Penalties for drug trafficking

Nick Papadopoulos reported (Herald, July 26) that two persons were
arrested in Sydney on July 24 concerning the seizure of 24 kilograms
of heroin tentatively valued at $55 million on the street.

A customs spokesman was reported as confirming that seizures this year
have totalled 108 kilograms, up from only 30 kilograms a year before
the result of working more efficiently, and of harnessing the latest
technology.

The services that help to pick up the pieces in Canberra tell me that
more needles are being used and that street prices for heroin are
going down, which suggests that usage and supply are increasing faster
than interdiction.

The source of the latest seizure is said to be Malaysia, where they
have the death penalty for trafficking another demonstration that
harsh penalties do not discourage this profitable trade.

This is the right moment for testing a new approach and Bob Carr and
Kate Carnell should give full support to the heroin trial, and the
Commonwealth should have the courage to fund it.

Peter Watney,
July 26 Holt,(ACT).

Mark Riley (Herald, June 25) should know better, "sharpedged ...
rhetoric" or tough talk will never decrease crime. The adage "action
speaks louder than words" applies. He later states "the easy decision
is to increase penalties for drug pushers". Easy to say, hard to do.
Why so hard?ust look at the public outrage when two Australian drug
smugglers were recently jaailed for 50 years in Thailand. Just look at
the public comments and attitude of many of our law enforcement
agencies at that time.

Then more recently, the Australian connection" in that "bust" were
given maximum penalties of twelve years and eight years each. I wonder
what the minimum time served will be? If we are really serious about
getting tough on crime we would be doubling, no tripling, the
penalties.

Taking into account the cost to the community, human liife and
suffering, why not a maximum 36 years and 24 years each?

I read so many articles saying harsher penalties do not work, even
Mark Riley states "... the big stick approach simply does not work".
The problem is we simply have not tried it yet. All we do is talk
about it. Yes, talk is cheap but it is costing our community dearly.

Michael Webb,
July 27 Lindfield.