Aussie sailors smuggling cocaine, heroin: report

Crew members of an Australian navy ship line up on deck. Australian sailors have been stashing large amounts of cocaine and heroin on navy ships and selling them in Sydney's red light district, a report has claimed.

Australian sailors have been stashing large amounts of cocaine and heroin on navy ships and selling them in Sydney's red light district, a report has claimed.

An unnamed source told public broadcaster ABC that the racket involved kilograms of the drugs and had been going on "for years". The report comes as the military and police probe an alleged drug ring at the navy's Sydney base.

The source said ships recently returned from Pacific Rim war games in Hawaii with packages of drugs, adding that dozens of sailors were involved with 30 personnel testing positive on just one ship.

"(For) 99.9 per cent of the time, Customs don't bring (sniffer) dogs onto the ship... and dogs can't get down into certain parts of the ships," the source said.

"It's junior sailors, it's senior sailors. That's why no one will talk to you," the source added.

On Tuesday, the Australian Defence Force said steroids and unidentified substances had been seized in recent raids after a tip-off. Police are also investigating an alleged drug ring.

The revelation came after media reports that sailors were operating a trafficking ring from the Garden Island base in central Sydney, which is near the notorious Kings Cross nightclub area.

Australia's military has previously acknowledged related problems, revealing in June that nearly 600 personnel had been caught taking illegal drugs and steroids in the past five years.

The figures were released after an Australian commando was airlifted out of Afghanistan for treatment after a drug overdose. Australia has about 1,550 military personnel based in the country's south.

What are the popular drugs used in New Jersey?

New Jersey with major shipping ports and an international airport is one of the best places for the drug smugglers to transport drugs. This has posed a big challenge to the law enforcement entities of the state to bring the illicit drug operations under control. It was earlier thought that it is majorly the Dominican and Colombian drug traffickers smuggling the popular drugs cocaine and heroin into the state. However, latest intelligent probes have revealed that the Mexican drug organizations also have joined hands now in trafficking illicit drugs into the state. The Mexican drug traffickers are smuggling these drugs from the West Coast into the states of New Jersey and New York. A widespread use of crack cocaine and heroin has been reported from the urban areas like Elizabeth, Camden, Newark and Trenton. The use of these drugs is massive in and around the nightclub areas throughout New Jersey. These mainly include the Atlantic City casino areas.

Cocaine is smuggled into New Jersey by shipment, tractor trailers, private vehicles and commercial flights. Sometimes, courier packages have also been found containing these narcotics. The Dominican and Colombian drug organizations supply these to the ethnic groups living in New Jersey, like African-Americans, Puerto Rican and Caucasians, which are in turn then distributed on the streets. An interesting observation has revealed that since the terrorist attacks of September 11 in New York City, there has been an increase in the availability of heroin in New Jersey. Narcotic officers have discovered huge amounts of heroin being smuggled into New Jersey before distributing them in New York. Narcotics task force commanders have also recorded several heroin related deaths in the state. Intelligence sources believe that these narcotics are shipped to port Perth Amboy in New Jersey, in cargo containers.

Methamphetamine is another drug that is available in New Jersey, though it is not that popular a drug in New Jersey. Recently a DEA fugitive was arrested by the Jordanian authorities for conspiring to distribute pseudoephedrine, a chemical for manufacturing methamphetamine, in New Jersey. Club drugs are very popular in New Jersey and the drugs like MDMA e.g. Ecstasy are used on a large scale mostly in the south eastern region of the state. The massive popularity of these drugs has brought down their prices making them all the easier to acquire. These drugs are mainly sourced in bulk from New York and Philadelphia and have a high demand in nightclubs and rave parties. MDMA is also sourced from Belgium, Luxembourg and Netherlands. Marijuana and Hydroponic Marijuana are also popular in New Jersey, especially amongst the new generation. These are mainly smuggled in from Canada.

The Heroin Smugglers of New Jersey

In the whole of United States, if there is one place where this illicit drug called heroin is available in its purest form then it is undoubtedly New Jersey. Heroin is sourced from several regions of the world and smuggled into this state. The major sources of heroin supplies coming into New Jersey are from south east and south west Asia, South America and Mexico. The most readily available heroin of the lot is the one sourced from South America. As per the reports of the DEA, all the heroin that were purchased at retail level in the third quarter of 2003 were supplied by South America under the aegis of Newark’s Domestic Monitor Program (DMP). Most of the law enforcement authorities in New Jersey had reported that heroin was readily available while the rest of these agencies identified the drug to be the biggest threat in New Jersey.

