription Drug Arrest

10:33 Prescription Drug Arrest 0 Comments

Yancey County authorities are calling it one of their biggest prescription drug arrests this summer.  A man they suspect as one of the top dealers in the area was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon. Authorities arrested 24-year-old Christopher Elliott at his home on Satin Wood Drive in Burnsville.  Law enforcement believe Christopher and his older brother, James, traveled to South Carolina to get Oxycodone pills and then returned to the area to sell them.  They tell us the brothers have nearly a hundred clients. Christopher Elliot's arrest was part of "Operation Slinger."  The round up effort was launched back in June.  The Burnsville police department teamed up with the Yancey County Sheriff'f office to get prescription drugs of the streets. So far, 40 dealers have been arrested or charged in the operation.

if arresting people for drugs was a sign of success in The War on Drugs, then I guess our government has won.

10:31 if arresting people for drugs was a sign of success in The War on Drugs , then I guess our government has won. 0 Comments

The United States arrests a lot of people on drug charges. The answer to the failure of The War on Drugs is always spend more money and arrest more people.

In fact, if arresting people for drugs was a sign of success in The War on Drugs, then I guess our government has won. Here is a press release from Law Enforcement Against Prohibition on a new report from the FBI on just how many people are arrested for drugs in this country.

New FBI Numbers Reveal Failure of “War on Drugs”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new FBI report released today shows that there is a drug arrest every 19 seconds in the U.S. A group of police and judges who have been campaigning to legalize and regulate drugs pointed to the figures showing more than 1.6 million drug arrests in 2010 as evidence that the “war on drugs” is a failure that can never be won.

“Since the declaration of the ‘war on drugs’ 40 years ago we’ve arrested tens of millions of people in an effort to reduce drug use. The fact that cops had to spend time arresting another 1.6 million of our fellow citizens last year shows that it simply hasn’t worked. In the current economy we simply cannot afford to keep arresting three people every minute in the failed ‘war on drugs,’” said Neill Franklin, a retired Baltimore narcotics cop who now heads the group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP). “If we legalized and taxed drugs, we could not only create new revenue in addition to the money we’d save from ending the cruel policy of arresting users, but we’d make society safer by bankrupting the cartels and gangs who control the currently illegal marketplace.”

Today’s FBI report, which can be found athttp://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2010/crime-in-the-u.s.-2010, shows that 81.9 percent of all drug arrests in 2010 were for possession only, and 45.8 percent of all drug arrests were for possession of marijuana.

A separate Department of Justice report released last month shows that Mexican drug cartels are currently operating in more than 1,000 U.S. cities, whereas two years ago they were in 230 U.S. cities. Meanwhile, a new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report released earlier this month shows that nearly one in 10 Americans admit to regularly using illegal drugs.

Sadly, arrests are not a sign of success but a sign of a cycle of waste and idiocy that has our country locked in a downward spiral of drug abuse and violence.

The unmitigated failure of The War on Drugs is on display every day in a multitude of ways. This report is yet another example of the government highlighting their massive failure.

More Than Half Of All Drug Arrests In U.S. Are For Marijuana

10:26 More Than Half Of All Drug Arrests In U.S. Are For Marijuana 0 Comments

We all know marijuana is the most used illegal drug in The United States. It stands to reason that marijuana is responsible for the most arrests out of all of the illegal drugs. But according to new statistics from the F.B.I., marijuana arrests account for more than half of all drugs arrested, meaning more people are arrested for marijuana than all other illicit drugs combined. Of the 854,000 arrests for marijuana, 88% were for possession. Opponents of marijuana legalization like to pretend that The War on Drugs is aimed at gang leaders and dealers, but the simple fact is the drug war budgets of law enforcement agencies are built on the backs of people whose only crime was having some weed on their person.

Calum, the stupidest son, bar none

17:08 bar none , Calum , the stupidest son 0 Comments

Alcohol kills people. It killed Calum Best's father -- the late, great George Best. The footballer was a chronic alcoholic, who eventually had to have a liver transplant as a result of all the abuse. Eventually, in 2005, after years of drinking, George Best died. His son Calum has to be one of the most idiotic, dumb people that I have witnessed in a long time. I remember hearing him in a documentary talk about the sadness he felt for his father. It seemed that George and he never had the relationship the son wanted, and how could they when alcohol was Best Snr's first love? But I see that Calum has decided to, now wait for this, open up a chain of bars named after his father -- called Bestie's Bar. It's like bringing out a brand of cigarettes after your father has died of lung cancer. It's like opening up a sweet shop after your dad died as a result of diabetes. It is bizarre, no, it's insane. Calum Best is best known for being a contestant on reality shows. He was seen on TV's Celebrity Salon. As a result, he hooked up with model Georgia Salpa, left, and their short-term relationship ended with a bang, when he was found to be having "a bit on the side". That, in fairness, is the world of stupid celebrity shenanigans. I really don't care. But when I hear that this man has refused to take a paternity test for a child that a woman had (after having sex with him), you wonder does this guy have a grain of intelligence? He said in an interview that he was coming to terms with this notion of being a father, but hasn't had any contact with the woman. George Best's sister Barbara set up a foundation as a result of her brother's problem with alcohol, raising money for local football and research into kidney failure and alcoholism. No wonder Georgie left all his money to her, and only a wristwatch to his son. Otherwise we would see history repeating itself, no doubt, and Calum throwing all the money back into bars again.

