ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS' ROLE IN DRUG TRADE SHOULDN'T BE IGNORED

Here's something the so-called "immigration advocates" don't want you
to know: Illegal immigrants are deeply involved in the drug trade in
Northern Nevada, and elsewhere on the West Coast and around the country.

The latest example of the dangerous and troubling connection between
illegal immigration and drug trafficking occurred in Reno last month
when federal, state and local anti-drug agents teamed-up to arrest 10
Mexican nationals - most of them illegal immigrants - on charges of
possessing large quantities of illicit narcotics with the intention
of selling them to our children and grandchildren. Members of the
Northern Nevada High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force seized 100
grams of heroin, 500 grams of cocaine, more than five grams of meth
and $100,000 in cash in a series of raids in Reno.

"It's hard to say what sort of impact this will have on drug
trafficking in Northern Nevada, but every little bit helps," said
Nevada's U.S. Attorney, Greg Brower. "This was much more than just a
little bit (of drugs)," he added. Federal drug trafficking charges
carry prison sentences ranging from five to 40 years and fines
ranging up to $4 million.

Although illegal immigration advocates argue that most "undocumented
workers" are honest, law-abiding people who want to work in the U.S.
in order to provide for their destitute families in Mexico and
elsewhere in Latin America, the truth is that far too many illegals
are involved with violent Latino gangs and Mexican drug cartels. How
violent are they? Well, according to Time magazine, at least 3,000
people (including women and children) have died in drug-related
crimes since Mexican President Felipe Calderon, a law-and-order
conservative, took office in December, 2006.

So far this year, victims of deadly drug violence have included two
of Mexico's highest-ranking anti-narcotics officials, who were
assassinated in Mexico City last month, along with local policemen,
judges and a U.S. Border Patrol agent who was killed as he pursued
drug traffickers fleeing from Arizona back into Mexico. In April, 15
drug cartel members were murdered in Tijuana, just across the border
from San Diego. And we know that Latino gangs are major contributors
to an increase in drug-related violence in Carson City. Recent
evidence includes several drive-by shootings, an incident in which
shots were fired at a deputy sheriff and a major drug trafficking
case against four illegals, one of whom had violated federal
deportation orders four times.

I trust that Sheriff Ken Furlong and District Attorney Neil Rombardo
will continue to keep the heat on local gangs and that volunteer
anti-gang coalitions will do everything possible to involve Hispanic
and Latino leaders and families in their admirable efforts. Simply
put, I want to see their actions match their encouraging words.

TYRANNY ON THE BORDER

In March, the Washington Post published an investigative report on
border drug violence headlined "Tyranny on the Border." "More than
20,000 Mexican troops and federal police are engaged in a multi-front
war with the private armies of rival drug lords," the Post reported.
"Law enforcement officials and journalists, politicians and peasants
have been gunned down in the wave of violence, which includes mass
executions ...." And worse yet, "the violence is spilling over into the U.S."

According to the Post, more than 4,800 Mexicans were slain in the
last two years, doubling the 2005 murder rate. "Drawing on firepower,
savage intimidation and cash, (drug) cartels ... control key parts of
the border," the article continued, "securing smuggling routes for 90
percent of the cocaine flowing into the United States." The result is
that a river of cocaine and other lethal drugs carried by illegal
immigrant "mules" is flowing up from Mexico through Southern
California and on into Northern Nevada and the Pacific Northwest.
That's why I'm pleased to note that federal, state and local law
enforcement agencies have joined forces to combat large scale drug
trafficking in our area.

As some popular Mexican cowboy bands sing the praises of drug lords,
the death toll continues to rise in a once-peaceful nation. Sad to
say, you can hear some of that pro-drug culture "golpe" music around
here, but I don't hear any protests from alleged Hispanic "leaders."
Meanwhile, just south of the California border, three Rosarito Beach
(a popular tourist destination) police officers were beheaded not
long ago for investigating the powerful Arellano Felix Drug Cartel.
But, the Post noted, "to the children of Rosarito Beach, narco-gunmen
had become local heroes because they drove fancy cars, wore the
latest styles and acted like they owned the town ... (by) openly
flashing their weapons (and) snorting cocaine in public ..." Now
that's a nice role model for Mexican kids.

That's how bad it is just across our southern border and our federal
government should pay at least as much attention to drug traffickers
as it does to other international terrorists by giving President
Calderon the help he needs to combat the drug cartels. Although the
Bush administration has proposed a $500 million annual anti-drug
package for Mexico, Congress has so far managed to ignore the
proposal in this divisive election year.

My plea is for the Feds and state and local police to get serious
about border control and drug trafficking and violence along the U.S.
- - Mexico border. And let's stop romanticizing the criminal illegal
immigrants who make the drug problem much worse.

• Guy W. Farmer, of Carson City, worked on several major anti-drug
projects during his 28-year career in the U.S. Foreign Service.