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[ 01-17-2009: Message edited by: greybeard ]
quote:Originally posted by greybeard:See here.
Those guys were the patsies. The kingpins are still raking in dough and getting away free.
It is a waste of time, energy and resources. Drugs should be medicalized, regulated, and out of the organized crime domain. The billions raked in by mobs are not taxed which mean we pay more.
Law enforcement should be concentrating on violent crime and predatory mortgage lenders.
Just my opinion
quote:Originally posted by desirod7:Those guys were the patsies. The kingpins are still raking in dough and getting away free.Law enforcement should be concentrating on violent crime and predatory mortgage lenders.Just my opinion
Come on. I can get behind the idea of concentrating on violent crime but PREDATORY MORTGAGE LENDERS??????
As awful as the whole mortgage mess is no one held a gun to anyones head and forced them to sign papers. To try and suggest otherwise is just another example of what is destroying our society namely the refusal to accept responsibility for ones own actions.Sorry if it sounds harsh but I am tired of hearing about how everybody is a victimJust my opinion
Now back to the subject at hand
[ 01-16-2009: Message edited by: timb ]
quote:Originally posted by timb:To try and suggest otherwise is just another example of what is destroying our society namely the refusal to accept responsibility for ones own actions.[ 01-16-2009: Message edited by: timb ]
The poor dumb saps that could'nt afford their homes were 100% at fault for entering into contracts they never had a chance of ever paying back. There is plenty of blame to go around starting w/sleaze balls Chris Dodd and Barney Frank. Those two along w/many others from both political parties should be hauled into court.
quote:Originally posted by lasuvidaboy:The poor dumb saps that could'nt afford their homes were 100% at fault for entering into contracts they never had a chance of ever paying back.
The poor dumb saps that could'nt afford their homes were 100% at fault for entering into contracts they never had a chance of ever paying back.
That is the anti-regulatory ideology.
There were balloon mortgages with terms buried in fine print. Rates go up, so does the forclosure.
The toxic mortgages were sold by the con-artist to a third party, got their cut and on their way. The third party got them into a complex financial hedge and derivative, and all collapsed.
Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, You forgot Phil Gramm.
The next shoe to drop is credit card debt. People tranferred balances at 5% with fine print allowing the CC companies to raise the rates at any time. Some are now paying 35% interest.
Those paying back a large debt at a certain interest rate get a rate bump; something has to cover the defaults of others, then they are at risk. too many will declare bankruptcy. Rates go up again: a viscious cycle
Back to ships: It is an easy target for the DEA, makes good headlines, and they justify their existance
You pushed one of my buttons
[ 01-16-2009: Message edited by: lasuvidaboy ]
quote:Originally posted by dougnewman:Can we start talking about ships again please?
The World Economy downfall? It's all the cruise lines fault, them and their pretty pretty ships, taunting us, leering at us, batting their eyes like made up ladies, making us love them and go on them and enjoy them. Evil, I say, evil! hehehe
I will be on Arcadia in close to two weeks time and am looking forward to a relaxing cruise on it. It will at least give me a chance to experience a different style of ship.
You are living in a fool's paradise if you think business as usual for the DEA will stop the flow of illegal drugs.
Kingpins will always find more patsies. It is a 3 headed monster where you cut off one and 2 more grow.
Just like guns and gambling: There is plenty of demand; a black market for the illegal goods which is enough to keep a racket going.
We would have little organized crime or underground distribution if typewriters were outlawed. I doubt a black market at all.
Sutho, as usual you have strong loud opinions based little on reason or evidence but on half baked factoids out of context.
Back to ships: I think a cruiseship in international waters allow regulated 'sins' since it is a controlled environment
quote:Originally posted by Sutho:It doesnt matter how high up these drug mules are in their "food chain", they are still criminals and deserve to be punished. No society should have to put up with trash like them living amongst them and getting away with crimes because they are not the big bosses.I will be on Arcadia in close to two weeks time and am looking forward to a relaxing cruise on it. It will at least give me a chance to experience a different style of ship.
[ 01-20-2009: Message edited by: desirod7 ]
quote:Originally posted by desirod7:Yes, treat cancer with an asprin!You are living in a fool's paradise if you think business as usual for the DEA will stop the flow of illegal drugs.Kingpins will always find more patsies. It is a 3 headed monster where you cut off one and 2 more grow.Just like guns and gambling: There is plenty of demand; a black market for the illegal goods which is enough to keep a racket going.We would have little organized crime or underground distribution if typewriters were outlawed. I doubt a black market at all.Sutho, as usual you have strong loud opinions based little on reason or evidence but on half baked factoids out of context.Back to ships: I think a cruiseship in international waters allow regulated 'sins' since it is a controlled environment [ 01-20-2009: Message edited by: desirod7 ]
You obviously have very little intelligence and cannont comprehend the fact that these people on Arcadia have committed a crime and were punished according to law.
You are idiodic to think this is the DEA's problem, that authorities should be hunting kingpins, you brought in other irelevant rubbish not related to the topic which hilights your lack of knowledge.
