[ABC] Coronavirus is dealing a gut punch to the illegal drug trade, paralyzing economies and severing supply chains in China that traffickers rely on for the chemicals to make such drugs as methamphetamine and fentanyl
Coronavirus is dealing a gut punch to the illegal drug trade, paralyzing economies, closing borders and severing supply chains in China that traffickers rely on for the chemicals to make such profitable drugs as methamphetamine and fentanyl.
One of the main suppliers that shut down is in Wuhan, the epicenter of the global outbreak.
Associated Press interviews with nearly two dozen law enforcement officials and trafficking experts found Mexican and Colombian cartels are still plying their trade as evidenced by recent drug seizures but the lockdowns that have turned cities into ghost towns are disrupting everything from production to transport to sales.
Along the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border through which the vast majority of illegal drugs cross, the normally bustling vehicle traffic that smugglers use for cover has slowed to a trickle. Bars, nightclubs and motels across the country that are ordinarily fertile marketplaces for drug dealers have shuttered. And prices for drugs in short supply have soared to gouging levels.
“They are facing a supply problem and a demand problem,” said Alejandro Hope, a security analyst and former official with CISEN, the Mexican intelligence agency. “Once you get them to the market, who are you going to sell to?”
Nonetheless, Capt. Chris Sandoval, who oversees special investigations for the Houston-based Harris County Sheriff’s Office, said there’s a new saying among his detectives: “Not even the dope dealers can hide from the coronavirus.”
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
04/20/2020 9:41 Comments ||
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#11
It’s the only way to be sure.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
04/20/2020 9:42 Comments ||
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#12
The extent of Chinese involvement in the drug trade and the critical use of an Un-defended border are now crystal clear. We must not let these facts be memory-holed by the complicit MSM and corrupt political class. Close the f’ing border, cut off the Chinese step by step , re-industrialize America a and watch our nation prosper again because Exceptionalism is a true description of our birthright that has been squandered y fool and fellow travelers.
#14
I think the cartels have enough liquidity in their portfolios to withstand this temporary downturn. Besides, Pelosi might stick in a bailout provision in the next stimulus package for them.
[TheHill] Defense Secretary Mark Esper will extend the travel ban on service members to June 30, more than a month past when it was set to end, the Pentagon’s top personnel official said Saturday.
The new order will be effective on Monday, and Esper will formally review the policy every 15 days to see if the date can be moved up "while aligning with President Trump’s opening up America again guidelines," Matthew Donovan, undersecretary for personnel and readiness, told news hounds.
The original 60-day stop-movement order — which applies to all U.S. forces, civilian personnel and families — was put in place last month in an attempt to curb the spread of the coronavirus (aka COVID19 or Chinese Plague) ...the twenty first century equivalent of bubonic plague, only instead of killing off a third of the population of Europe it kills 3.4 percent of those who notice they have it. It seems to be fond of the elderly, especially Iranian politicians and holy men... among troops. That order was set to expire May 11.
Donovan said the new order, which has yet to be signed, will include eased restrictions, with more exemptions allowed as the military prepares for numerous permanent change-of-station moves.
He estimated roughly 100,000 people will be moved this summer. Details on which restrictions will be eased were not provided.
Travel for recruiting and entry-level training is also allowed, as is travel for medical reasons.
As of Friday, there were nearly 3,000 recorded cases of coronavirus among service members, as well as another 1,863 cases among Defense Department civilians, contractors and dependents.
[ToloNews] The Taliban ...mindless ferocity in a turban... has shared a list of 50 attacks conducted by the US and Afghan forces following the US-Taliban peace deal in late February, accusing the US of violating terms of the deal and thus adding another layer of complication to the already hindered grinding of the peace processor.
Sharing a three-page document exclusively with TOLOnews, the Taliban political office in Doha claims 33 drone attacks and Arclight airstrike
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Fred ||
04/20/2020 00:00 ||
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#1
It was $ 3.75 per barrel in 1965. Drillers were still making money. Of course the 1965 dollar would have been worth substantially more than today's 2020 dollar.
Price wars in the 60's were driving a gallon of regular gasoline into the .24 cents per gallon range, and lower.
#4
#1 and the dime, quarter, fifty cent piece and (coin) dollar were all made of silver back in them days.
When you print money without backing, the economist call the raise in prices 'inflation'. The old term used was debasing the currency, which is reflected in our hard coin currency as now it is composed of base metals. Inflation sounds magical, debasing sounds corrupt (and it ultimately is).
Commodities general stay relative to each other outside of major finds or technological applications that substantially increase its availability.
"Deep state shoots and scores!"
[TheMindUnleashed] In a last minute court filing, U.S. officials demanded a federal judge block the release of files detailing Saudi connections to the 9/11 attacks.
On Monday, U.S. Attorney General William Barr, acting director of national intelligence Richard Grenell, and other senior officials called on a federal judge to prevent the disclosure of files related to the role of the government of Saudi Arabia in the September 11 attacks. The officials told the judge in the civil case that the release of the files would endanger national security.
The files are being sought by families of the 9/11 victims who have spent the last two decades attempting to uncover the truth about the attacks. The families filed a lawsuit in federal district court in New York in 2017 as part of their effort to uncover the role of the Saudi government. What is publicly known is that the alleged 9/11 hijackers had a relationship with Saudi government officials. As Pro Public reported, at the 2019 White House September 11 memorial, U.S. President Donald Trump promised the families he would help them uncover the truth about 9/11. He made similar promises while he was campaigning for president.
"He looked us in the eye on 9/11, he shook our hands in the White House and said, ’I’m going to help you—it’s done’," Brett Eagleson, a banker whose father was killed in the World Trade Center, told Pro Publica. "I think the 9/11 families have lost all hope that the president is going to step up and do the right thing. He’s too beholden to the Saudis."
The Trump Administration stated that the national security threat was so great that even sharing the reasoning behind the request for secrecy could cause harm. According to Pro Publica, AG Barr told the court that public discussion of the issue "would reveal information that could cause the very harms my assertion of the state secrets privilege is intended to prevent."
Pro Publica notes that four statements from FBI and Justice Department officials were also under seal and can not be seen by the public. Another five statements from FBI, Justice Department, and CIA officials were only seen by the judge and could not even be shared with the families’ lawyers. Steven Pounian, a lawyer for the families also suggested that "there must be some deep, dark secret that they’re still trying very hard to hide after almost 20 year," and that it "might be a Saudi government secret." The extent of US Intelligence (USI) knowledge via internal reporting or reporting from friendly foreign intelligence services, along with subsequent monitoring (or failure to monitor), might not be something USI is eager to share.
#1
"If you know the identify or whereabouts of the two 'persons of interest' pictured here, please notify the Boston FBI Special Agent In Charge (SAC) at the number on the bottom of your screen."
#4
Lost my confidence in Barr. From Epstein's murder, Vegas shooting, Clintons, Pizzagate and now 9-11. Of course there are more but as they say, money talks.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...the twenty first century equivalent of bubonic plague, only instead of killing off a third of the population of Europe it kills 3.4 percent of those who notice they have it. It seems to be fond of the elderly, especially Iranian politicians and holy men...
"If you know the identify or whereabouts of the two 'persons of interest' pictured here, please notify the Boston FBI Special Agent In Charge (SAC) at the number on the bottom of your screen." 
