DRUG DONS UNDER PRESSURE

Unless they find ways to bypass the new security measures at the port
of entry to the United States and the United Kingdom, local drug
dealers may well be forced to abandon their lavish lifestyle of
designer clothing, flashy jewellery, expensive SUVs and endless partying.

Based on information garnered from the Montego Bay underworld, it
would appear that it has not been business as usual since the
terrorist attack of September 11 in New York and Washington, DC.
Indications are that the tightened security, initiated by the United
States, make breaching the security at the ports - air and sea, next
to impossible.

"Bwoy everybody bawling, nothing nah gwaan since the bombing in
America," said a former top-flight Montego Bay drug dealer, who still
maintains close ties with persons involved in the drug trade. "Not
even a pin can't go through the airport in Miami and England these
days."

With no money coming in from the trade, persons familiar with the
dynamics of the movement of cash in the underworld are predicting a
dismal Christmas 2001. According to them, some social events such as
children's treats, which the dons (drug dealers) usually finance, and
back-to-school programmes may be shelved this year.

Because of what appears to be unprecedented difficulty in shipping
drugs to the lucrative markets in Britain and the U.S., the once
endless flow of cash - a feature of the drug trade - is rapidly drying
up. In fact, indications are that some of the drug dealers, who would
normally be flaunting their wealth, are now having difficulties paying
their debts.

"A few of the young don dem owe me money but they cannot pay because
no nothing is happening for them," said a noted businessman, who
claims he had former links with the illicit trade. "Some a de man dem
a gwaan like Bin Laden bomb both dem wallet and bank account."

With the movement of drugs under pressure, some drug dealers,
especially those who buy cocaine on consignment from cartels operating
out of Colombia, could well find themselves in serious trouble.
According to a reliable source in the trade, the local dealers'
inability to pay for consignments already received, is bringing on the
heat from their Colombian suppliers.

"The Colombians are serious people, once you take the drugs you have
to pay them or else it's trouble," said the source, who thinks a
series of recent murders in Westmoreland is the end result of drug
deals going bad. "If you fool around with them (Colombians), chances
are that you will get your brains blown out."

As a consequence of the new difficulty in smuggling drugs through the
port, dealers have been forced to resort to the less desirable method
of using drug mules. According to sources in the trade, in addition to
being collectively more expensive, drug mules are said to offer far
less guarantees than mixing drugs with legitimate shipments via containers.

"If you use the method of persons (mule) swallowing the dope
(cocaine), it can prove very expensive. You have to buy them plane
tickets, find hotel and pocket money and then pay them up to US$5,500.

"Sometimes people get caught at the airport and sometimes they go
through and run-off with the stuff, it really offers no guarantee,"
said the dealer, who has utilised the services of drug mules in the
past and is believed to be one of the many former young millionaires
in Montego Bay. "Before September 11, only small-time dealers use drug
mules."

With the recent crackdown on mules, especially with the series of
recent major "bust" in England, that method of trafficking drugs is
now under pressure. According to reports from the drug underworld, the
mules are increasingly turning their backs on the trade, refusing to
challenge the new X-ray system in London and Miami.

"If drug dealers can't move their stuff, it will be the end of the
trade," a usually reliable source said. Such an eventuality could have
dire consequences. "As strange as it may sound, the drug trade helps
to reduce major crime and if a man can't make money out of juggling
(selling drugs) he might just decide to pick up a gun to make a living."

"This is going to be a bad Christmas because no money not running,"
said another dealer, who has already decided that it will be a
low-keyed season. "It is not going to be easy to be generous when no
money not coming in."