Jonathan Dimbleby has admitted he tried cocaine and marijuana in his 20s.

17:30 Jonathan Dimbleby has admitted he tried cocaine and marijuana in his 20s. 0 Comments

 Photograph: Murdo Macleod for the Guardian

Bad ecstasy’ warning after north man dies

17:57 Bad ecstasy’ warning after north man dies 0 Comments

ONE man has died and another was seriously ill in hospital last night amid fears that a rogue batch of ecstasy is circulating in the Highlands. Scott McIntosh, 20, died on Thursday night after he and a friend took the drug at a flat in Inverness. Police took the unusual step yesterday of issuing a description of the tablets they suspect the pair consumed at the property in Mackintosh Road. The tablets are known on the street as Einsteins as they are stamped E=MC2 – scientist Albert Einstein’s famous equation.

Sahel drug gang battle - 4 dead

22:06 Sahel drug gang battle - 4 dead 0 Comments

Four people were killed when drug traffickers clashed in the desert zone between Mali and Algeria, over the spoils from a massive drug sale, officials said on Monday. A source from the governor's office in Timbuktu in northern Mali said the deceased were from Mali and Niger. "Four people were killed during a fight between drug traffickers which is under way in the Sahel. It is about the haul from a ton of  Indian hemp [dagga] and cocaine," the source said on condition of anonymity. The information was confirmed by an advisor to the governor. "The battle is going on at the moment on the border between Mali and Algeria between an armed group of drug traffickers from Mali and Niger, and another group aligned with the Polisario Front," the independence movement in the Western Sahara, said the advisor. "They don't agree on how to share the sale of a ton of drugs."

Fury over 'link' of drug arrests to Jodie's death

07:44 Fury over 'link' of drug arrests to Jodie's death 0 Comments

SPANISH police investigating the circumstances surrounding Jodie Nieman's death made nine arrests last week. Although police are certain the Kenley beautician died from a heart attack, it is not clear whether her death was drug-related. ​ MISSED: Jodie Nieman An investigation has been launched into drugs supply in Ibiza and police announced last Thursday that they had arrested nine men after seizing cocaine, thousands of ecstasy pills, steroids and laboratory equipment. One of the men is from Croydon but it is not suggested Ms Nieman, who died just days before her 20th birthday on July 15, knew him. The former nail technician's mother Debbie, of Waterbourne Way, Kenley, said she was "disappointed and angry" Spanish police had linked the arrests with her daughter. She said: "We still don't know if Jodie took any pills. The doctor in Ibiza said they weren't told she had taken any tablets. "Until we have results saying she took any drugs, we just don't know and it is upsetting because we are still waiting on tests." Spanish police said most of the pills found are known as Pink Rock Star, similar to those thought to have caused the death of Ms Nieman and the poisoning of others in July, officers added. The UK's Serious Organised Crime Agency took part in the operation against a mostly-British gang which travelled to Ibiza to feed the demand from the summer influx of clubbers. Detectives arrested five British men, including a 39-year-old from Croydon, three from Ireland and one from Poland. They were being questioned by officers from the Guardia Civil on suspicion of various drugs offences. The former Riddlesdown student was just three days into her holiday when she had a heart attack on a night out at the Space club in the Playa d'en Bossa resort. The teenager's funeral took place at Croydon Crematorium on August 16. Mum Debbie said her 19-year-old daughter was a "stylish princess" who would defend her friends to the end. Ms Nieman added: "She had champagne on the plane over and it came in a plastic glass – Jodie just said: 'Who has champagne in a plastic glass?' "That was just Jodie. Every day another person tells me they knew Jodie and they went to the funeral. I didn't know she was so loved."

Three New Brunswick Smoke Shops Raided in "Bath Salts" Bust, Six People Arrested

07:41 Three New Brunswick Smoke Shops Raided 0 Comments

Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office has announced that three smoke shops in New Brunswick and a gas station in East Brunswick were raided and charged in the sale of illegal drugs. According to the Prosecutor's Office, the raids began on Aug. 2 after four months of investigative work and netted the following arrests: Jarnail Sandhu, 25, of Sayreville, owner of the Shell gas station located at 1010 Route 18 in East Brunswick, was arrested and charged with distribution of bath salts and synthetic marijuana; possession of bath salts and synthetic marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was jailed with bail set at $100,000, with no 10 percent option. Sandhu's mother, Charanjit K. Sandhu, 56, of Nanuet, N.Y., was also arrested and released on her own recognizance. She faces the same charges as her son. Ayman S. Al-Nsairat, 40, of East Brunswick, owner of the Amsterdam Smoke Shop, 29 Easton Ave. in New Brunswick. He was charged with possession of toxic chemicals and possession of drug paraphernalia, and was released on his own recognizance. Maria M. Almanzar, 20, of Union City at the Amsterdam Smoke Shop. She was charged with possession of toxic chemicals and possession of drug paraphernalia, and distribution of toxic chemicals, and was released on her own recognizance. Lukasz M. Poplawski, 21, of Staten Island, N.Y. at the Amsterdam Smoke Shop. He was charged with possession of toxic chemicals and possession of drug paraphernalia, and distribution of toxic chemicals, and was released on his own recognizance. Ranmanjeet K. Dhillon, 24, of Woodbridge, at the Jamaican Discount Smoke Shop at 38-A Easton Ave. in New Brunswick. Dhillon was charged with possession and distribution of toxic chemicals and possession of drug paraphernalia, and was released on her own recognizance. Additionally, the Jamaican Smoke Shop at 40 Easton Ave. in New Brunswick was also raided, and "Some illegal substances and drug paraphernalia were seized," according to the Prosecutor's office. No arrests were made at that location. Bath Salts are mix of chemicals that mimic the effects of cocaine and methamphetamines and were banned earlier this year. 6,547 bags, jars and vials containing synthetic marijuana and bath salts were also seized by police during the investigation, marked for sale for between $20 to $30 each, according to the Prosecutor's Office. Police also seized 2,914 pipes, bongs and hookahs, 193 digital scales, 357 canisters containing nitrous oxide, 13 imitation handguns used to fire blanks, and 46 containers designed to conceal illicit drugs, according to the Prosecutor's Office. Packaging material, grinders, cigars and rolling papers, "All identified as products used to prepare and help sell the illicit drugs," according to the Prosecutor's Office. $25,145 in cash from the sales of the illegal drugs was also seized. More than $163,000 in synthetic Marijuana and bath salts were seized. Members of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Gangs, Guns and Drugs Task Force are handling the investigation, assisted by police in New Brunswick, East Brunswick and Sayreville, according to the Prosecutor's Office

