Did anyone else hear this?

18 years ago

As I was watching t.v last night CTV News did a story on drug smuggling. I find this so sad that anyone could stoop so low, at least 3 of them are alive and well, and they were caught.

Associated Press

NEW YORK Â Colombian smugglers turned puppies into drug mules by surgically implanting them with packets of liquid heroin, authorities said.

Investigators believe the ring used the dogs, as well as people who swallowed the drugs, to conceal millions of dollars of heroin on commercial flights into New York for distribution on the East Coast.

Ten puppies, including Labrador retrievers, were rescued during a 2005 raid on a farm in Colombia, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said Wednesday, while announcing more than 30 arrests.

A veterinarian had stitched a total of 3 kilograms of heroin into the bellies of six pups. Three died from infections after the drugs were removed.

The surviving dogs "are still alive and well, we're told," said John P. Gilbride, head of the DEA's New York office.

Colombian police said they adopted three dogs, one of which was being trained to sniff for drugs.

It was unclear how many dogs might have been used in the smuggling scheme, Gilbride said.

"I think it's outrageous and heinous that they'd use small, innocent puppies in this way," he said.

Besides the pups and human swallowers, authorities said the ring based in Medellin also concealed drugs in body creams, aerosol cans, and the linings of purses and luggage.

Recent raids in Colombia resulted in more than 20 arrests; another 10 suspects were in custody in New York, Florida and North Carolina. About 24 kilograms of heroin was seized, officials said.

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Comments (12)

bonz
18 years ago
Absolutly disgusting......all for the love of drugs and money, just wish people would get high on life instead.
fairy_toadmother
18 years ago
unfortunately, i have heard of this. they will even use other animals, such as boas, pythons, etc. hidden in packaged imports animal and non animal, hidden in a baby's diaper, rectally in themselves(and probably pay others to do this, also), you name it. very sad.
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chickadeedeedee
18 years ago
Opium and other drugs are implanted into water buffalo and cows along the India / Pakistan border. A simple smack on their butts and they wander across the border and casually transport the narcotics.

Very sad.

C3D
semper_fi
18 years ago
What actually makes the news is only tip of the proverbial iceberg. I know smugglers often swallow packets or even have drugs surgically implanted in their gluteus maximus. Then on the other end, the users of this crap also go to some sadly insane extremes to be able to obtain their fix. Pretty messed up!

BTW, the mention of raids by the Columbian authorities in that article is such a HUGE JOKE. The majority of the Columbian government and their "law enforcement" are just puppets for the cartels.
zinniachick
18 years ago
Take the profit out of smuggling:

Legalize it.

Abuse of drugs harms lots of people, but the institution of smuggling/cooking/selling illegal drugs harms far more. Rip the money out from under it.
zinniachick
18 years ago
Oh and while I'm tipsily typing, let me just say that, though Dionne Warwick has the talent and kahones to be a diva, Aretha Franklin is proof that humanity deserves to love God.

Beg your pardon. As you were.
fairy_toadmother
18 years ago
oh boy....i am in the dark again and i can't help it! sorry if this hijacks the post! zinniachick- i don't get it, could you offer me some hints :) or is that just an impromptu statement/honoring about aretha franklin's talents and humanity?
sleeplessinftwayne
18 years ago
That must be some music system.
zinniachick
18 years ago
Nah, there was a PBS special on while I was checking in on the forum, and both aforementioned ladies were featured in two brief clips -- blew me away. Sorry for the non sequitur.
saigo
Original Author
18 years ago
Snakes, water buffalo, and cows? Indeed sad, I could maybe understand the cows and buffalo because they are large animals, still sick though. When I first saw this I didn't realize it had taken place in Columbia until I looked it up on the web. I guess it just really hit home with me because I'm an animal lover and have two labs myself, when they showed the dogs at the airport they looked to be only about eight months old, and I had never heard of this. I guess I do lead a very sheltered life!

We don't usually hear of this kind of news on Canadian t.v.

What we hear on the news I'm sure is only the tip of the ice burg.
jeanner
18 years ago
Amen ZC.
fairy_toadmother
18 years ago
hmmm, thought there must have been some simultaneous activities....

saigo, it occurs in more than just columbia. sorry i can't back that up. the searches are filled with the most recent article right now.