Back in the year 2000, the federal law enforcement officials had seized 91 kg of heroin. In the next two consecutive years, the officials seized 169 kg and 188 kg respectively. The prices for this drug have been relatively stable. However, differences in prices of heroin have been noted in the markets of southern and northern New Jersey. According to the reports revealed by the DEA Newark Division, in the year 2003, heroin sold at $45,000 to $115,000 a kg in the northern part of the state, whereas in the southern part of New Jersey, $80,000 to $120,000 a kg for the same period. The levels of purity in heroin also differ in the southern and northern parts of the state. The DEA Newark Division reported having seized heroin in northern New Jersey which was 78 percent pure. The heroin that they seized in the southern region of the state was averagely pure with 61 percent purity.

The Colombian Drug Trade Organizations and the Dominican criminal gangs dominate the smuggling of heroin from South America to New Jersey. Usually these drug traffickers smuggle the heroin via couriers aboard the commercial aircraft’s. Occasionally, the DTO’s and criminal gangs also ship significant amount of the South American variety into New Jersey. Sometimes they also ship large quantities of marijuana or cocaine along with the heroin on other container vessels. A significant quantity of the South American heroin is trafficked into New Jersey from southwestern states, Pennsylvania and New York via the private and commercial vehicles. The West African and Nigerian criminal gang traffic Southeast Asian heroin and the Pakistani, Lebanese, Nigerian and other ethnic criminal groups traffic Southwest Asian heroin into the state through the Newark Liberty International Airport via couriers.

Psilocybin Mushrooms

                                              Addiction Likelihood = 17%

Also Known As

Contains psilocybin and psilocin. Also known as magic mushrooms or shrooms. 

History

The use of hallucinogenic mushrooms is thought to date back to prehistoric times. However, the use of 'magic mushrooms' in Western culture was only first popularized in the 1950s. Since then the availability of the psilocybe mushroom has made it one of the most widely-used hallucinogens in the World.

Effects

Magic mushrooms can bring about hallucinations, along with feelings of euphoria and elation. Users may experience stomach-ache, sickness and/or diarrhea. There is a risk of a 'bad trip' which can cause emotional and psychological distress. Effects of psilocybin mushrooms typically last from 3 to 8 hours.

Common Administration

Magic mushrooms are eaten raw, dried, cooked in food, or stewed in a tea.

Health issues 

Eating psilocybin mushrooms can cause stomach pains, nausea and vomiting, and can complicate existing mental health problems. One of the main health risks is that users may eat the wrong kind of mushroom.

Caffeine

                                    Addiction Likelihood = 67%

Also Known As
1,3,7-trimethylxanthine, trimethylxanthine, theine, methyltheobromine

History 
Caffeine has been consumed by humans since the Stone Age. If you believe the Chinese legend, the first caffeinated drink was created by the Emperor of China Shennong in 3000BC, when he accidentally dropped some leaves in boiling water and drank the result.

Effects
Caffeine stimulates the heart, respiratory system, and central nervous system, causing the user to feel more alert. It is classed as an ergogenic, which increases the capacity for mental or physical activity.

Common Administration
Almost always, caffeine is administered in the form of a drink, made from caffeine containing plants - the most popular being coffee, tea, and cacao.

Health issues
Caffeine can make a person feel restless, anxious and irritable. It has a number of physical side effects, which can include dizziness, dryness in the mouth, diarrhoea, nausea and hypoglycaemia.

Cannabis

                                    Addiction Likelihood = 42%

Also Known As
Cannabis sativa. Active chemical compound: Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Also known as marijuana, ganja, weed

History
Evidence of cannabis use dates back to as far as 3BC, and it was popular among the ancient Hindus of India and Nepal. It has been used throughout history for religious, spiritual and medicinal purposes. Although now illegal in most countries, recreational use in Western countries has led to such a demand that cannabis is now the largest cash crop in the USA.

Effects 
Subjective psychoactive effects (a 'high') vary depending on the individual and the method of use. Common reported effects include feelings of relaxation, increased appetite, sensory awareness, or a feeling of slowing of time. Physical and neurological effects include increased heart rate, lowered blood pressure, and impairment of concentration and psychomotor coordination.

Common Administration
Cannabis is consumed in a number of different ways, most of which either inhaling the smoke from an ignited plant, or ingesting orally.

