# Afghan drugs a temptation for troops



## Niteshade (2 Jan 2009)

Reproduced under the Fair Dealings provisions of the Copyright Act.

http://www.thespec.com/News/BreakingNews/article/489727

Afghan drugs a temptation for troops
January 02, 2009
Hamilton Spectator Wire Services

OTTAWA–There's a "high probability" some Canadian troops serving in Afghanistan – one of the world's biggest sources of illegal drugs – will get involved in the drug trade, a military police report warns.

"Access to illicit drugs in Afghanistan is routine," reads the report obtained by the Star.

"Easy access to heroin, hashish, cannabis presents a temptation for (Canadian) troops in the form of personal use and in the form of importation for the purpose of trafficking," it reads.

It notes that using and trafficking drugs are illegal and "contrary to the ethos" of the Canadian Forces, but concedes some of the 2,500 troops serving in the war-torn nation might not be able to resist.

The findings are outlined in a series of military police documents obtained by the Star under Access to Information legislation. The documents, requested in November 2007, were released last month.

One report cites a July 2007 search by military police officers, aided by a drug sniffer dog, of a Canadian convoy returning from Spin Boldak, on the Pakistan border.

The report says the dog "indicated" on one of the armoured vehicles as well as a heavy logistics vehicle that had been loaded on a flatbed trailer. "The results of the search do not provide sufficient evidence to substantiate any charges. However, the results are indicative that (Canadian) personnel may be involved in the use and traffic of illicit substances," the report said.

"Based on a variety of indicators (pre-deployment urinalysis, easy access to illicit drugs and investigations of illicit drug use), there is high probability that some (Forces) personnel will involve themselves in the drug trade," it notes.

However, the report also notes that several random investigations of Canadian Forces personnel and their baggage at the Kandahar base using a drug sniffer dog in July 2007 found no illicit drugs.

Still, a separate report notes that Canadian Forces personnel at home and abroad are not immune to the risk of illegal drugs, warning that the drug of choice is marijuana, followed by cocaine, ecstasy and methamphetamine.

In 2006, the military police conducted 198 drug investigations – 28 for trafficking and 170 for possession – a "significant spike" for the year.

"Illicit drug use and trafficking is present at most, if not all, (Canadian Forces) establishments across Canada and abroad," the 2006 national criminal intelligence assessment reads.

"While most (Canadian Forces) members involved in illicit drug activity are trafficking drugs to support their habits, there is a small percentage that are associating themselves closer with organized criminal groups involved in the distribution of drugs," it says.

A military spokesperson said since the Canadian Forces is a "microcosm" of the larger population, "it is reasonable to expect that a small percentage of CF members will, at one time or another, use illegal drugs."

In an email, Melanie Villeneuve said that every military member is tested for illegal drug use prior to deployment and if the person fails the test, that person will remain in Canada. And she said that military police officers deployed in Afghanistan conduct random searches of personnel, baggage and vehicles.

"Military police take all allegations of criminal activity and drug offences by (Canadian Forces) personnel seriously and investigate to determine the facts, analyze the evidence and, if warranted, lay appropriate charges," she said.

A separate military police report also gives a window into crime trends among Canadian troops in Afghanistan. The report, covering February to August 2007, notes the most prevalent complaints are property losses (34), motor vehicle accidents or damage (24) and rules-of-engagement probes (11); 13 investigations including heroin importation; and there were two cases of "negligent" weapons discharges.

Other incidents during that period include:

17 thefts, most involving clothing and personal electronics, although one motorcycle was stolen.

Five lost weapons. Three were lost during operations, including two that fell off armoured vehicles.

10 security breaches, including the loss of a memory stick containing secret information. A separate memory stick containing secret documents – and nude pictures – was found plugged into an unclassified computer. And the report says that images of night operations were posted on YouTube for public viewing for five months.

Two incidents where defence department personnel operated a vehicle after consuming alcohol.


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## GAP (2 Jan 2009)

The items mentioned at the end of the article are, all in all, pretty minor in the grand scheme of things....

As for the drugs, I suspect the cross section of the CF will not differ greatly from a cross section of the population in general....there will always be one or two. The sniffer dog, I dunno....don't these LAV's travel by and through some marijuana/poppy fields....that may just be an incidental issue rather than a trafficking issue

Put all that into the hands of someone from the MSM, who probably has never been there or on any operation, and it becomes a lot of high priced speculation......especially if no charges have been laid.