These people on Arcadia were caught by British HM Customs attempting to import drugs into Britain. That is a crime in Britain and as a result they were charged and punished. They were simply being held accountable for their own actions.
Only a fool would compare it to an analagy of treating cancer with an asprin. This issue is not about the wider drug war, it is about a crime committed on a cruise ship that was discovered and the offenders prosecuted according to law.
I suppose with your philosiphy if a child porn ring had authorised crimes on a cruise ship that the offenders should not be punished because they are part of a bigger network that needs undoing!
Wake up to yourself and get back to the real world. In the real world people who commit crimes and are caught are prosecuted and punished. HM customs did their job by preventing the import of drugs and reported it to authorities.
You also displayed your lack of intelligence in your final comment about cruise ships in international waters allowing regulated sins. This comment just proves your ignorance and lack of insight into the matter. These people were not charged for having drugs on a cruise ship. They were charged for attempting to import a prohibited substance into Britain. It is irelevant if the means of import was plane, train, ship, submaring. They broke local British laws and were punished by the British courts.
quote:Originally posted by desirod7:Drugs should be medicalized, regulated, and out of the organized crime domain.Just my opinion
Drugs should be medicalized, regulated, and out of the organized crime domain.
That might just suit someone like yourself, but grow a brain and stick to the topic.
As I pointed out in my previous post these people were charged for attempting to import a prohibited substance into Britain and convicted and punished according to law.
You might have opinions on the wider drug war possibly due to your own personal experiences with them, but show some itnelligence and stick to the topic. These people committed a crime and were punished. That is what this topic is about, it is not about a wider drug war, how to deal with crime in international waters. These people were charged under British law. Perhaps your lack of knowledge that other countries outside the US have laws and courts of their own contributes to your ignorance on this matter.
quote:
He said: "Being a courier is a vital role, it's a means by which the drugs get into this country.
This was taken from the BBC news link at the top of this topic.
Now would you like to continue your unintelligent thoughts on this subject, bearing in mind that these people were charged under British laws regarding importation of a prohibited substance, and nothing connected to what they did in the Caribbean or on Arcadia.
DEA! give me a break. The DEA is American, they have different authorities in Britain to deal with organised crimes. Pathetic!
quote:Originally posted by dmwnc1:I just love these little spats!
At least nobody has said "let's ship over 50 kg and with the money save the Norway "
Seriously though people, is there a need for the name calling ?
Anyways, they transported drugs, they were caught, they do the time.
Yes people are over extended, yes people are losing their homes and yes some people are going to do stupid things in order to try and keep them.
I can't agree. A "spat" would be OK, but some people in this thread are incapable of holding a civilized discussion without descending to personal abuse, which is unnecessary and unpleasant, and does not usually contribute anything worthwhile to the subject in hand.
I am now breaking my self-imposed rule which usually prevents me from responding to any thread which includes posts from this particular Australian..
quote:Originally posted by greybeard:I can't agree. A "spat" would be OK, but some people in this thread are incapable of holding a civilized discussion without descending to personal abuse, which is unnecessary and unpleasant, and does not usually contribute anything worthwhile to the subject in hand.I am now breaking my self-imposed rule which usually prevents me from responding to any thread which includes posts from this particular Australian..
Perhaps you need to grow a brain and learn to read as it was not myself who started this, it would appear to me that an American poster started it by abuse to others who suggested that these criminals should be jailed.
It certainly says allot about your own morales and ethics when you break even your own rules!
The flight and cabin crew - 10 women and five men - will have to report back to British police in March after being arrested at London Heathrow Airport on Tuesday, on arrival from Johannesburg, they said.
Border agency officials found 50kg of cannabis worth Stg150,000 ($A321,577) and 4kg of cocaine worth about Stg160,000 ($A343,016) in three suitcases.
"The 15 arrested crew members were interviewed overnight by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs investigators," an HMRC spokeswoman said.
"All have now been released on unconditional bail pending further inquiries, and are due to report back to HMRC investigators at Heathrow Police Station on March 23."
Border officials found the cannabis when the crew passed through a customs clearance point. Further searches revealed a white powder that tested positive for cocaine, an HMRC spokesman said.
SAA said in a statement that the airline was arranging to fly the crew back to South Africa.
"They haven't been suspended... they will come back and SAA will interview them before any course of action is decided upon," SAA spokeswoman Robyn Chalmers said, according to the South African Press Association news agency.
"SAA is cooperating fully with UK authorities. The airline has also launched an investigation into this matter involving SAA Aviation Security and the South African Police Service Crime Intelligence Unit.
"SAA has a zero tolerance approach towards the use of the airline's services for any criminal activity."
Meanwhile, the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) said: "At all our airports, airline crews and pilots are screened and processed like any other passenger upon departure.
"At Cape Town and OR Tambo (in Johannesburg) we have a dedicated check point for all airport staff (ACSA and non-ACSA) including airline crews and pilots.
They are subjected to the same screening procedures as passengers."
SAA has a separate crew centre with its own screening area at OR Tambo airport which SAA ran and managed, it added.
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