The devilish drug trafficking industry is rethinking and terrorizing U.S. drug addiction counselors, who fear that the seizure of more than 16 tons of cocaine made on Wednesday in Philadelphia is nothing more than the arrival of the ingredients for the preparation of “speedballing”.
ABC and the WPVI-TV Action News section of Philadelphia, gathered the opinion of several experts in therapeutic matters regarding the location of the largest cache of cocaine found in the city. One of them said: “It’s like hell coming to the city streets”.
The United States is currently in a feverish battle against the epidemic caused by the opioids abuse, which according to the Philadelphia health authorities, at least in that city the life expectancy of its inhabitants is decreasing.
The counselors’ fear is that the extreme focus on handling opiates, has not allowed the authorities in general to see the progressive resurgence of “traditional” or out-of-fashion drugs.
The 16.5 tons seizure of cocaine at the Packer Marine Terminal in Philadelphia seems to be nothing more than the confirmation of the therapist’s fear who also follows historical police data.
The seizure of approximately 992 pounds of cocaine at the port of Philadelphia was reported last May.
Another raid in the Port of Philadelphia in March seized a total of 450 bricks of cocaine, weighing 1,185 pounds and with a street value of $38 million. At the time, authorities said it was their largest cocaine bust in the Philadelphia port in 21 years.
“Speedballing” in the highlight
ABC’s work consulted the opinion of Lisa Hutt, a drug counselor who knows first- hand the dangers of cocaine. She couldn’t believe such a huge shipment would be headed to the Port of Philadelphia.” It’s like hell coming to the city streets,” Hutt said.
And while this is a historic cocaine seizure, a record for Philadelphia, it is indicative of the enormous appetite for the drug in the United States and Europe.
“The drug dealers are actually mixing fentanyl and crack cocaine to keep people addicted and to keep people buying it,” Hutt said.
Mary Doherty, another therapist consulted of CORA Services, Inc., said that “what you may have heard is that people are using cocaine to break their heroin habit”.
But, it’s not a completely new concept. Some may remember the phrase used in the drug world known as “speedballing,” the combination of heroin and cocaine.
“So heroin depresses your central nervous system, cocaine speeds it up. So either way, they’re both deadly. Put them together, they´re more deadlier,” Doherty said.
America has been spending a lot of money at interdicting drugs and treating symptoms, but Doherty does not think we have done enough at addressing what is driving a person’s need for such drugs.
“It’s a sense of loneliness and a detachment, and a sense of purpose and ‘I don’t belong, I’m different and I’m sad´” Doherty said.
Drug counselors have been focused on treating the epidemic of opioid addicts, but many knew that someday there would be a resurgence of some drugs. Their doubts confirmation: The Packer Marine Terminal historic seizure of cocaine in Philadelphia.
Translated by: José Espinoza
Noticias Newswire