Winehouse's death points to risk of detoxing alone

09:28 Winehouse's death points to risk of detoxing alone 0 Comments

Amy Winehouse’s father says the late singer was off drugs for three years, but she was in a continuous battle with alcohol — and believes that the way she was trying to detox may have killed her, according to an interview with Anderson Cooper that aired Monday. Mitch Winehouse says he suspects his daughter suffered a seizure and “there was nobody there to rescue her.” While no one knows for sure the exact circumstances of Winehouse's death, subtance abuse treatment experts say an alcohol detox can be more deadly than most people imagine. “While you’re withdrawing from other drugs, you may want to die, but alcohol detox is the only actual drug detox you can die from,” says Cyndie Dunkerson, clinical supervisor for Hope By the Sea, an alcohol and drug detox and rehabilitation center in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. Scoop: Winehouse family shares more details about Amy's death An estimated 15.2 million Americans battle alcohol abuse and addiction each year, according to the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. About 5 percent of untreated patients going through acute alcohol withdrawal have seizures, according to a report published in Alcohol Health & Research World. Between 5 and 25 percent of patients die who are going through the severest stage of alcohol withdrawal, delirium tremens (DT's), the report said. “The body just doesn’t handle getting off of it very well,” says Dunkerson. Of those who don’t survive detox, ”most people, if they are not dying from a gastrointestinal bleed, they die from a really bad grand mal seizure.” Advertise | AdChoices Mitch Winehouse told Cooper the troubled British singing sensation was taking Librium, a drug commonly used to help with an alcohol detox and decrease the chances of seizures and anxiety. Toxicology reports confirmed the presence of Librium in Winehouse's body at the time of her death. It’s not known whether Librium contributed to Winehouse’s death, but Dr. Philip Gilly, medical director of the Maplegrove Center at Henry Ford Health System in West Bloomfield, Mich., says a seizure can be caused after 24 hours of alcohol withdrawal or withdrawal from long-term use of the medication, part of a class of benzodiazepines which includes other prescription drugs such as Ativan, Klonopin, Xanax and Valium. Librium can become addictive and can cause medical issues such as dependence, agitation, disorientation, hypertension, anxiety and anorexia if it’s taken much longer than a week. In severe cases, seizures can occur during sudden Librium withdrawal. “If someone were going to have a benzo withdrawal seizure because of the Librium, it means they were taking it improperly,” Gilly says. “They were taking it longer and more than they would need for alcohol withdrawal. They would have to be taking it every day for more than a month or two.” Dunkerson explains that during alcohol withdrawal, the body goes through a series of physical and neurological changes, and a simple hangover is a mild form of alcohol withdrawal. If drinking alcohol helps people relax and go to sleep, withdrawal causes the opposite of that. “Your blood pressure gets really high. You’ll get agitated, hyperactive, anxiety-filled and you will actually get depressed because of all that’s going on," she said. "You can get jaundice and turn yellow from hepatitis inflammation in your liver, and have hallucinations and seizures.” Drugs and alcohol affect the brain, says Gilly, and seizures are a short circuit in the brain’s electrical circuits. The brain goes through changes when a person starts taking drugs, or comes off them, causing overactive or irritated nerves that can lead to seizures. Mitch Winehouse said doctors warned his daughter to slowly cut down on drinking, but she didn’t. Dunkerson says that’s exactly what she tells incoming patients who call to say they are going to stop drinking before they arrive for detox. Alcohol withdrawal requires careful monitoring and taking a drug such as Librium to help. “You need medication assistance in getting through this. Otherwise, you are putting yourself at grave risk,” she says. “Nobody should ever try to quit drinking alcohol on their own if they have been a daily drinker for an extended period of time. My advice is ‘Don’t stop drinking until you get here.’ Get medical attention immediately because between 48 and 72 hours is when you have seizures from an acute withdrawal.” Alcohol withdrawal, which also can include tremors the first day, seizures and delirium tremens (DTs) within a week, doesn’t have to be deadly, but too often it is, says Dunkerson. “When I heard the news of Amy Winehouse’s death, I cried because she was such a tortured soul,” she says. “This disease doesn’t have to be fatal, but it is very, very fatal. The only thing I love about my job is getting people to walk out from the dead. The thing I hate about my job is I get to bury the people that don’t make it.”

