Pubdate: Fri, 24 Oct 2008
Source: North County Times (Escondido, CA)
Copyright: 2008 North County Times
Contact: http://www.nctimes.com/forms/letters/editor.html
Website: http://www.nctimes.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1080
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Red+Ribbon (Red Ribbon Week)

ANNUAL RED RIBBON WEEK IS A TIMELY REMINDER

Amid Elections And Economic Crises, Drugs Still A National Problem

On Thursday morning, a federal Drug Enforcement Administration 
helicopter settled onto the playing fields of Ivey Ranch Elementary 
School in Oceanside to kick off one of many annual Red Ribbon Week's 
drug-awareness events in North County.

We applaud efforts to increase awareness among children of the harm 
that can arise from illegal drugs, because daily there are reminders 
in San Diego County of illegal drug trafficking.

On the streets of North County in recent months, various law 
enforcement agencies and task forces have arrested dozens of 
suspects, including members of street gangs, on various 
drug-trafficking charges.

On a larger scale, a recent holiday operation at the ports of entry 
reflected efforts to bring illegal drugs into the U.S.

Over the Columbus Day weekend, federal U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection officers at the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa ports of entry 
conducted 27 drug busts that seized 1,674 pounds of narcotics within 72 hours.

The modus operandi of traffickers, according to authorities, varied 
from marijuana hidden in truck tires to drugs strapped to a 
15-year-old boy attempting to walk into the U.S. Officers also seized 
pounds of methamphetamine and cocaine during that weekend.

Red Ribbon Week was begun when friends, family members and U.S. 
agents began wearing red silk ribbons in tribute to Special Agent 
Enrique "Kiki" Camarena of the Drug Enforcement Agency, who was 
killed by drug traffickers in Mexico in 1985.

During an election season overshadowed by economic crisis and 
plummeting home values, it's important to be reminded about another 
national problem that won't go away overnight.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom