Mexicans and Drugs in Alabama

Juan Carlos Ayala is on the Drug Enforcement Agency's Most Wanted List for conspiracy and distribution of methamphetamine (meth). Juan is from Mexico. His last known address was not in California, Arizona, New Mexico, or Texas. His last known address was at the Quail Run Apartments in Florence, Alabama. The New Orleans Field Division of the DEA has a most wanted list of drug fugitives in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Before you read on - click on the DEA link - and look at the names and faces of the DEA's most wanted. The majority are Mexican - if you don't believe me, count them!

The following blocked statements are not mine. They come straight from the DEA's website in it's report on Alabama:

Mexican and African American DTOs [Drug Trafficing Organizations] are major transporters and distributors of illegal drugs in Alabama. Organizations consisting of street gangs and motorcycle gangs may be contributing to the local drug trade; however, law enforcement does not have statistics to support this. Local groups and individuals according to law enforcement are responsible for the distribution and sometimes trafficking of illegal drugs in Alabama.

Money laundering continues to pose a threat in Alabama, especially in Birmingham and Montgomery. The most obvious businesses utilized are used car lots and Mexican restaurants. These businesses tend to be cash-intensive and lend well to the laundering of illegal proceeds from illicit drug trafficking. An ongoing investigation has identified several Mexican restaurants in Alabama and Florida utilized to launder illegal drug proceeds.

... methamphetamine has been identified by law enforcement as the number one drug threat in Alabama. Methamphetamine production in the state has seen a substantial decrease as a direct result of the restricting of psuedoehpedrine sales; however, it remains the most significant threat in Alabama as Mexican DTOs increased the total quantity available.

The Mexican DTOs[drug trafficing organizations] are responsible for transporting much larger loads of cocaine than the African American DTOs. The northern and southern regions of Alabama are supplied mostly from sources of supply in Houston, Texas. The central part of the state receives most of its cocaine from Atlanta, Georgia

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The drug threat in Alabama is the widespread availability and abuse of illegal drugs arriving from outside the state, along with its homegrown marijuana and the increasing danger of local manufacture of methamphetamine and designer drugs. Conventional drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana comprise the bulk of drugs arriving in and shipped through Alabama. Colombian, Mexican, and Caribbean Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs), regional DTOs, as well as local DTOs and casual or one-time traffickers are responsible for the transportation of these drugs. Additionally, Mexican, Caribbean and regional DTOs have extensive distribution networks within the State of Alabama. Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs are also supplying methamphetamine on a very limited basis through their own distribution network within the state. Local production of methamphetamine is on the rise.

I used to live in the small wealthy town of Brewton, Alabama. Brewton has quite a large number of millionaires - out of proportion for its population. There are many young white kids who were born wealthy. Drugs have always been a problem there. The money in the town is a magnet for drugs.

Yet, when you read the news reports, none of the rich white kids are being apprehended for drug use or possession of narcotics. There are no Mexicans in Brewton being apprehended for drug distribution either. Brewton's Hispanic growth rate has rocketed in the past few years.

HOW COME THE SHERIFF AND POLICE CHIEFS AREN'T CATCHING ANY BIG FISH?

This situation isn't just common to Brewton or other small towns in Alabama. It's happening elsewhere in the U.S. Maybe this quote from Tom Tancredo might enlighten you. Tom Tancredo is one of the stronger advocates for tightening laws against illegal immigration:

"The corruption spreading from south of the border is not confined to Southern California," he writes. "In Cameron County, Texas, the former sheriff and several other officials were recently convicted of receiving drug-smuggling bribes..."

Back to Brewton - which I'm not picking on by the way. Through my sources, I know of two men both in their late forties or early fifties who have extremely serious drug problems. One is rich and the other has always had plenty of money. These men's drug problems are documented because both have been to rehabilitation on different occasions during the past few years. Obviously both have access to drugs. Expensive drugs. Where are they getting their drugs and why aren't the local police shaking them down? One, in fact, has regular contact with the police. Police cars are seen at his house on the most fashionable section of town very frequently. Are the police bringing him his drugs? The man has been arrested in a different county for DUI, but no one, absolutely no one, will touch him in Brewton, Alabama.

In the little town of Maryville, Tennessee where I grew up in the fifties and early sixties, moonshine liquor was a big problem. My late uncle was chief deputy. Every year, poison liquor contributed to a number of deaths in the county. Every year the sheriff and his deputies - including my uncle - would pose for their annual photo in front of a busted-up moonshine still. They always raided one or two small operations each year - although there were hundreds. I asked my uncle once why he participated in this hypocrisy? He replied that the people aren't going to support an unpopular law...

The next time you go to a Mexican restaurant and bite into that taco salad, ask yourself, "How many of the amigos working here are legal? Are any of them hiding out in plain sight from the DEA? Is the owner of the restaurant "laundering" big amounts of cash through his kitchen? What kind of lifestyle is the owner living?" Restaurants are not a traditional source of "big money," so if you see a restaurant entrepreneur with a big car, big house, expensive swimming pool, and other flashy extravagances - you might want to start checking him out! He might be poisoning your kids!

Until next time...

Read about Mexican Meth Raid!