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## X-mo-1979 (2 Jan 2009)

And it's a high proability the reporters in the country are trying to paint the military in the worst light.Theres a high probability that the reporters are cocaine users,as being from a larger urban center offers them more contact with the illegal substance.Sound silly?So does this report.

I have hauled back into camp with my tank track full of Marajuana.Of course vehicles will test positive for having dope on them at PBSG.The last OP I was on we went through at least 3 before coming back into camp.

I really like how they throw all the extra B/S at the end.Its almost saying "In case you see our above story is moot...."

If they are worried about drug use send out some piss bottles.Where the hell are you going to use drugs out there?We are on duty 24/7 usually in close quarters with our peers and superiors.

I hate to ruin their story but I am not part of a Colombian drug smuggling ring.And to be honest I wouldn't touch anything that didn't keep my head strait.As it never comes to light that us out in the field are under contact quite a bit.

This story piss's me off soooo bad.

Report the news about or short comings but for **** sake stop with the made up stories.

Just when I was building a respect for the media (which was lost in Yugoslavia) It's gone.


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## GAP (2 Jan 2009)

Today we are still hearing about the rampant drug use in Viet Nam.......maybe somewhere, but not where we were.....not only for a lot of the same reasons you quoted.....plus, I and most others didn't want someone zoned out watching his ass......


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## geo (2 Jan 2009)

The population of the Canadian Forces reflects the population of Canada.
There are drug users & drug dealers in both.  If I went to the trouble of researching this a little bit, I'd find that there are fewer drug induced events in the CF than there are in the country as a whole.

These days, everyone gets drug tested before their deployment and if there is the slightest doubt, it'd done again while over there.  There has even been talk that people going off on HLTA & coming back from same will get tested....

And you know, those bomb sniffer dogs that are often found in the security area leading into the bases.... might be they sniff for things not limited to TNT.

Marijuana, Hashish & Opium are waaay too plentiful, cheap & tempting over there for us to ignore.


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## Osotogari (2 Jan 2009)

The comparisons to Viet Nam are not going away until the last baby boomer is no longer capable of purchasing a newspaper.  The MSM compared our initial forays into the Balkans to Viet Nam, I'm surprised they don't do it when we publicize our larger exercises out of pure reflex.  

The main disqualifier for this comparison is the people involved.  Far from being the pool of unwilling conscripts from which the US Army of the 1970s was forced to draw for its manpower, Canada's military is a professional organization that holds itself to ethical standards.  I can say from firsthand experience that the expectations that are foisted on a twenty-something junior leader are almost unattainable in the corporate world, and given much of the public record over the last 15 to 20 years, the political realm as well.

There have been many individual cases of smuggling across the 49th parallel, and I'm sure it's only a matter of time before temptation and stupidity make their impact on a person or group of people as well.  However, if I had to bet, I would think it's more likely that it would be some fart-catching staffer in Ottawa who's more likely to be chasing the dragon or firing up a fatty than someone in an operational environment.


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## Sythen (2 Jan 2009)

> In 2006, the military police conducted 198 drug investigations – 28 for trafficking and 170 for possession – a "significant spike" for the year.



Just curious about this little part... I know when we were piss tested for this current tour one guy had to do it again because it was a diluted sample from apparently drinking too much water. I know the MP's got involved when that happened but he was cleared after the second test.. Would that be included in the 170 for possession cause if so it means these numbers would be even more off then they seem..


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## GDawg (2 Jan 2009)

An all to common case of raw data snippets being presented either without context or with a malice induced spin. Little or no attempt is made to turn factoid diarrhea into a lucid or meaningful story. Is there a breakdown of domestic/deployed incidents, on duty/off duty incidents, what the *actual outcome* of the investigations are? I am increasingly disgusted by the painfully poor quality of trash produced by Canadian "Journalists" these days, particularly with regards to the military. When it comes to reporting on medical stories, the MSM usually interviews a Doctor. When it comes to military affairs they interview Stephen Staples...how is that fair? 

