Record Cocaine Seizure in Sylmar

The discovery of 20 tons of cocaine in the Los Angeles area (Part I, Sept. 30) must certainly demonstrate that there are wide gaps in the barriers to such imports. Somehow, somebody with some influence is looking the other way.

Could we imagine in our wildest dreams how so much could be brought in without notice? You certainly can’t bring it in one pound at a time. Twenty tons is 40,000 pounds.

It’s obvious that the agents who found it did a better job than those who were supposed to stop it at the border. Who was it that coined the expression “the coke must go through?”

The distribution system must be enormous. How many street corners are needed and how many generals, captains and foot soldiers are needed to distribute 20 tons? Who was standing by to launder all the $20 bills? How long is that amount felt to last in Los Angeles? This will give us some indication of the magnitude of demand after 6-8 years of “saying no to drugs.” There must be an awful lot out there who are saying “yes” to drugs and especially cocaine.

Hey, America, if we could win the war to end all wars (World War I), and utterly destroy the Axis and Japan in World War II, why can’t we win the cocaine wars? Is it because we don’t want to? The evidence seems to say we don’t. Hey, let’s give it the college try. Citizens, demand more from yourselves and government. Maybe then we could move America forward to health and sanity.

NORMAN E. MANN

San Diego