1 BILLION worth of Cocaine Seized in Philadelphia!

[Ruthanne]

Here's the story: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/philad...n-cocaine-today-port-live-updates-2019-06-18/

[FONT=&quot]More than $1 billion worth of cocaine has been seized at the Philadelphia Port on Tuesday, [/FONT]according to the U.S. Attorney's Office[FONT=&quot]. They say the drug bust netted approximately 16.5 tons of the narcotic from a cargo ship docked at the Packer Marine Terminal. It is the largest coke bust in history in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, [/FONT]CBS Philadelphia[FONT=&quot] reported, and the third largest in U.S. history, a senior official at the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) told CBS News.[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]Federal authorities are searching the cargo ship, the MSC Gayane, and are continuing to investigate. The DEA official said the ship originated from Chile and traveled through Panama and the Bahamas. Two members of the crew have been arrested and face federal charges, according to The Associated Press.[/FONT]

Wow that's a lot of Cocaine! Must have put a lot of drug dealers out of business!

 

[911]

So, I heard about this shortly after it happened from a Trooper friend of mine who is still working, who happen to see it come over the net. Together, we concluded that there had to be a sting in place led by a “confidential informant” or snitch, rat or other name that you may prefer.

I have to believe that someone was paid handsomely for this information. However, whoever dropped the dime on this shipment has to be scared to death and probably will be for the rest of his or her life. Can you even imagine if it was you? What would you do besides go into hiding, or maybe hiding isn’t a good idea.

I haven’t a clue what I would do, well, I do have a few ideas, but it wasn’t me.

 

[Knight]

Seizing that amount is only part of the story
Netflix had or still has a documentary series called Drugs Inc. Really informative about distribution, all walks of life as users & crime by those hooked on drugs. When that quantity doesn't hit the distribution chain the price for any cocaine still available will go up substantially. So will crime & maybe emergency room use for the addicts that can't get or pay for their fix.

 

[Falcon]

:applause2: Good job you cops.

 

[911]

Seizing that amount is only part of the story
Netflix had or still has a documentary series called Drugs Inc. Really informative about distribution, all walks of life as users & crime by those hooked on drugs. When that quantity doesn't hit the distribution chain the price for any cocaine still available will go up substantially. So will crime & maybe emergency room use for the addicts that can't get or pay for their fix.

OK, so they seize "A" shipment. How many shipments do you think get or have gotten through? There is so much Coke and Heroin on the streets that even though this bust may have an effect on the streets here in the east, there is still plenty to go around. If I was a user, what I would be worried about is if my supplier is so short of the stuff that he starts cutting it even more than he already does and, what is he using to cut it with?

 

[fuzzybuddy]

$1 billion! Even thought it was a criminal enterprise, it is rather an impressive feat of business acumen. From a purely supply and demand aspect that amount of cocaine flowing in must radically depress the price- and thus the profit. Being able to deliver such a high level of the product suggests a very sophisticated production network. That means its well entrenched, and extremely difficult to stop- much more than I previously realized.

 

[fmdog44]

Don't worry folks, there's more where that came from. One bust does not bring down the drug cartels. Think how much gets by without being caught.

 

[Ruthanne]

Yes, I wonder what the dealers are going to cut the remaining cocaine with, too. That's scary!

The amount of cocaine was 16.5 tons!

 

[911]

Our efficient ATF division made a bust of 15 pounds of what was supposed to be pure “Snow.” (One of the Street Names)

After the lab checked it for its chemical makeup, it was found to be cut with white powder laundry detergent, creatine and baking soda. Ten pounds goes a long way when you cut the substance. Maybe even end up with 30 pounds. Point is that it’s highly and most likely possible that you can double the size and then some of the total weight.

There’s about 500 grams to a pound of Coke Take one pound of Coke @$100 per gram. These numbers are off the top of my head, so it could be give or take a little. Anyway you look at it, we’re talking about a boatload of money. (No pun intended.)

Users don’t care what they suck up their nose as long as they get the desired effect.

Same goes for Heroin. Dealers cut the crap out of that drug.

 

[norman]

Coca-cola sure messed up when they changed the original formula used in the 1900's to what it is today. Could you imagine if it still contained cocaine ln todays formula. I might even try one or two or three. ..... p.s. My first Coke was bought at a gasoline filling station for 5 cents and it was a honor system where you just put your nickel in a cup and got yourself a coke, no cocaine in it, but it was a big deal to drink a coke. The honor system wouldn't work today. lol

 

[Gary O']

Just had to create....

 

[norman]

:wink::wink::wink: Looks like a HAPPY DOG.

Just had to create....

 

[Ruthanne]

Our efficient ATF division made a bust of 15 pounds of what was supposed to be pure “Snow.” (One of the Street Names)

After the lab checked it for its chemical makeup, it was found to be cut with white powder laundry detergent, creatine and baking soda. Ten pounds goes a long way when you cut the substance. Maybe even end up with 30 pounds. Point is that it’s highly and most likely possible that you can double the size and then some of the total weight.