The Amy Winehouse Foundation will be launched on September 14

17:11 The Amy Winehouse Foundation will be launched on September 14 0 Comments

The Amy Winehouse Foundation will be launched on September 14, and the late singer’s family are now hoping to channel their grief into... Washington, Sept 7 (ANI): The Amy Winehouse Foundation will be launched on September 14, and the late singer’s family are now hoping to channel their related stories Simon Cowell’s a serial cheater: ex-wife Sinitta Amy Winehouse died during detox? Amy was at her funeral: Winehouse’s dad Now, Will Smith-Marc Anthony on boys' night out! Winehouse foundation launch put on hold grief into “positive action” by providing assistance to young addicts. Amy’s father Mitch Winehouse, who has set up the charity in memory of the late singer, made the announcement on his Twitter page. “The launch of Amy’s foundation 14th September. We will turn our grief into positive action.” Contactmusic quoted Mitch as writing on his twitter page. Amy - who battled drink and drug addictions throughout her career - was found dead at her London home on July 23.

Heroin back with a vengeance

09:32 Heroin back with a vengeance 0 Comments

HEALTH experts are calling for more full-time drug and alcohol support services in the the north-west to reduce alarming rates of heroin overdose. The most-recent Ambulance Victoria statistics show Brimbank had the third-highest rate of heroin overdoses attended by paramedics in Victoria. In 2009-10, there were 111 overdoses during the year, compared to 87 in 2008-09. Heroin overdose attendances by paramedics were also up in Melton Shire, with 23 in 2009-10 compared to 10 in 2008-09. The Stepping Up consortium, which runs the only drug and alcohol support service in Melton, has seen about 200 people from the area since opening in January. General manager Shelley Cross said she was initially worried the four-year pilot project wouldn't reach client targets set by the Department of Health. But the service has already surpassed that target. She said the demand for additional services was strong in high-growth areas like Melton. Team leader Raymond Beacham said there was a need for more full-time services. "We're starting to see more clients come in from Caroline Springs and most of our clients use more than one substance," he said. "Melton never really had full-time drug and alcohol services until we came in and it would make it a lot easier for people to access support if there were more full-time services around." Mr Beacham said services provided education to drug users so they were more aware of what they were injecting. "Most overdoses are accidental and they often occur because drug users don't know the strength of what they are using or they're mixing substances. "People who overdose from drugs are at risk of developing brain damage and can die from it." Family members of overdose victims reflected on their loss on Overdose Awareness Day on August 31. Drug and alcohol support service providers, like Health Works in Footscray, held ceremonies to remember people who died of an overdose, as well as those who live with permanent injuries. Head of clinical services at Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre in Fitzroy, Dr Matthew Frei, said substance addictions could be associated with conditions like depression and required medical treatment. "There is a certain stigma attached to drug users and people who die from overdose, but we need to encourage drug users to seek treatment to reduce harm to the individual and the community," Dr Frei said.

shut down drive-through drug operation near University Mall, expect more arrests

09:18 expect more arrests , shut down drive-through drug operation near University Mall 0 Comments

One by one, motorists arrived, rolling down windows and giving up cash, as they would at a fast-food restaurant. This drive-through opened at 11 a.m. some days, but lunch was never on the menu. Instead, customers could order cocaine, oxycodone, ecstasy and marijuana. Guns, too. At a news conference Wednesday, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office announced that it had broken up a drug trafficking ring that caught even investigators by surprise. About 11 months ago, deputies began building cases against two men reputed to be dealing drugs in a neighborhood near University Mall. Investigators thought Zavien Brand, 28, and Joseph Nurse, 35, might lead them to a few more people, maybe six or eight, said sheriff's Maj. J.R. Burton. But the small undercover probe soon turned into a larger investigation — dubbed Operation Pandora's Box — as deputies realized the area's loose-knit group of dealers included dozens of people. On Wednesday, sheriff's officials announced they had 54 warrants and, as of 4 p.m., 32 arrests, most on drug and gun possession charges. "We had no idea this was going on," Burton said. They focused on several addresses in the neighborhood near Nebraska and Fletcher avenues. The drive-through was at the Pines I Apartments at 11720 N 14th St., deputies said. Deputies took 29 guns off the street, including seven assault rifles and two weapons believed to be linked to shootings in the area. Also seized: about 1.3 pounds of crack cocaine, 0.64 ounces of powder cocaine, 0.25 ounces of oxycodone and some ecstasy — valued at about $75,000 total, Burton said. Burton hopes the operation sends a message to an area that has long struggled with crime, and he wants residents to know that deputies aren't done. Brand was charged with dealing crack cocaine and being a felon in possession of a gun. Nurse was charged with dealing crack cocaine, marijuana and stolen property. Deputies planned to continue executing search warrants until they arrest all 54 suspects.

