This is just the latest round of an ongoing cat and mouse game, a game in which law enforcement is losing.
Dallas, TX (PRWEB) November 11, 2013
Heavily armed police officers recently executed a raid on the Delta Plaza apartment complex in South Dallas. According to the Sept. 30 Dallas Morning News, police said there were growing suspicions that the apartment complex, nicknamed New Jack City, was being used by gang members to sell drugs.
Dallas drug lawyer Richard McConathy said this is another example of how the war on drugs in this country is doing more harm than good. Out of fear of harsh prosecution, individuals turn apartment complexes into drug empires, jeopardizing the safety of an entire community, said McConathy.
“When people are afraid that they will face years behind bars for drug related offenses, they are willing to do almost anything to avoid being detected by law enforcement,” McConathy said. “This is just the latest round of an ongoing cat and mouse game, a game in which law enforcement is losing.”
After surveying the complex, and taking time to plan the raid, the Crime Response Team set their plan in motion on September 17th and 12 apartment complexes were searched in all, according to the Morning News. The Morning News quotes officials saying law enforcement seized over $26,000, a pound of cocaine, a pound of PCP, over five pounds of marijuana, and 37 guns.
Even with extensive planning, police officers were unable to apprehend many of the suspects that they believed were involved in the drug operation. According to the Morning News, the raid resulted in only two arrests.
“Using a substantial amount of resources and man power to seek out small time drug dealers is an irresponsible waste of time and money,” said McConathy. “To have all of the time and effort culminate in the arrest of two suspects, from a drug operation that was believed to be controlled by two large gangs, is an embarrassment that clearly illustrates why the end doesn’t justify the means.”
McConathy said drug raids of this nature have become all too common in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and the root of the problem is the drug laws themselves.
“Illegal drug use is prevalent in this country, and it has been for a long time,” says McConathy. “By making drugs illegal, you don’t rid the streets of them. You simply create an illegal drug market run by criminals that law enforcement feels the need to hunt down. Ironically, by making drugs illegal, you create more crimes and more criminals.”
Richard C. McConathy of the Law Offices of Richard C. McConathy is a Dallas criminal defense lawyer who represents individuals accused of drug related crimes in Dallas, Fort Worth, Lewisville, Denton, Frisco, McKinney, Grand Prairie, Arlington, Irving, Plano, and the surrounding areas.