There’s about 500 grams to a pound of Coke Take one pound of Coke @$100 per gram. These numbers are off the top of my head, so it could be give or take a little. Anyway you look at it, we’re talking about a boatload of money. (No pun intended.)

Users don’t care what they suck up their nose as long as they get the desired effect.

Same goes for Heroin. Dealers cut the crap out of that drug.

I can just imagine how much money they would have made off of the 16.5 tons! Cutting it with laundry detergent, wow, I never heard of that before but I believe it. I know they used to cut it with some kind of baby formula mix many, many, many years ago. Users will snort or shoot up whatever is in it.

 

[Ruthanne]

Don't worry folks, there's more where that came from. One bust does not bring down the drug cartels. Think how much gets by without being caught.

No it won't bring the cartels down but I imagine this put a dent in them for awhile.

 

[WhatInThe]

No it won't bring the cartels down but I imagine this put a dent in them for awhile.

Yeh I wonder do the drug dealers give their salesman a few extra weeks vacation? Does it come out of their year end bonus?

I was surprised all the places this ship went to before it wound in up in Philadelphia. I wonder if drug gangs share smuggler services or this ship was a cocaine bus of sorts for anyone who paid.

Cocaine so last century. I guess the economy really is 'cranking' up for many.

 

[fuzzybuddy]

I doubt that losing $1 Billion is more or less the cost of doing business, and probably had no more than a blip on the amount of 'snow' on the street.

 

[Aunt Bea]

It's sad to think that a billion dollars worth of cocaine is just a drop in the bucket.

 

[Ruthanne]

I doubt that losing $1 Billion is more or less the cost of doing business, and probably had no more than a blip on the amount of 'snow' on the street.

I disagree as it was 16.5 tons worth..can you imagine that much cocaine? I can't. It put more than a blip in the stuff on the street IMO.nthego:

 

[WhatInThe]

It's sad to think that a billion dollars worth of cocaine is just a drop in the bucket.

Think about all the shipments that didn't get seized in Philadelphia alone. Throw in other port cities these types of shipments have to be in and out all the time.

I always heard cocaine was a richman's drug. If it's cheap now they'll be a lot more sniffer heads out there racking up excuses why they screwed up at work, 'forgot' to pay the mortgage or car loan. And this is in a time of legalized pot and other easy access/cheaper drugs. Video is a very fitting choice because there's a whole generation out there that never experienced that high. Have to wonder literally what is going through someone's mind when they ingest this stuff.

 

[Ruthanne]

Think about all the shipments that didn't get seized in Philadelphia alone. Throw in other port cities these types of shipments have to be in and out all the time.

I always heard cocaine was a richman's drug. If it's cheap now they'll be a lot more sniffer heads out there racking up excuses why they screwed up at work, 'forgot' to pay the mortgage or car loan. And this is in a time of legalized pot and other easy access/cheaper drugs. Video is a very fitting choice because there's a whole generation out there that never experienced that high. Have to wonder literally what is going through someone's mind when they ingest this stuff.

I tried it a very, very long time ago and not since but what was going through my mind was simply "I want to get high!"

 

[WhatInThe]

I tried it a very, very long time ago and not since but what was going through my mind was simply "I want to get high!"

I knew someone who tried and they really didn't experience much of anything. They were like what's the big deal? I've seen others become extremely aggressive and easily agitated. I've seen people lose a 100 pds, their marriage and job with crack. Right now I think the current generation of junkies and party people are looking for something different.

 

[Ruthanne]

I knew someone who tried and they really didn't experience much of anything. They were like what's the big deal? I've seen others become extremely aggressive and easily agitated. I've seen people lose a 100 pds, their marriage and job with crack. Right now I think the current generation of junkies and party people are looking for something different.

I felt very elated after snorting it--like I'd never felt before but the next day I felt horribly depressed.

I really have no idea what the current generation of junkies are looking for but there must have been a need/want for cocaine to have had 16.5 tons of it seized.:sentimental:

 

[fmdog44]

I snorted coke once in 1972 and immediately I knew it was a prison so I never touched it again.

 

[norman]

If you live in Michigan it is legal to grow 12 Marijuana plants for yourself. Who would need Cocaine? Should the persons who were arrested and served prison time and had their lives ruined receive reparation or have this coviction removed from their public record?

 

[Knight]

I had no clue about how cocaine was sold or why 16.5 tons could amount to a billion dollars in sales. So I looked up selling by weight.

In North America commonly found units are 1.75 grams but really 1.5g ( "teener", slang for 1/16th of an ounce , 28 grams in an ounce so 16th should be 1.75 gm, but is usually 1.5g )


3.5 grams ( "eightball")

16.5 tons whether teener or eight ball that breakdown IMO is no blip on the screen.