Health issues
Besides the risk of lung disease and respiratory illness through smoking the plant, there is evidence that cannabis can also lead to or exaggerate mental health problems.

Lysergic acid diethylamide

                             Addiction Likelihood = 32%

Also Known As
Lysergic acid diethylamide. Known as LSD, LSD-25, or acid

History
LSD was first produced and ingested by Albert Hoffmann in 1938, synthesized from ergot, a grain fungus. It was first used as a drug to treat psychiatric conditions, but abuse of the drug in the mid twentieth century led to it being criminalized.

Effects
Short term effects of LSD include a distorted perception of time and space, hallucinations, and heightened senses. LSD can also bring on psychological or emotional effects such as anxiety, depression, paranoia or dizziness. Physical effects can include lowered body temperature, nausea, vomiting and convulsions.

Common Administration
LSD is a colourless and tasteless crystalline substance which is soluble in water. It is typically ingested via blotting paper, tablets, capsules, or gelatine sheets.

Health issues
Aside from a growing tolerance to the drug, the long-term effects of acid can include flashbacks, anxiety and depression. There is little evidence of any physical dangers of long-term LSD use.

Methadone

Addiction Likelihood = No data
Although according to NARCONON methadone can be as addictive as heroin


Also Known As
Symoron, Amidone, Methadose, Heptadon, and more. Sometimes known as meth, linctus, or mixture.

History
Developed in Germany in the 1930s as a synthetic opiod, methadone was used as a pain killer by German soldiers in World War II. It was introduced in the USA in 1947 by Eli Lilly in 1947, under the trade name 'Dolophine'. Since this time, it has been used in the treatment of narcotic addiction, most notably heroin.

Effects
Methadone is a sedative drug that depresses the nervous system. It can help to relieve feelings of anxiety, and reduce physical and psychological pain. Notably, methadone does not give rise to feelings of euphoria, which heroin does.

Common administration
Methadone was traditionally administered in the form of a racemic oral solution. Now it's also common to take it as a traditional pill or in the form of a powder, dissolvable in water.

Health issues
There are several listed adverse effects of methadone on the body. These include hypoventilation, constipation, chronic fatigue, reduced blood pressure, vomiting, cardiac arrhythmia, mood changes, insomnia, and impotence.

Mexican drug cartels

Drug cartels cause social ills

Unless you’ve had your head in a bucket since 2007, you are at least vaguely aware that Mexican drug cartels trafficking their goods into the US have caused significant social illness in Mexico, especially in areas close to the US border. Social illness here can be measured in cartel-driven murders, but that captures only the most gruesome, sensational branches of the drug virus. Besides the deaths are fear, anxiety, mistrustfulness as well as poverty, corruption, and vast inequality.

Is mapping the right way to understand Mexico’s drug trafficking problem?

The graphics here try to pack all of the complexity and destruction of those social ills into maps. Maps are rational. They allow us to feel we have a handle on the components that make up a problem. In this case, I am sure they are not explaining the whole story. I’m also not sure they are trying to explain the whole story.

What I like about the first map is that the map makers lay out the obvious: which cartels are where. Then they go one step further and highlight the contested territory. In case the colors aren’t coming through clearly, the white areas are the disputed areas. There are a lot of white areas.

And yet…

One would expect most of the violence in a situation like this to be in the disputed areas. But that isn’t the case. Most of the violence is near the US border. The border is another kind of contested territory, one that is much more important than white areas as far as violence prevention is concerned. In fact, those areas aren’t governed by one cartel or another because those areas are not critically important to drug trafficking. None of the cartels much care.

So let’s take a look at another map because I’m thinking the first one implies that we should find violence in the middle of the country.

Drugs and deaths in Mexico

This graphic shows not only traffic patterns where do the drugs go? – but also maps of where the deaths have been. It quickly becomes clear that the drug-related deaths are up near the US border, not in the ‘disputed areas’ highlighted in the previous map. In this map, (thanks unnamed National Post graphic designer) that undisputed area is left unclaimed and unlabeled. That’s a more accurate way to understand those regions and the inset series of maps below the main map do a good job of visually locating cartel-related violence.

The other thing I love about this map is that it specifies *which* drugs are being trafficked. Call me crazy, but I have found it odd that there is a great deal of talk about ‘drugs’ in Mexico as if there is no good reason to talk about which drugs are being moved where. Why is it useful to know which drugs are going where? First, it’s nice to know which drugs because different drugs have different price points per volume and weight. Economics matter. If one drug has a higher profit margin than another because it retails for more per ounce but doesn’t cost much more to produce/transport, one could assume that it will become more popular. Then again, demand matters, too. Even if pot is easy to produce, doesn’t mean you can convince cocaine users to try weed. They probably already tried it and moved on.

