Aruba's Drug Problem

Jim Kouri writing at The National Ledger takes a look at the drug trafficking problem in Aruba. Many who have been following the Natalee Holloway story have read some of these reports in depth. Jim does a good job of bringing them together.

Located only 20 miles off the coast of Venezuela, the island paradise of Aruba serves as a transshipment point for illicit drugs—primarily cocaine from South America. Smugglers generally move large loads of cocaine into Aruba on fishing vessels, private yachts, and go-fast boats. They also move drugs out of Aruba inside maritime containerized cargo and airfreight. Drug trafficking organizations continue to exploit Aruba’s air and sea links to the continental United States, South America, Europe, Puerto Rico, and other Caribbean nations. Most of the cocaine transiting Aruba is destined for European markets—primarily the Netherlands.

One Mother I talked to expressed surprise when I told her of a State Department report which specifically cited MDMA (Ecstacy) as a problem in the night club scene in Aruba. She thought Florida represented a bigger concern in that particular regard prior to knowing about the report.

It may be time for the State Department to begin improving and broadcasting their reports a bit more widely for consumer use - particularly as regards the tourism industry.

It's a  thought.

Comments

[Matthew Berry]

amazing how local government choses to ture it's eye from this

[RJ]

Maybe there was some muleing(?) going on.

[Cindi in PA]

Venezuela accuses DEA of spying, suspends ties

August 8, 2005

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Sunday accused the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration of using its agents for espionage, and said Venezuela was suspending cooperation with the U.S. agency.

Chavez, who regularly accuses the U.S. government of plotting against him, said ''the DEA isn't absolutely necessary for the fight against drug trafficking.''

U.S. Ambassador William Brownfield said last week that the United States had hoped to maintain cooperative anti-drug efforts in Venezuela, and that without them ''there is only one group that wins, and that group is the drug traffickers.''

Chavez maintains that the DEA has been using the fight against drugs as a pretext to gather intelligence on Venezuela.

''The DEA was using the fight against drug trafficking as a mask, to support drug trafficking, to carry out intelligence in Venezuela against the government,'' Chavez said. AP

[andy]

An excellent report - i think your doing a great job Dan.

[Captain Joe]

The other aspect of this problem is the easy money laundering in Aruba. It has been reported that the Aruban government and LE leadership have been bought and paid for by the Scicilian Mob, and that they run the casinos there. No wonder the average citizen there is afraid to talk or stick their necks out for a tourist.

[FloridaPatty]

Interesting timing don't you think?

[fried]

a look at the state department site for not only Aruba, but all of the Carribean shows that Aruba is not unique.
Most of the islands are reported in much the same way.
also remember that most major drug cartels are not going to want to bring attention to their routes by
allowing major cargos to be pilfered in route. it leaves too easy a trail to follow. i would be more wary of the places with NO reported drug activity, that is where the big players will be.

[clintcarter]

Just a note: when i was in Acapulco in 1984 the beaches were swarming wiht kids who wanted to get you your beers, your ganja, your coke.
Considering the hotels and the activity everywhere and that Acapulco would likely be stricter than many (I guess) that meant great quantities sold up and down the coast.
I believe the kind of heightened attention (in Aruba) in Many other places would bring evidence of similar narcotics activity. Central America is a natural physical conduit between supply and demand in the North and South.

[Isanah]

What is MHBT?

[Isanah]

OOPs, MBHT?

[RealPotential]

Didn't Bush just sign a freedom of Trade agreement act for the carribean? ....

Maybe I don't know what Im yackin about. Just seems like I heard that out of the corner of my ear recently.... or something like that.

[LALady]

thank you Isanah...I was wondering the same thing...this investigation has so many initials used for various things. I wish someone that knows them all would list them and what they stand for.

[COLE BANKS]

Ms Tweedy got told to quit harrassing one the Kalpoes. Fair? Unfair? I can understand her concern over a missing child bit maybe she should consider
"innocent until PROVEN guilty",and allow Dutch/Aruban authorities to do the job? I'm not sure what I would do in the same situation.
Should the FBI be given the Dutch/Aruban interview & other investigation records? Is this common between countries in situations like this?Do Americans now expect some kind of extra-territorial rights when a US citizen is involved in a foriegn investigation? Strange, USA is not willing to subject it's citizens to the World Court but expects other countries to allow it to run parallel investigations in thier territories and to have access to thier records. Perhaps they only want the records pertaining to other US citizens now in the USA where they can interview them more easily than the Dutch/Aruban authorities? Do the Dutch/Aruban authorities have access to any such interview records? access to US citizens who were in Aruba that night? records of interviews of Natalees's friends/family? More questions than answers here.

