U of I Drug Bust

[clyons]

I read this morning that after a "yearlong investigation" dubbed "Operation Thunder Strike," University of Illinois police arrested some 25 people, including members of the ZBT, Beta Theta PI and TKE fraterntities, for drug posession and dealing, and confiscated a whopping 180 grams of marijuana.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/c...0,5928476.story

 

http://www.dailyillini.com/news/campus/200...embers-detained

 

Two questions:

 

Do any of our Illini posters know anyone effected?

 

After a year's investigation (albeit one with a really cool name), how is it that the best the campus cops could do in arresting 25 persons (during or shortly before Finals, I assume) is seize less than half a pound of pot?

[Texsox]

I am wondering if it played out where they started the investigation expecting more, after a year they decided to wrap it up with what they had. If the cops knew exactly what they would find, it would not be called an investigation.

[Texsox]

Actually, I think they were looking for Michael Phelps

[santo=dorf]

I heard about this a couple of days ago when my old roommate was telling me how a ZBT junior died, but reading the stories it appears he had a history of seizures and it might be of natural cause.

 

So how much money did the taxpayers spent to get 25 college kids for an average of a quarter ounce of pot?

[bmags]

I feel safer.

[mr_genius]

I read this morning that after a "yearlong investigation" dubbed "Operation Thunder Strike," University of Illinois police arrested some 25 people, including members of the ZBT, Beta Theta PI and TKE fraterntities, for drug posession and dealing, and confiscated a whopping 180 grams of marijuana.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/c...0,5928476.story

 

http://www.dailyillini.com/news/campus/200...embers-detained

 

Two questions:

 

Do any of our Illini posters know anyone effected?

 

After a year's investigation (albeit one with a really cool name), how is it that the best the campus cops could do in arresting 25 persons (during or shortly before Finals, I assume) is seize less than half a pound of pot?

 

a total waste of resources.

Edited May 3, 2009 by mr_genius

[Balta1701]

a total waste of resources.

You have described in 5 words America's entire war on drugs.

[RockRaines]

a total waste of resources.

180 grams is probably less than a dealer would carry in his car. Nice work police. BTW, the 15 lbs of weed you didnt find is still being distributed and smoked on campus.

[Texsox]

a total waste of resources.

 

Would you eliminate then all *investigations* like this? It seems pretty easy to decide after the investigation, which ones should have been conducted.

[clyons]

Would you eliminate then all *investigations* like this? It seems pretty easy to decide after the investigation, which ones should have been conducted.

 

I'm not sure anyone has suggested that drug investigations like this one be eliminated, but I don't see how there's any disputing that this one was ultimately a collossal waste of time and money. The best way to gauge the utility of a drug investigation is by its results; one can always term that second-guessing, but how else do you measure success? Its not like investigating the cure for cancer, where if a year's worth of research comes up with nothing, you have at least gained something by eliminating a particular hypothesis. I suppose there could be a residual deterrent effect, as Illini students might refrain from buying or holding small stash in the future, but at what cost?

 

A year's investigation netting only 180 grams of mj can only be judged an abject failure and embarassment, and one totally in keeping with my recollections and impressions of the U of I campus police, who I have always considered just a couple steps up from minimum wage security guards in their law enforcement professionalism. This just reaffirms that they are better off staying focused on the low-hanging fruit that are the underaged drinkers at Kam's.

 

Of course, I still carry a grudge from getting busted carrying home a street sign freshman year.

[Texsox]

a total waste of resources.

 

 

You have described in 5 words America's entire war on drugs.

 

 

I'm not sure anyone has suggested that drug investigations like this one be eliminated, but I don't see how there's any disputing that this one was ultimately a collossal waste of time and money.

[SnB]

urbana is where all the real drugs are.

[StrangeSox]

Would you eliminate then all *investigations* like this? It seems pretty easy to decide after the investigation, which ones should have been conducted.

 

Yes.

[Texsox]

Yes.

 

It would save a lot of money on detectives.

[mr_genius]

Would you eliminate then all *investigations* like this?

 

i would

 

 

[StrangeSox]

It would save a lot of money on detectives.

 

And prosecutions and incarcerations.

[Texsox]

And prosecutions and incarcerations.

 

And that should be the goal of law enforcement. They should have the freedom to pick and choose which laws they uphold and which laws they ignore.

[StrangeSox]

And that should be the goal of law enforcement. They should have the freedom to pick and choose which laws they uphold and which laws they ignore.

 

Yes. That is exactly what I implied.

[Texsox]

Yes. That is exactly what I implied.

 

 

There does need to be some sanity. Who knows what they were investigating. They may have been close to another, bigger, arrest, but could not get enough information or evidence. Unless someone really thinks this was what they were after.

 

It is unfair to label the investigation a waste after the fact.

[NorthSideSox72]

i would

For marijuana, I'd like to stop them too - by legalizing it.

 

[NorthSideSox72]

And that should be the goal of law enforcement. They should have the freedom to pick and choose which laws they uphold and which laws they ignore.

They shouldn't, but in reality, they have to. There will always be a lot more crime than can be enforced by the police, which means prioritization decisions will always have to be made.

 

[clyons]

 

There does need to be some sanity. Who knows what they were investigating. They may have been close to another, bigger, arrest, but could not get enough information or evidence. Unless someone really thinks this was what they were after.

 

It is unfair to label the investigation a waste after the fact.

 

They may have been investigating Pablo Escobar on a tip that he was running kilos of cocaine out of Bromley Hall, but all they ended up with after a year and gosh knows how much $$$$, was two dozen college kids and 180 grams of pot. If you can't label Operation Thunder Strike a piddling drizzle after that, when and how does law enforcement ever get held accountable for how they spend our tax (and in this case tuition) dollars? Do they get a total pass based on noble intentions?

[StrangeSox]

 

There does need to be some sanity. Who knows what they were investigating. They may have been close to another, bigger, arrest, but could not get enough information or evidence. Unless someone really thinks this was what they were after.

 

It is unfair to label the investigation a waste after the fact.

 

My point was that all criminal marijuana investigations are a waste.

[mr_genius]

For marijuana, I'd like to stop them too - by legalizing it.

 

sounds good to me

[bmags]

They may have been investigating Pablo Escobar on a tip that he was running kilos of cocaine out of Bromley Hall, but all they ended up with after a year and gosh knows how much $$$$, was two dozen college kids and 180 grams of pot. If you can't label Operation Thunder Strike a piddling drizzle after that, when and how does law enforcement ever get held accountable for how they spend our tax (and in this case tuition) dollars? Do they get a total pass based on noble intentions?

 

Great point