THE COMMUNITY MUST KEEP THE HEAT ON 'ICE'

There are three keys to controlling the ice (crystal methamphetamine)
epidemic in Hawaii: Awareness, intolerance, and enforcement. And they are
falling nicely into place.

The Big Island community has been aware of the ice problem for more than
three years, with a growing participation by more and more residents in ice
awareness activities. This awareness has been reflected in a growing
intolerance of ice use and ice houses, most recently by politicians, but
more importantly by police and most critically, by the community itself.

Police said information from the public has been on the upswing, more tips,
complaints and communication of ice-related problems.

Now, the police are taking big steps on the enforcement side.

In early September, a notorious ice house in Honalo was shut down as police
charged 11 with drug-related offenses. The department has been busy serving
many ice-related warrants.

This past week, Big Island police, supporting federal efforts, made arrests
on the Big Island and Oahu, crippling what U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo said were
five drug trafficking organizations.

The figures presented by Kubo in announcing the completion of "Operation
Shave Ice" were staggering: On at least one occasion drug-trafficking
suspects brought to Hawaii 40 pounds of ice, another group was bringing in
40 pounds of ice each month from California, Nevada and Arizona via
airlines, ships and the mail.

While details of the operation have yet to be fully disclosed, the initial
results are promising. The Hawaii County Police Department executed 20
search warrants on the Big Island alone last Tuesday, resulting in arrest
warrants for 20 residents, including 10 in West Hawaii.

Kubo credited federal laws allowing wiretaps as pivotal in dismantling the
drug rings and building the case against drug traffickers.

"This case shows that the federal wiretap laws can and will protect our
citizens from those who dare to import or distribute ice to our people,"
Kubo said. "And this is a very effective law enforcement tool which has been
approved of by our federal courts."

He then chided Hawaii legislators for failing to enable state law
enforcement to use the same effective wire tap tools to "protect our
citizens from these organizations distributing ice to our citizens."

Hawaii County Police Chief Lawrence Mahuna echoed the sentiment, saying
federal and county law enforcement was more effective in identifying and
dismantling the members of the drug-trafficking organizations by using
federal wire tapping laws and "state-of-the-art wiretapping equipment."

As the politicians recognize the concern of isle residents over the ice
epidemic, they might seek to grandstand less and act a little more. Enabling
state law enforcement to use the same tools available to their federal
counterparts would be a small, but very significant step in that direction.
Wire taps can and should be used against criminals - without compromising
the privacy of law-abiding individuals - providing the proper measures are
in place.

This past week was a bad one for the ice dealers. But the ice problem will
not be solved by enforcement alone. The community must remain resolute:
There can be no tolerance of this horribly addictive drug in our midst.

We must keep the heat on the ice epidemic.