DEA Bans Synthetic Cocaine Masked As Bath Salts

09:12 DEA Bans Synthetic Cocaine Masked As Bath Salts 0 Comments

The U.S Drug Enforcement Agency's war on drugs continues with a nationwide ban of synthetic cocaine. Labeled as bath salts, the hallucinogenic drug has become more available in the Grand Junction area as part of a trend seen across the country. In response to increased emergency room visits, the federal agency has moved to emergency control these synthetic stimulants. This action makes it illegal to possess or sell Mephedrone, Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), and Methylone or any products containing them for the next year. These chemicals are most often found in forms of 'legal ecstasy' or 'legal cocaine.' During the temporary ban, the DEA will team up with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to further study whether these chemicals should be permanently banned. In June, we introduced you to these bath salts in this article. Back then, they were an unregulated drug taking the place of recently banned synthetic forms of marijuana. "It is actually like a synthetic cocaine slash methamphetamine," Jim Schrant with the DEA told us at the time. "So, it's really the worst of both." The bath salts sell at a price of $40 per gram. They are mainly sold at smoke shops. But, in June, Schrant told us that his agency could not find any local dealers. Today, there are at least two. "They're putting it into packaging which is pleasing to the eye with market names of "Blue Dreams," things like that," Schrant said. "And, they're intentionally trying to target that young adult crowd." As part of this emergency control, businesses and citizens have 30 days to get rid of the banned products. At that time, the DEA will publish a Final Order in the Federal Register making the drugs Scheduled 1 substances. That category is the harshest and is reserved for unsafe, highly abused chemicals with no known medical use in the U.S. Violating that law is punishable by jail time. Employees at smoke shops in the area tell us that synthetic cocaine isn't that popular. But, local high school students have heard all about it. "I don't think they care if it's legal," Grand Junction High School freshman Hannah Rady said of some of her classmates. "Nobody does." Just like K2 and Spice, bath salts are labeled "not for human consumption." But, these students say that is not stopping anyone and neither is the law. "People just ask me 'Have you done spice before?' I'm just like, 'No,'" GJHS freshman Emilio Lazcano said. He knows Governor John Hickenlooper made those forms of synthetic marijuana illegal starting July 1, but he says fellow classmates continue to tell bother about it. "They're like 'Oh, well you're supposed to smoke it like this and that,' and I'm like 'Oh, well cool. I'm not really into that stuff.'" "They tell us that it doesn't make their eyes red, so it's way easier to bypass by your parents," GJHS junior Joe Gedscad added. The most common symptoms of these synthetic stimulants include impaired perception, reduced motor control, disorientation, extreme paranoia, and violent episodes. The DEA says the long-term physical and psychological effects are not known but potentially severe. Including Colorado, 33 states have already taken action to control or ban other synthetic stimulants. Most states pass these laws after the DEA files an emergency control on certain chemicals.

Amy Winehouse died during detox?

15:30 Amy Winehouse died during detox? 0 Comments

Late Singer Amy Winehouse had a prescribed drug in her system upon her demise on July 23, says father Mitch Winehouse. Mitch reveals that his daughter did have the drug Librium in her body when she died and adds Librium is a prescribed substance that is given to those who are overcoming related stories Rehab after Amy Winehouse on Sept 14 alcohol detoxification, and is used to reduce seizures, Contactmusic reported. "Everything Amy did, she did to excess. She drank to excess and did detox to excess," he said Mitch insists that Amy had been winning her battle with booze, saying "the periods of abstinence were becoming longer, and the periods of drinking were becoming shorter". Mitch also says that Amy's attempts at giving up alcohol had resulted in seizures during which she would lose consciousness and speculated as to whether such an episode was the cause of her death.

Alcohol the only drug that kills on withdrawal:Winehouse's dad says he thinks seizure killed her

09:38 Alcohol the only drug that kills on withdrawal:Winehouse's dad says he thinks seizure killed her 0 Comments

Amy Winehouse's father says he believes she died after suffering a seizure related to alcohol detoxification and "there was nobody there to rescue her." The soul diva, who had fought drug and alcohol problems for years, was found dead in bed at her London home on July 23. Her family says toxicology reports indicated there was alcohol in her bloodstream but it was unclear whether this had contributed to her death at age 27. Mitch Winehouse said Friday during a taping of Anderson Cooper's new syndicated talk show that traces of the prescription drug Librium, which is used to fight anxiety and withdrawal symptoms of alcoholism, were found in her body. "Everything Amy did, she did to excess," he said on the show, which is to air as Cooper's debut Monday. "She drank to excess and did detox to excess." He said he regretted that his daughter — whose most famous song, "Rehab," has her answering "no, no, no" when told to go to rehab — was trying to kick her alcoholism without a doctor's help. He said "the periods of abstinence were becoming longer, and the periods of drinking were becoming shorter. It was heading in the right direction." The singer, whose other hits include "Tears Dry on Their Own," had suffered seizures during this period and would lose consciousness. Her father admitted he was speculating that this happened on the morning she died and said he should find out more conclusively how she died when a full inquest into her death begins next month. Years earlier, when Amy Winehouse was on harder drugs including heroin and cocaine, her father said, he would not have been surprised if she had died. Mitch Winehouse, who is starting his own singing career, was in New York when his daughter's security guard called him in July. Hearing the distraught tone of the security guard's voice, the father said his first words were, "Is she dead?" Amy Winehouse's breakthrough "Back to Black" album was recently certified as the best-selling disc in Britain so far during the 21st century. The updated take on old-time soul also was responsible for five Grammy Awards. "When she wasn't drinking," her father said, "she was absolutely on top of the world." He occasionally dabbed tears from his eyes as Cooper's show ran video clips of her. He said he was comforted by the outpouring of support from her fans. Her mother, Janis Winehouse, said she's had people approach her to thank her for having the singer. Mitch Winehouse said he blamed the singer's ex-husband, a music industry hanger-on, for introducing her to hard drugs but did not blame him for her death. He said she had not taken drugs since December 2008. Amy Winehouse's boyfriend at the time of her death, Reg Traviss, said they had spent a quiet evening looking at pictures and watching DVDs two days before she died. They were looking forward to attending a friend's wedding in a few days and were planning a trip to St. Lucia around her Sept. 14 birthday. He said he struggled to find the right moments to talk to his girlfriend about her drinking without seeming as though he was nagging. "She was a really clever girl," Traviss said. "She knew what she was doing. I would sometimes choose my moments when there was something that was needed to be said." Winehouse's family has set up a foundation to raise money to help people beat alcohol and drug addiction. Her father met with British political leaders to seek backing for setting up a drug rehab center in her name. The foundation officially starts operation next week, and her father indicated that was why he was coming forth to do interviews about her. Cooper's program donated $50,000 to the foundation, although spokeswoman Laura Mandel said the donation was made after the interview was set up and the booking wasn't contingent upon giving the foundation money. Amy Winehouse's stepmother and aunt also appeared on Cooper's show.