[confused in CO]

MBHT =
Mama-Beth Holloway Twitty??
Mountain Brook High Tschool???

[petunia]

Mountain Brook High Teens? or maybe it's a typo--maybe Dan meant MBHS--Mountain Brook High School?

[res_ipsa_loquitor]

Satish has a tickle page, too.

He's at King of Bling Bling

[res_ipsa_loquitor]

Where is everyone?

[(CindyLouWho)]

Dan...MBHT???

[pearl]

Everyone is tired from Natalee Case.

[kescah]

Did anyone see that Greta was going to talk about something new in Joran's appearance- but the scheduled parts were preempted by current news about Bonnie and Clyde. Does anyone know if Joran got an ear pierced or something? LOL.

[Isanah]

I think there going to have to retract that "Bonnie and Clyde" reference to these two idiots. The Hyattes were more like "dumb and dumber". OK let's kill this poor guard then eventually call a cab and check into a hotel.
How stupid can two fugitives get?? My prayers are with the Morgan family..what a lost of a good man.

[kescah]

Agreed in full!

[clintcarter]

I believe MBHT is one o' them date rape drugs.

[Dan]

Correction MBHT should have read MDMA (Ecstacy. )corrected in post.

[LegalBeagle]

Maybe MDMA which is Ecstasy? No drugs listed under MBHT.

[LegalBeagle]

Sorry... I was looking it up and didn't see that it had already been changed...

[Isanah]

It makes you wonder about legal VS illegal drugs. Apparently Ecstacy was legal or at least not regulated back in the 80's (?), and I had never heard of it!. Now that's it illegal everyone has heard of it!

[What'sthis]

"Chavez maintains that the DEA has been using the fight against drugs as a pretext to gather intelligence on Venezuela."

WOW - I wasn't aware that there was any intelligence existing over in Venezuala. I'm even more certain that there is no "intelligence" over there after reading this idiot's (IMO) ranting.

[clintcarter]

Ectasy is more of an inhibition-relaxer than anything that will render you incapacitated. Going on a trip is not the same as geting drugged into submission.
But if she'd had too much rum to drink, she may have ended up passed out anyway.
That would almost make the crime worse if such a thing were possible. Not even fighting with her but doing such harm to the completely vulnerable.

I believe our character is most revealed in how we deal with those who are most defenseless against us.

[Razorbill]

I find it a bit pathetic how Americans now want to believe Aruba to be 7th circle of hell itself. Plenty more people go missing in every major American town. Plenty more hard drugs are to be found. I understand everyone's feelings but demonising an island because a single girl went missing once is a bit weak. I'm not meaning to "troll" anyone or be a pain in the ass, but a bit of perspective wouldn't go amiss. MDMA isn't the worst drug in the world and its certainly not a rape drug. The worst thats going to happen is you are going to feel a bit overly empathic, need a drink of water and be in the mood for dancing (or else a bit twitchy). Its certainly not harmless but in terms of what we are discussing here, you are far more at risk if you are simply blind drunk. Alcohol is one of the absolute worst drugs around in terms of health and risk to wellbeing, the fact that its legal and other ones are not shouldn't blind anyone to the facts of the matter.

[clintcarter]

Razorbill I think it is a bit understated to limit E's effect to being in the mood for dancing.
Ecstasy did not get it's name by accident, but from the lack of anxiety, very good feelings about others and the strong urge to commune that it produces.

[nelson]

Yes Aruba is like any other Caribbean island a transit point for drugs!!, If there was NO CONSUMER there would be NO PRODUCER, most of the drugs are being produced in Colombia and being shipped any way possible to the US or Europe, dont you think Aruba is not doing anything possible to stop this trafficking!!! find out some more before you start with rumours!!! or something you dont know anything about, you better get the WHOLE PICTURE. The FOL also has a base in Aruba to try help stop these drug smugglers. If you think we aren't doing anything, how and in the US its so much better, how come we have so much drugs still in the streets everywhere!!. We have to stop being such hypocrits.