Another reason it matters which drugs we’re talking about is that detection and apprehension vary from drug to drug. An easy example: a pot sniffing dog probably won’t lead authorities to a stash of ephedra. What’s more, being able to tell where things are coming from and going to means that it is easier for authorities to target weak points in the routes. We know from news stories (I recommend looking at the LATimes, see references below), we know that drug runners pour much energy into protecting the drug routes right at the US border. But they aren’t digging tunnels under all of Mexico. There are points in the chain of drug traffic that are more vulnerable. Some of those points are deep within Mexico where it might be difficult to get well-trained, cooperative authorities with the necessary tools and manpower to perform raids.

My main gripe about these graphics is that they display this problem as a Mexican problem. This is not a Mexican problem. It is a Mexico-US problem. The demand in the US is pulling all those drugs up from south of the border. Looking at it this way helps introduce conversations about economic imbalances. I imagine that one of the reasons drugs come from Mexico is the same reason that many large companies choose not to have large labor forces in the US: labor is cheaper in Mexico. Various instantiations of poverty also tend to encourage corruption; encouraging local police to fight the cartels is hard when they are out-gunned and out-manned by cartels who can afford to pay off whoever they want including witnesses, other cops, border agents, and whoever else is likely to become cooperative after the application of a bit of grease.

Pushed to the limit: Women and children using heroin

KARACHI: There is a small fishing village in the coastal area of Karachi called Rehri Goth where instead of fish, drugs are sold. Here, heroin, which is readily available, is the drugs of choice. It is not just the men who are addicted to it, women and children are also seen on the streets in a state of intoxication.

Hanifa has been using heroin for 30 years. Her dependence has reached the point where a single packet of the opiate no longer satiates her addiction and she experiences severe withdrawal symptoms when made to go without. “My husband took drugs and I first tried it just for fun. Now I feel like needles are being driven into my body when I do not get my dose,” she explains. “I tried treating the addiction, but it did not help.”

Hanifa was married previously; both her first and second husbands are now dead as are three of her six children. Her other three children are also addicts — they roam the streets of the settlement getting closer and closer to death. Other village children are not far behind.

A drug peddler, Basri, is in the business of selling ‘tokens’ — the name given to one packet of heroin. “I get the drugs from Geedar Colony. I sell one token for Rs70 with a profit of Rs10,” she says. The settlement does have a police force, but they are either in cahoots with the peddlers or simply indifferent because they have never stopped me from entering the village, says a proud Basri.

Basri is not a drug addict herself but her 30-year-old son has lost a foot due to drug addiction. Repeatedly injecting the drug into his leg has resulted in the foot wasting away. Cannabis (charas) is another commonly available substance used by Rehri Goth residents.

Using a cloth as a filter, they smoke the substance in a pipe called a ‘sulfi’.

The fishermen claim that they turn to drugs in despair. The resources coming in from the government never reach them and their nets, which cost hundreds of thousands of rupees, are often stolen.

Decrying the women of Rehri Goth, social worker Kamal Shah says these intoxicated women are unconcerned with their children’s future or well-being. “Satisfying their addiction is all they care about.”

Drugs and its Effect on Olympic Athletes

 

     Everytime the Olympics begin, there is always news about athletes being tested for the so-called "performance-enhancing drug". The public is never really sure whether their loyal athletes are clean when they begin that race or start that swim. But why take them? Do these drugs actually allows athletes to go faster or become stronger? How are athlete's tested? What are the side effects of taking these drugs? Performance-enhancing drugs have always been an issue in the Olympics.

     Why Take Drugs?

     From the day an athlete decides that they want to compete in the Olympics, they have one goal. It is to win and take home a medal. In order to accomplish this goal, the athlete must go through vigorous training in a short amount of time. For some, this isn't a satisfactory guarantee for victory. This is when drugs come into the story. Many athletes believe that taking drugs will help them run faster, become stronger and have better confidence. They want to win so badly that are willing to risk their health and their careers.