Soldier gets five years for plot to smuggle £80,000 worth of cocaine into Scotland in kiddies marker pens

01:05 000 worth of cocaine into Scotland in kiddies marker pens , Soldier gets five years for plot to smuggle £80 0 Comments

A scheming Scots-based soldier was jailed for five years yesterday for a plot to smuggle cocaine worth nearly £80,000 into his barracks ... hidden in marker pens. Nigeria-born rifleman Osita Brutus Omenyima tried to run from the police who snared him, but they caught him after a chase across the parade ground. Omenyima's cousin had posted him more than half a pound of the Class A drug from Venezuelan capital Caracas. The 25 per cent pure cocaine was stuffed into highlighter pens in a package which also contained books, pamphlets and a prayer written on a piece of paper.  Border cops at Coventry airport, where the parcel arrived in Britain, noticed some of the 38 pens were leaking. The pens were opened and found to contain 266 grams of cocaine, worth an estimated £79,800 on the streets. Police in Edinburgh set a trap for 35-yearold Omenyima, with an undercover officer posing as a Parcel Force delivery driver and handing him the package at the gates of Edinburgh's Redford Barracks. Eight other officers watched the handover then moved in to make the arrest. Omenyima started sweating when he saw he had been trapped. He fled across the parade ground and threw the parcel away but the cops chased and caught him. The shamed squaddie denied knowing anything about the drugs and insisted he was a "fall guy". But a jury convicted him of being concerned in the supply of cocaine between January and September 2010. Prosecutor Gillian More told the High Court in Edinburgh: "He used the Army to conduct this drug-dealing operation. He used his position in the Army as a front." Omenyima, a qualified accountant, came to London from Nigeria in 2008 to study but then enlisted in The Rifles. He left twin teenage sons in his homeland but remarried in 2009. His new wife gave birth at the end of his trial. Richard Goddard, defending, said Omenyima was a first offender from a lawabiding background whose family would soon have to leave their Army housing. He added: "The consequences of this conviction will be far-reaching, not just for Omenyima but for other innocent parties." Sentencing, Lord Malcolm told Omenyima he had done well in the Army. But he added: "You have thrown all this away by your deliberate involvement in an illegal trade which causes misery to users, their families and society. "There would appear to be no motive other than financial gain." The judge praised police and UK Border Agency for their work to trap Omenyima. The dealer protested his innocence as he was taken to the cells.

Cocaine bag burst kills smuggler

01:01 Cocaine bag burst kills smuggler 0 Comments

A Colombian woman made a 10,300km flight carrying half a kilogram of cocaine in her stomach - and died at Auckland Hospital 37 minutes after one of the 26 packages of the drug leaked into her body. Sorlinda Arirtizabel Vega, 37, arrived in Auckland from Buenos Aires in Argentina on Tuesday morning. She cleared Customs without any problems and travelled into the city with her partner and children. But by early Wednesday morning, Mrs Vega was dead. She was admitted to the emergency department at Auckland Hospital at 5.44am on Wednesday, and was declared dead at 6.21am. The Herald has learned her partner took her to the hospital and then left to go and see to their children. He was back with Mrs Vega when police arrived, but it is unclear whether he was there when she died. "The woman was unable to be revived, despite vigorous resuscitation, following cardiac arrest," a hospital spokeswoman said. Police were called to the hospital, as is procedure with a sudden death. During a post mortem examination, doctors found at least 26 20g packages filled with a white substance believed to be cocaine. "That is more than half a kilo which, if established to be cocaine, would have had an estimated street value of up to $175,000," said Detective Inspector Scott Beard. He said at least one of the packages had burst inside Mrs Vega, but would not be drawn on what material they were made of. "It went into her body and her body couldn't cope," he said. "There are always serious risks to health when smuggling drugs internally, and this woman has paid with her life." Mr Beard said Mrs Vega was in Auckland on holiday, not for the Rugby World Cup. She travelled to New Zealand with family members. Mr Beard would not be drawn on who those family members were but said they were in Auckland and not being held by police. He said they would be spoken to and police were also looking into whether Mrs Vega had any links with local organised crime groups. She came through Customs at Auckland Airport with no problems, and Mr Beard said she was the first person this year to be caught carrying drugs internally. Emergency doctor Paul Quigley told 3 News there was no way Mrs Vega could have survived. "She had the equivalent of 80 doses of cocaine all in one go, so she would have developed extreme high blood pressure and may have had a stroke and a heart attack," he said. "She may have got a degree of anxiety at first, felt shaky, but it is likely she would have gone into cardiac arrest and collapsed very rapidly." Mrs Vega's death has been referred to the coroner but Mr Beard said a police investigation was continuing.

