There are several odd aspects to the case of a BC man convicted of smuggling drugs into Dubai from Kandahar, Afghanistan. Bert Tatham was caught at the Dubai airport while stopped for a 'layover' on his way back to Canada.
The actual 'drugs' themselves, apparently miniscule amounts of hashish were found on his clothing ... the question of course is how did it get there? He was involved as a United Nations consultant on Drugs and Crime to the Afghan government, hashish comes from the marijuana plant, not poppies. Traces were also found in his urine which he claimed were second hand smoke acquired. Well, it worked for the Olympics. Was he dumb enough to smoke hash before heading to Dubai?
He also had two poppy bulbs in his possession which he was bringing back to Canada for 'study and research'. No one would believe he intended to make heroin to shoot from two bulbs, but if his reason is true, why didn't he seal a package and declare that he had it? He had the credentials to do that. Was he dumb enough to just toss them into his suitcase?
Why was he flagged in the first place? Wouldn't he KNOW that anyone coming from Afghanistan would be checked thoroughly for drugs? But even on a layover at the airport?
Then there is the idea of Mr Tatham being an advisor to the United Nations in the first place? What background qualified him for that job? His father wants the Canadian Government to step in to aid his release? Why should we pay for this? Shouldn't the UN give him help? Or not. This could be a simple case of a very intelligent man doing an honest job but having a lack of common sense, as is often the truth among smart people. Or not.
Maybe Tathams advice on behalf of the UN to the Afghan government on the poppy elimination program was spurious anyway ... poppy production in the world's largest heroin producing nation, in spite of the so called war against the Taliban going on, is now up to record levels!
It is another lost battle in the global war on drugs.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2007/06/19/canadian-dubai-drugs.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/01/AR2006120101654.html
Hey, didn't you know that Bush said 3 years ago that the war was proceeding nicely and drugs were going to go away?
ReplyDeleteActually going to Afghanistan and attempting to aid the locals by identifying alternative crops for them to grow is a selfless and dangerous job. Bert did perhaps make a mistake by brining back the poppy bulbs, but the biggest mistake we can make at this point is hold him to a higher standard than we hold ourselves (our mistakes are not as often put out for everyone to scrutinize in the international media and while we are sitting @ home safe in front of our computers, our exposure isn't even remotely as great as his was)
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