The article in today's Herald about the attempted importation of 12
tonnes of pseudoephedrine into New Guinea raises interesting questions
about the intrinsic value of illicit drugs, the vast profits available
to criminals who make their living from the illicit drugs business and
the futility of the current drug war.

On one hand the article states that "the cost of the individual
chemicals was $US212,000" but elsewhere states that the
methamphetamine able to be produced from the pseudoephedrine had a
"potential illegal street value" of $US280 million ($470 million).

Given that the conversion of pseudoephedrine into methamphetamine is a
simple, inexpensive process, this means that the true value of the
methamphetamine as an ordinary item of commerce would be well under
$US1 million.

If, as your article claims, the street value of the methamphetamine
able to be produced is $US280 million, there would be plenty of
criminals prepared to risk a spell in jail to have a crack at such
enormous profits.

Dr Michael Dawson, University of Technology, Sydney.