DRUG SCAM: FRAUD QUESTIONS STILL UNANSWERED

It's baaaack. After several months of being absent from public view as the
Federal Bureau of Investigation diligently probed possible corruption and
civil rights violations, the Dallas Police Department's fake drugs scandal
have blasted back on to the headlines. A paid police informant has
reportedly agreed to a plea bargain in exchange for testimony that may
finally solve the mystery of who planted ground gypsum on dozens of Mexican
immigrants, many of whom eventually were sent to prison or deported for
drug trafficking.

Enrique Alonso long has been one of the Dallas Police Department's star
informants, but he now seems to have become the star witness in what could
well turn out to be a federal case against Dallas police or other
individuals not yet publicly identified. Two officers have been placed on
paid leave while the matter is investigated. Upon learning of Mr. Alonso's
deal, the lawyer for one of the officers challenged the informant's
credibility because of allegedly conflicting statements in the past.

Nearly a year has passed since this story broke, and Dallasites are still a
long way from knowing whom they should believe. It is still unclear how
many helped perpetuate the malicious fraud and how many were unjustly
framed. But so far it looks as if dozens of illegal immigrants were used as
convenient fall guys.

Guadalupe Gonzalez, the new FBI agent in charge of the Dallas division, has
acknowledged that this case is of great interest to this community, and he
has promised a timely resolution to the investigation.

That is good to hear. The investigation cannot be allowed to drag on. It
should be done quickly, as well as done right. The work should be thorough
and fair. It should follow the truth wherever it leads and leave no
questions unanswered.

Most of all, whatever action is taken should match the severity of the
offense. It should be tough and send a message that, in this community of
rapidly changing demographics, scoundrels who prey upon those who speak a
different language or share a different culture will be dealt with most
severely.