Mexico one of world's top 3 opium growers: report

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Xinhua

Mexico one of world's top 3 opium growers: report

Source: Xinhua 2016-06-23 07:47:15

MEXICO CITY, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Mexico is one of the world's top three producers of opium poppy crops, planting up to 28,000 hectares a year, local media cited a report as reporting on Wednesday.

"The country has the capacity to produce from 21,000 to 28,000 hectares annually," the daily El Universal reported, citing data from a joint report by the Mexican government and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC).

Only Afghanistan and Myanmar produce more, the daily Reforma said.

According to Antonio Mazzitelli, UNDOC's regional representative, while Mexico has been known to produce opium since at least 120 years ago, this is the first official national report on the illicit activity, El Universal said.

Read more: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-06/23/c_135459025.htm

[DemMomma4Sanders]

1. All US allies. Afghanistans protected Poppy crops are a reason for much of the Anti-Western

sentiments among the Iranian and Indian populations.

Drug smugglers call it the golden route: from Afghanistan into Pakistan and then into eastern Iran, it's the trail that takes Afghanistan's abundant opium, and its derivative, heroin, to Western markets.
And all along the way there is strong political compromise in which officials turn a blind eye to the players visibly plying the notorious route, and at each stage the commissions get bigger.

The route provides a funding lifeline for the Taliban resistance in Afghanistan, and also enriches not only the United States-friendly Afghan warlords but also elements of the Northern Alliance, the US's key ally in the country.

Afghanistan is estimated to produce 87% of the world's supply of opium (4,519 tons this season, down 2% from 2004 ), with nearly half of the country's US$4.5 billion economy coming from opium cultivation and trafficking.

http://www.opioids.com/opium/golden-route.html

[IronLionZion]

2. America has a heroin epidemic nationwide

in rural and suburban communities all over our country. It's obviously not all coming from Afghanistan.

Trump's hostility towards Mexico probably isn't as effective as working together with their government to crack down on opium growing operations. If the satellites see where it is then why not work with law enforcement to do something about it?

[GummyBearz]

3. I'll take a guess

"If the satellites see where it is then why not work with law enforcement to do something about it?"

Answer: Because the right people in the Mexican army, police, government, etc are all bribed well enough to not stop it

[geek tragedy]

5. Satellites are good, but unlikely they can ID plants from outer space nt

[IronLionZion]

6. They can ID where to look

for ground troops or law enforcement agents to investigate further.

[snooper2]

7. pure opium isn't that bad...it's when it gets turned into morphine then heroin

We used to smear a little dab on top of a bowl of weed...good stuff

[IronLionZion]

8. I understand there are legit medical uses

like morphine and other painkillers. Also people in other countries use the leaves for herbal remedies.

but we need to deal with the abuse of highly addictive and dangerous heroin. It is not at all like weed, which is not even addictive. Addiction to needle drugs ruin people's lives.

[Sunlei]

4. And grown in America.

http://blog.al.com/live/2012/05/tip_leads_police_to_backyard_o.html