Malaysian and Nigerian drug smugglers are using Thais as accomplices

10:46 Malaysian and Nigerian drug smugglers are using Thais as accomplices 0 Comments

Malaysian and Nigerian drug smugglers are using Thais as accomplices, judging by the two latest drug busts by police with a total haul of 89 slabs of ganja with a street value of RM180,000.

In the first case on Tuesday night, police arrested two Malaysians and a Thai at Bandar Sri Damansara after finding 60 slabs of ganja hidden in an altered floor board and front bumper of a Toyota Crown belonging to one of the suspects.

In the second case yesterday morning, two Nigerians and a Thai woman were picked up at a petrol station in Jalan Duta. Police seized 29 slabs of ganja stashed in two backpacks.

"Over the past three months, we detained other Nigerian drug smugglers who were also accompanied by Thai girlfriends-cum-accomplices," said Federal Narcotics Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Noor Rashid Ibrahim.

SECRET STASH: Some of the 60 slabs of ganja seized by police hidden inside an altered front bumper of a Toyota Crown

"It appears the Nigerians have a new modus operandi of flying to Thailand first and then coming here via land routes with Thai accomplices. From June to last month, we also arrested 13 Nigerians for attempting to smuggle drugs when they landed here at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) in Sepang."

In the Bandar Sri Damansara bust at 11.15pm on Tuesday, the three suspects were aged 25 to 32.

"Their hiding the 60 slabs of ganja, worth RM120,000, was similar to the approach by another drug syndicate we busted last month in which 10 people were arrested at several locations in the city after we found 88 slabs of ganja, heroin and syabu stashed in altered floor boards and other secret compartments in four Mercedes-Benz cars," said Noor Rashid.

In yesterday morning's bust, police received a public tip-off concerning drug peddling at petrol station in Jalan Duta.

"There was a brief scuffle before we managed to apprehend both Nigerians and we also arrested the Thai woman as she's believed to be their girlfriend-cum-accomplice," said Noor Rashid, adding the three suspects were aged 28 to 41 and the 29 slabs of ganja bore a street value of RM60,000.

Police arrest 300 in cannabis crackdown

09:19 Police arrest 300 in cannabis crackdown 0 Comments

300 people have been arrested in a two-month crackdown on drug houses. Police carried out 301 search warrants as part of Operation Localise, a nationally coordinated operation focusing on "tinnie houses" - those where cannabis is sold. They made 311 arrests, seized 32.2kg of cannabis and 139g of methamphetamine. Cannabis was found growing at 44 locations, with 2657 plants and seedlings seized. Officers also seized $111,154 in cash, 19 firearms and ammunition. A wide range of charges have been laid, including conspiracy to supply class A, B and C drugs, manufacturing methamphetamine, participating in an organised criminal group, unlawful possession of a firearm and threat to kill. "This was a sustained programme of enforcement to combat drugs and disrupt organised crime groups" said Assistant Commissioner Malcolm Burgess. "Tinnie houses are hubs for criminal offending. The people who run them are often not only dealing cannabis, but also methamphetamine. They invariably receive stolen property, take payments for drugs and are involved in organised crime groups. "Such houses cause misery in communities and we are sending a clear message that they won't be tolerated. "We will continue to protect our communities from the harm caused by drug dealers and stamp out the anti-social behaviour they create." Police are trying to seize assets from 47 of those arrested. They will have to prove they are not the proceeds of criminal activity. Mr Burgess said he was confident the operation had caused "significant disruption" to drug dealing and warned dealers they would continue to be the subject of close police attention.

Very Unusual' Drug Operation Found At Scene Of Lakewood Fire

07:21 0 Comments

Police are calling a drug-making operation found during a Lakewood fire last week one of the most unusual they've seen in decades. Home video captured the huge fire that leveled a home as explosions rocked the neighborhood. UNCUT: Fire Explodes At Lakewood Home UNCUT: Chopper 7 Over Lakewood Fire At first, police thought they were dealing with a meth lab, when they went inside and found what appeared to be equipment for illegal drug manufacturing. Then, they found bag after bag of scored and burned marijuana and what they say were the makings of a hashish oil factory. "(It's) very unusual," Lakewood police Lieutenant Chris Lawler said. "Even some of the people in our narcotics unit haven't seen this in a long time. ... It's very rare. I haven't seen it in my 20 years in law enforcement." Investigators say the suspect had pounds of marijuana and boxes of butane, and somehow set them on fire while making the oil. Hashish oil is a concentrated form of the active ingredient in marijuana. It's extracted through a process using highly flammable butane. "It's suspected that that was probably the cause," Lawler said. The suspect's father spoke with KIRO 7 on Friday night after his son was taken to Harborview Medical Center with burns over nearly 30 percent of his body. "I don't know what in the world my son was doing," James Rogers said Friday. "I think he was fooling around with some explosives or something he shouldn't have been." The suspect remains in the hospital; it's not clear when he'll be released or what charges he may face.