         The main reasons athletes take drugs are:

          - build muscles mass

          - strengthens bones

          - mask pain

          - stimulate the athlete's body

          - reduce weight

          - relax and stay calm before a race 

          - hide other drugs inside the system

Types of Performance Enhancing Drugs 

          Though performance enhancing drugs usually refer to steroids, there are actually six types. They are:

"Lean Mass Builders": these drugs are commonly used to amplify the growth of muscles and lose fat quickly. These drugs include anabolic steroids, and various human growth hormones.

Stimulants: these drugs are used to "stimulate" the athlete's body to make them perform at their best or possibly better than their best. It increases alertness, reduces fatigue and increases competitive aggressiveness. These drugs include caffeine and amphetamines.

Painkillers: these drugs hide the athlete's pain so that they may perform farther than their bodies would usually allow. Painkiller drugs increase blood pressure and provide red blood cells with more oxygen then normal. These drugs include NSAIDs and narcotics.

Sedatives: these drugs are more commonly used by athletes who require steady hands and preciseness such as sharp shooting or archery. This drug calms down nerves and relaxes the body. Some examples include alcohol and marijuana.

Diuretics: these drugs expel water from the athlete's system. Diuretics are mostly used by wrestlers who need to lower their weight to meet weight restrictions.

"Masking Drugs": these drugs are used to hide the use of other drugs in the system. Examples include epitestosterone, a drug with no performance-enhancing abilities but will restore the testosterone/epitestosterone ratio in the human body which could have changed due to the use of an illegal drug.

Testing for Drugs

Athletes Who Used Performance Enhancing Drugs

In the Olympics, many athletes through the years have admitted or tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. There are 6 different categories of drugs that are banned in the Olympics are :

Stimulants | Narcotic analgesics |Cannabinoids |Anabolic agents |Peptide hormones |Beta-2 agonists|Masking agents | Glucocorticosteroids

The International Olympic Committee ( IOC) has decided to improve the drug tests performed on athletes in order to keep their integrity to the fame. The 2008 Beijing  Olympics had 3,667 athletes take the drug test where blood and urine samples were checked, as well as blood doping ( which enhances their aerobic capacity and endurance). The IOC  banned drug use in 1967 and since then, many athletes have been caught and potentially stripped of any metals they have earned at the games.

Canadian 100m sprinter Ben Johnson , became most publicized doping-related disqualification, for using stanozolol in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. His gold medal for the 100m was awarded to his rival, and runner up American Carl Lewis, who was the one who started the rumour of Johnson's possible doping.

.                                                                                                                         

            Ben Johnson at the 1988 Seoul Olympics

  

 Eric 'Randy' Barnes was an American shot-putter with two world records in both indoor and outdoor shotput. In the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Barnes won the gold medal with a throw of 21.62m. In 1998, he tested positive for androstenedione, and even though his he claimed he didn't know it was banned, the IOC banned him from competing in the Olympics for life. Even though his reputation has been tainted, both his world records still stands as of the Beijing Olympics Games.

                                                                                                      

Randy Barnes- shotput

    

Sports Technology

A big part of enhancing performance lies within the sports equipment and suits athletes wear. Below are some legal performance-enhancing clothing that athletes wear.

Swimming

 

     The Fastskin is brand new swimsuit designed by Speedo that give swimmers the extra bit of speed they need to win a race. The Fastskin reveals a new biometric design surface that mimics shark skin. It is supposed to improve shape retention and increase muscle compression which reduces fatigue and loss of power. This suit also lowers drag the most in comparison to previous swimsuits. Studies show that swimmers wearing the Fastskin were 7.5% faster than swimmers that did not. The fabric also has V-shaped denticle prints (see below), which make the body more hydrodynamic as it slides through the water. The Fastskin is available for both male and female swimmers. There are the Fastskin Jammers, Legskins, Kneeskins, and full Bodysuits.

V-shaped denticles on the Speedo Fastskin 

Gymnastic Suits

Like most other sports which requires movement and speed combined, the tight, skin-like gymnastic suits help reduce drag from the body when performing a stunt midair. For female athletes their suits or leotards are in the shape of a one-piece swimsuit. Materials are not used to cover the legs because in enables the athletes to acquire more flexible movements into their routines. Male athletes wear a unitard that covers their legs.The tightness of the material around her body allows the air to experience less drag and friction, than a suit that is loose. Tying back your hair is also required to reduce the amount of surface area the air will face when going through your hair. Each event requires a different leotard to matched the colour of the apparatus as well as the music on the routine and is usually made with lycra or velours material. Click herefor more information on gymnastics.

        

                      Shawn Johnson mid-air split                                           

         

gymnast on the Parallel Bars