The state of the news media is the biggest domestic issue I worry about. Journalists either don't understand how big of a role they play in the maintenance of a prosperous secular democratic state, or they willfully manipulate their role. I think it is no accident that our society is facing so many problems these days. Canadians are increasingly losing respect for, or interest in our most important public institutions and traditions. Why is this? Garbage in, garbage out; when we are fed ignorance, we tend to be ignorant.


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## The Bread Guy (2 Jan 2009)

One thing occurred to me, and happy to hear from anyone who's BTDT - is it possible for a vehicle to test positive if it's driven through or around, say, poppy or marijuana fields?  Also, do we know if such briefing notes would go into such detail re:  positive results and possible mitigating factors?


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## X-mo-1979 (2 Jan 2009)

milnews.ca said:
			
		

> One thing occurred to me, and happy to hear from anyone who's BTDT - is it possible for a vehicle to test positive if it's driven through or around, say, poppy or marijuana fields?  Also, do we know if such briefing notes would go into such detail re:  positive results and possible mitigating factors?



Yeah it sure is.I'm on HLTA now and the last time we rolled out we came back and picked at least 10 6 foot plants off the vehicle.Not to mention the massive amount of "Bud" that falls all over the vehicle.On one OP I collected it all up and filled 3 bags full of it and threw it in the garbage pit in the leager.

Look at any vehicle thats been out on a op and you will find it somewhere if we crossed a marajuana field.

Poppy fields possiably however not as likely.


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## The Bread Guy (2 Jan 2009)

Thanks, X-Mo - let's see if THAT gets into any subsequent MSM coverage....


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## George Wallace (3 Jan 2009)

X-mo-1979 said:
			
		

> Yeah it sure is.I'm on HLTA now and the last time we rolled out we came back and picked at least 10 6 foot plants off the vehicle.Not to mention the massive amount of "Bud" that falls all over the vehicle.On one OP I collected it all up and filled 3 bags full of it and threw it in the garbage pit in the leager.
> 
> Look at any vehicle thats been out on a op and you will find it somewhere if we crossed a marajuana field.
> 
> Poppy fields possiably however not as likely.



I echo milnews.ca comments and wonder if any of the MSM will clue in to this fact.

For many who are long term Serving or Retired, this smacks of a "Slow News Day" in the MSM if they had to come up with this "Filler".


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## geo (3 Jan 2009)

George Wallace said:
			
		

> I echo milnews.ca comments and wonder if any of the MSM will clue in to this fact.
> 
> For many who are long term Serving or Retired, this smacks of a "Slow News Day" in the MSM if they had to come up with this "Filler".



Am surprised that it took them this long to muse on this possibility..... we have after all been in Afghanistan since 2002


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## George Wallace (3 Jan 2009)

geo said:
			
		

> Am surprised that it took them this long to muse on this possibility..... we have after all been in Afghanistan since 2002



Kinda like some Reporter suddenly discovering that there was a "Drug Ring" being run in his/her city or that kids in school are exposed to street drugs.   Perhaps the next "Slow News Day" will be a feature article on the low percentage of "Visible Minorities" in the current ROTO?


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## Armymedic (3 Jan 2009)

Too late George, Christie already broached that subject in her commentary in the G&M a couple days ago.


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## George Wallace (3 Jan 2009)

Damn.  Missed that one.

Anyway; things are cyclical, so it will no doubt come up again......or she aroused the thought process of some up and coming "Military Expert" or "Reporter" who will now take the idea and run with it.............again!    >


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## Retired AF Guy (3 Jan 2009)

It would be nice to see what the report actual says. However, it appears to me to be someones assessment that because drugs are readily available and that some people will be tempted to make an extra buck, that drug smuggling may take place. 

BTW warnings about CF members being involved in the drug trade are nothing new. I remember prior to my first overseas deployment (Cyprus winter '74-75) being warned about the availability of drugs and the temptation of trying to smuggle some back or being approached and being asked to be "mules" for some criminal gang.


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## George Wallace (3 Jan 2009)

Retired AF Guy said:
			
		

> It would be nice to see what the report actual says. However, it appears to me to be someones assessment that because drugs are readily available and that some people will be tempted to make an extra buck, that drug smuggling may take place.
> 
> BTW warnings about CF members being involved in the drug trade are nothing new. I remember prior to my first overseas deployment (Cyprus winter '74-75) being warned about the availability of drugs and the temptation of trying to smuggle some back or being approached and being asked to be "mules" for some criminal gang.



