DRUG BUSTS

THE WAR AGAINST ALLERGY MEDICINE

WQAD, IL - "(I was) made to feel like a criminal -- Made to feel low,
dirty. Just totally degraded," recalled Tim Naveau, who says he'll never
forget the hours he spent in Rock Island County Jail -- he says all
because of his allergies. "They searched me, made me take my shirt off,
my shoes off," he recounted.

Tim takes one 24-hour Claritin-D tablet just about every day. That puts
him just under the legal limit of 75-hundred milligrams of pseudo
ephedrine a month. The limit is part of a new law that Quad Cities
authorities are beginning to strictly enforce.

The law limits the amount of pseudo ephedrine you can buy. Pseudo
ephedrine is an ingredient in medicines like Sudafed and Claritin-D, and
it's also a key ingredient in methamphetamines.

"It's the only allergy medicine that works for me -- for my allergies,"
Tim explained.

The only problem is, Tim has a teenaged son who also suffers from
allergies. And minors are not allowed to buy pseudo ephedrine.

"I bought some for my boy because he was going away to church camp and
he needed it," he said.

That decision put Tim over the legal limit. Two months later, there was
a warrant for his arrest.

"I was flabbergasted," he said. "Just totally amazed that I could be in
trouble."

Rene Sandoval, Director of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Enforcement
Agency -- the agency that enforces the law -- says it's meant to catch
meth makers, and does. . . "Does it take drastic measures? Absolutely.
Have we seen a positive result? Absolutely," Sandoval stressed.

http://www.wqad.com/Global/story.asp?S=5477392&nav=menu132_5

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EX-COP PLANS VIDEO SHOWING HOW TO FOOL DRUG OFFICERS

AP - A one-time Texas drug agent described by a former boss as perhaps
the best narcotics officer in the country plans to begin selling a video
that shows people how to conceal their drugs and fool police.

Barry Cooper, who once worked for police departments in Gladewater and
Big Sandy and the Permian Basin Drug Task Force, plans to launch a Web
site next week where he will sell his video, Never Get Busted Again ,
the Tyler Morning Telegraph reported.

A promotional video says Cooper will show viewers how to "conceal their
stash," "avoid narcotics profiling" and "fool canines every time."

Cooper, who said he favors the legalization of marijuana, made the video
in part because he believes the nation's fight against drugs is a waste
of resources. Busting marijuana users fills up prisons with nonviolent
offenders, he said.

"My main motivation in all of this is to teach Americans their civil
liberties and what drives me in this is injustice and unfairness in our
system," Cooper told the newspaper. . .

As a drug officer, Cooper said, he made more than 800 drug arrests and
seized more than 50 vehicles and $500,000 in cash and assets.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/
122206dntexdrugtips.2b266e6.html

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