Pubdate: Tue, 26 Dec 2006 Source: Times Argus (Barre, VT) Copyright: 2006 Times Argus Contact: http://www.timesargus.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/893 DRUG SUPPLY VOID WON'T LAST LONG While the drug raids in Barre were a triumph for law enforcement, they are unlikely to make a significant difference in central Vermont's drug trade. The laws of supply and demand still hold true. In the wake of the raids, there is likely to be a short-term disruption in supply; with demand holding steady, the price of drugs will rise -- making Barre a more lucrative market. Major drug crackdowns in other cities have put numerous people behind bars and broken up criminal organizations. But the aftermath often brings an increase in violence and crime, as other dealers and suppliers rush to fill the vacuum in the market's structure. This time, most of those arrested were local residents; but Barre has just become an even more attractive place for dealers from supply centers like Springfield and Holyoke, Mass., and New York City. After the raids, State Police Major Thomas L'Esperance warned that this would not solve the problem, "because once the appetite has arrived it's going to be here." I'm glad to see that local and state law officials are aware that their challenges are far from over. John Walters Montpelier - --- MAP posted-by: Elaine