I think we should dig up that old story from a couple of years ago about the CIDA or DFIAT guy who was arrested for possession in the UEA when he got off the plane from Afghanistan.  He had been on one of the Opium Eradication Teams and was caught with a "sample".   That raised quite a stir, and also pointed out some of the controls in place to intercept Drugs.


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## The Bread Guy (3 Jan 2009)

Retired AF Guy said:
			
		

> It would be nice to see what the report actual says.



That's another of my pet peeves with much coverage of _Access to Information Act_ releases to media outlets - I await MSM outlets starting to share the raw reports they've received via a link to their stories to let the reader/consumer see the REST of the story.


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## Aerobicrunner (3 Jan 2009)

Retired AF Guy said:
			
		

> It would be nice to see what the report actual says. However, it appears to me to be someones assessment that because drugs are readily available and that some people will be tempted to make an extra buck, that drug smuggling may take place.
> 
> BTW warnings about CF members being involved in the drug trade are nothing new. I remember prior to my first overseas deployment (Cyprus winter '74-75) being warned about the availability of drugs and the temptation of trying to smuggle some back or being approached and being asked to be "mules" for some criminal gang.



I was in Cyprus with 1 RCR back then too.  There was a big drug bust and several pers were rtu'd back to London.  When the tour was ending, we had to have all of our kit out on a parade square in BBC for some drug sniffing dogs from the Brit Army to check it all out.


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## X-mo-1979 (4 Jan 2009)

I was thinking about this earlier today.If the media figures we are going to be approached by organised crime in regards to drugs why not Human smuggling?

The taliban values for women are low we could buy Afghan women and children and sell them on the black market.2 mules could land us 10-15 women,netting well over 10,000 USD per person selling them to China on the border.

As well with movie stars wanting foreign kids we could open up a baby market as well!

As well I bet I could make some money selling back IED's to the taliban! Not to mention the surplus of ammo we have that we could sell.I wonder how much I could get if I "lost" a LAV?Whoops...lost another Carl G Quartermaster!

Not to mention I could smuggle all the captured weapons home and fund my own militia!

Does all this sound silly?It is on the same level as the drug accusations.

Somehow I'm sure all of the above COULD be attainable.However what the media tends to forget we are not a bunch of hired guns trying to make a buck.Last time I checked I could make a lot more money on a oil patch...and see my family.The thing is we have the code of service discipline,we have a job we are doing which many Canadians wouldn't.We are over there trying to KILL the taliban,and restore order.

I beg of the media to stop with your witch hunts,stop trying to be the next reporter getting the top story.

As well does anyone have use for a 56yr old woman with one arm?I can't get rid of her.


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## George Wallace (4 Jan 2009)

X-mo-1979 said:
			
		

> As well does anyone have use for a 56yr old woman with one arm?I can't get rid of her.



 >

Trade her in for two 28 year olds.

 >


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## NCRCrow (4 Jan 2009)

Leave the ARMY alone in Afghanistan for the love of God!!

The Navy:

a. we lose more small arms in the sea during Boarding Ops getting caught up in rigging,

b. we go to Amsterdam, Carribean, South America and have drug issues (see NATO VDQ personnel drug tests),

c. Have our own security IT issues.

Headline: Navy returns from Amsterdam. No sailors tempted! All went to Church!!

Your right GW a slow news day. What garbage!!


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## George Wallace (4 Jan 2009)

HFXCrow said:
			
		

> Your right GW a slow news day. What garbage!!



And we have now witnessed, almost on cue, questions once again on the demographics making up the CF.  It would appear we are everyones favourite "Social Experiment".


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## geo (4 Jan 2009)

"sigh"...


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## The Bread Guy (4 Jan 2009)

Has anyone tested the reporters coming back from missions where they rub against marijuana plants?  It would be interesting to see the results, and how they'd be reported, given the lack of context in the CP piece....


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## George Wallace (4 Jan 2009)

milnews.ca said:
			
		

> Has anyone tested the reporters coming back from missions where they rub against marijuana plants?  It would be interesting to see the results, and how they'd be reported, given the lack of context in the CP piece....



 >  .......Or the two beer rules?


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