Drug addiction exists because of the human desire for escapism. Most satisfy this desire through legitimate means such as reading a book, either in hard copy or online; going to the movies or watching TV; attending or participating in a sporting event; hobbies; etc. Others, however, seek escape through destructive and illegal mind-altering substances like crack cocaine, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana.
This pursuit of escape through the use of illegal narcotics is the cause of a great deal of crime in society. First, the demand of the drug addict and/or potential drug addict calls into existence the supply of the drug trade and the criminals that control and profit from it. Second, to support their habits, the drug addicts often turn to crime themselves.
Society has sought to deal with this problem through education and counseling programs aimed at preventing drug addiction and/or helping people break their addictions. While this approach has had its share of successes the problem of illegal drug use and the other criminal behavior it calls into being remains. That’s where law enforcement agencies like the Union County Sheriff’s Office, Union Public Safety Department and SLED and anti-drug operations like Summer Slam II come in.
More than 40 people have been arrested as part of Summer Slam II since it began more than two weeks ago. The arrests were the results of a months-long investigation by the sheriff’s office, the public safety department and SLED. The purpose of Summer Slam II is to build cases against the alleged street level drug dealers arrested to the point where they either cooperate with authorities or spend a very long time in prison. The ultimate targets of this are the higher-level financiers and suppliers who make the drug trade in this county possible.
This is a good strategy for dismantling the criminal organizations that control the drug trade in this county because it is based on patience and persistence. The arrests made so far are the result of a months-long effort by local and state law enforcement to gather intelligence and evidence. It is a slow process but it enables law enforcement to not only identify those at the retail level of the drug trade and their customers, but to also gain information on their wholesale suppliers and those who bankroll them.
Summer Slam II was not the end of this process, merely a step on the way to ultimately bringing the wire-pullers of the drug trade in this county to justice. Building on the success of Summer Slam II will likely require even more patience and persistence on the part of law enforcement as the financiers and suppliers of the drug trade go to great lengths to keep themselves safe from prosecution. Nevertheless, we’re confident the sheriff’s office, public safety department and SLED will continue to stick to a strategy that plays to their greatest strengths as law enforcement agencies and succeed in putting their targets behind bars.
Anything worth doing is worth doing right no matter how long it takes and that includes successfully waging the war against drugs in Union County.
While we may never see substance abuse completely eliminated from society, with patience and persistence — and the support of the community — law enforcement can make sure those who profit from human weakness pay a heavy price for doing so.
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