Posted 11/23/2010 05:49:00 PM by Douglas

I've ranted about the police busting drug runners on I-40 so much that I'm bored with it, but then there's this piece about who really benefits from these drug busts. Spoiler alert: The Baptists and the bootleggers always come down on the same side of any prohibition argument.

"Why the counties are complaining I'm not sure. If they want to get out there on the highway and make those traffic stops and such, then they could have a bigger share of those proceeds from any currencies that were seized."

This article is a rambling diatribe about how they seize money. This is the second part of this story, and I can't seem to find part one, which was more focused on "taking the drugs off the street." You know, because there aren't any illegal drugs anywhere.

But the part that burns up (small 'l') libertarians is what a cash cow this is for poor, rural law enforcement agencies. This flies in the face of the "legalize and tax it" argument that comes from those against the drug war. Is this cash/drug seizure just a tax? I haven't seen a prospectus for one of the Cartels (but I bet they're doing better than my 401(k) right now) but does anyone think they're really suffering when they lose a few million dollars to the County Mounties in Podunk, Texas? It's just the cost of doing business for them.

Labels: I-40 Drug Bust