Drug couriers have started to smuggle hashish into Finland inside their bodies in small swallowable packets.

07:18 Drug couriers have started to smuggle hashish into Finland inside their bodies in small swallowable packets. 0 Comments

      According to the Customs, the first attempts to bring internally concealed hashish into the country were observed in 2008. In the past several months, however, the phenomenon has become markedly more common.       Customs Inspector Tero Virtanen explains that since last December more than a dozen individuals have been stopped and caught on arrival at Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport for trying to smuggle in hashish inside the body.       ”Most of them have been men between the ages of 20 and 35. They are professional couriers, and some of them have told the officials that they have made several successful runs to Finland before getting caught. Some of them have also performed deliveries to other Nordic countries.”       According to Virtanen, the Customs have confiscated more than ten kilograms of cannabis from the mules. The street value of the lot would have been in the region of EUR 100,000.       In addition to this, the officials have learned in the preliminary investigations about the importation of additional roughly 10 kg of hashish.       “Thanks to the couriers, several different criminal organisations have now been tracked down in Finland. At the receiving end of the chain there are around a dozen suspects and the spectrum of their nationalities is broad”, Virtanen notes.       The Customs believe that hash has been distributed, or was supposed to be distributed, across Southern Finland.       The amounts of cannabis that the couriers have swallowed in small packages have varied from half a kilogramme to a kilo.       The smugglers doing the ingesting of the small packages have been natives of Spain, Portugal, Morocco, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.       Customs officials suspect that the smuggled substance has generally originated from Morocco and Spain.       One of the couriers told the authorities that his fee for the gig was EUR 700.       The use of this technique to bring in hashish is a new development: traditionally the internally concealed drugs smuggled into the country have been substances appreciably stronger than hash, such as cocaine and heroin.       “Larger hashish consignments are still brought in through other means, but this is a quick way to import narcotics. There will always be a ready market for cannabis”, Virtanen says.

Amy Winehouse leaves £2 million fortune behind,, a source close to Winehouse claimed that she had spent thousands of pounds on drink and drugs.

22:33 Amy Winehouse leaves £2 million fortune behind 0 Comments

Amy Winehouse's fortune was worth just over £2 million when she died. Although the late singer made The Sunday Times Rich List in 2008 with an estimated fortune of £10 million, the accounts for two companies she owned that were published yesterday suggested her financial value had decreased in the last several years. The figures showed that Winehouse’s Cherry Westfield company was worth £2,004,963 at the end of last November, which is £20,000 less than it was valued at in 2009. Her CW Touring company, meanwhile, dropped in value from £142,012 to £8,032 during the same period.  Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back To Black’ becomes UK’s biggest-selling album of the 21st centuryMark Ronson toasts Amy Winehouse at his weddingDrug overdose ruled out as cause of Amy Winehouse's death According to The Daily Star, a source close to Winehouse claimed that she had spent thousands of pounds on drink and drugs. They said: Even though Amy spent thousands on drink, drugs and hangers-on, she was still a rich young woman. Had she beaten her issues with drink, she would almost certainly have lived a worry-free and comfortable life. It is sad that having beaten drugs, she never got a chance to enjoy the money she worked so hard to produce.

Boxing champion Oscar de la Hoya has 10 world titles and one Olympic gold medal to his name. But this week he said he’s fighting his toughest opponents yet: depression and addiction.

22:49 Boxing champion Oscar de la Hoya has 10 world titles and one Olympic gold medal to his name. But this week he said he’s fighting his toughest opponents yet: depression and addiction. 0 Comments

In an interview with the Spanish-language network Univision, de la Hoya, 38, revealed his recent struggles with alcohol and cocaine addiction, amitting he had even contemplated suicide.
“This is the biggest fight of my life,” de la Hoya said. “I could put all my opponents in one ring and battle all of them, but this monster is going to be the toughest fight of my life.”
Dr. Jason Hershberger, a psychiatrist at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., said de la Hoya’s struggles could be linked to his public profile inside and outside the boxing ring.
“Being famous and in the public spotlight is a pressure,” Hershberger said. “Often what happens in depression is there’s a feeling you’re not meeting the expectations of people around you. And fame can just heighten those feelings.”
Alternatively, Hershberger said success might make it easier for some famous people to deny that they have a problem regarding depression or substance abuse.
De la Hoya  said he used alcohol and drugs as an escape route from the pressures of his life. “They took me to a place where I felt safe,” he said. De la Toya is undergoing treatment and said he had joined Alcoholics Anonymous.
Depression and substance abuse “are two horses that often run together,” Hershberger said. “Tough men in America are often reluctant to get help for depression, even desperate depression that can lead to suicide. So they often self-medicate and do things to feel better,” such partaking in alcohol or drugs.
 But the irony of that connection is that substance abuse can make depression worse by creating an imbalance in the brain’s chemistry — specifically in the neurotransmitters that send information from one cell to another. 
Hershberger said that while de la Hoya’s problems could be exacerbated by his place in the spotlight, “depression doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t seem to matter who you are.”