Task Force To Stem Guam’S

Rising Tide Of Heroin

Concerned about the mer curial rise in heroin addiction and its attendant rise in crime, the Guam Government has persuaded the US Federal Government to attempt a crackdown, writes Dan Gib son.

A federal drug strike force,

patterned after those operating

on the US mainland, was to be operating on Guam in April, US Drug Enforcement Admin istration boss Peter Bensinger said here.

The federal assistance was

requested by Guam Governor

Ricky Bordallo. Bensinger an

nounced the strike force plans at the International Drug En forcement Alumni annual Asia conference, attended by rep resentatives of 12 nations here on March 6-9. It was the first time the conference had ever been held on US soil.

The formation of the strike force followed release of sev eral drug-related statistics, de

scribed as “staggering” by

Guam officials: • There has been an esti mated 200% increase in heroin addiction on Guam from 1975-1977; • An estimated 86% increase in property crimes from 1970-1976. The crimes are be lieved to be predominantly

drug-related;

• An estimated 404% in crease in robberies from 1970-1975. Those crimes are also believed to be primarily the work of addicts needing large sums of money to support

their daily drug habits.

• Drug-abuse officials now estimate a total addict popu lation of 600-800 for the island, of which 77% are male and 73% are 18-25 years old. • An estimated 39% of the addicts spend $5O-$99 daily to support their habits. Another 37% spend even more than that daily some as much as $3OO or more.

“Let’s blow our minds on the reality (that) ... as of December 1977, Guam re corded 19 heroin-related deaths,” Governor Bordallo said at a four-day local drug

abuse conference that drew as many as 500 participants to some sessions.

After that conference, Bor dallo established a cabinet level State Agency for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, required by the federal govern ment as a conduit for federal funds.

And Legislature Speaker Joe

Ada announced intentions to

introduce legislation creating a

“Turn In A Pusher Pro gramme,” in which residents would receive rewards for

revealing the identity of drug

sellers.

An addiction-rehabilitation

programme, using the drug

methadone, has seen a steady rise in clientele, from 50 in 1975 to 152 in 1977. But metha done itself is highly addictive.

Many Guam health officials believe a large segment of the heroin addicts are using methadone as a supplement to, rather than a substitute for, heroin. And a full third of the

urinalysis tests performed on

Methadone clients are “dirty” with traces of heroin.

Guam Police Major Robert Cutts said Guam ranks fifth in the entire United States in per

capita drug abuse, behind only

San Francisco, New York, and Washington (DC) and Los Angeles, which are tied for third.

The increase in addiction and heroin sales is believed re sponsible for an increase in vi olent crimes, as well. There has been a spate of gangland-style executions believed to be drug related.

While fighting the rising tide of heroin on Guam, the federal task force may simultaneously be easing heroin problems on the US mainland.

Guam has been called a

major heroin trans-shipment

centre for South-east Asian heroin headed for junkies in other American cities. As much as US$2OO million worth of heroin goes through Guam an nually, officials have esti mated.

“Drugs are an international problem that cross borders,

jurisdictions, geographical territories and datelines,” US drug chief Bensinger said. “We believe the (strike-force) anproach, which has been patr , . r , terned after 19 others in the US, will have an impact.

And Guam’s role as a nexus for drugs “could become more

important if additional efforts and resources were not brought to bear,” he said.

The international seminar was attended by represen tatives from the United States, Australia, Thailand, Japan,

Indonesia, Hong Kong, Egypt,

Chile, France, Malaysia, South Korea and the Philippines.

Bordallo... let's blow our minds.