Upper Level Meth Drug Dealers Are Illegal Immigrants



ARRA News Service: Jonesboro, Arkansas Police Chief Michael Yates spoke to a public meeting called Thursday to discuss the problem of drugs. Jonesborro is home to Arkansas State University, the flag ship of the ASU Educational System with many colleges in Eastern Arkansas. Like many large university communities, Joneboro faces the issues and problems created by illegal drug use. But of special interest is that while the drug use problem may be a local, many of the upper-level drug dealers who control the flow of meth out of Mexico tend to be illegal immigrants.

A story by George Jared in The Jonesboro Sun today (Aug 2) reported Chief Yates comments:
[quote]A cultural wave of drug abuse and violence has started across the country . . . Unlike the drug and cultural revolution of the 1960s, this new shift is more tied to gang activity . . . . Most of the fight against the sale and consumption of illegal drugs occurs at the local level, but some national policies are making the problem worse, even in Jonesboro. . .

Over the last couple of years the bulk of methamphetamine has come into the city from Mexico . . . Local meth dealers were hampered by laws passed by the Arkansas Legislature in 2005 limiting the amount of ephedrine or similar drugs that could be purchased. These substances are a primary ingredient in producing meth. When local supplies withered, “Mexican Ice,â€