Drug Sweep Intimidates Grand Isle

[SirBlazinBowl]

Grand Isle is not a big place. An estimated 1,500 full-time residents shrimp, fish or work in the oil patch. Everyone knows everyone else and there are few real secrets. However, on Aug. 10, Grand Isle had a rude awakening. At 6:30 a.m. it was raided by DEA, State Police, and the National Guard. No local officials were notified or brought in on what was coming down.

The net result of the raid was individuals reported to have grown marijuana plant's, etc.: Small stuff. All those arrested were taken to the Fourchon Port Commission offices in another parish. Present at this location in control were DEA, State Police and two armed National Guard personnel in military gear. No local law enforcement was present.

At 11 a.m. they were taken to the Gretna holding facility by a Lafourche Parish deputy. Most were sent home with personal recognizance bonds. Only one person was actually retained.

So what was accomplished? The arrest of several locals for trivial offenses. More important, the federal and state governments managed to impose themselves on the local jurisdiction. The constitutional jurisdictions and the rights of those arrested were ignored. These are the tactics of a police state.

Clearly drugs were not the goal of those agencies. Instead, the goal was the intimidation of a small community. The unconstitutional drug laws are being used to abuse, to wrest control from local to state and federal jurisdiction.

Newshawk: SirBlazinBowl (420Times.com)
Source: Times, The (Lafayette, LA)
Copyright: South Louisiana Publishing 2005
Contact: timesedit@timesofacadiana.com
Website: http://www.timesofacadiana.com/
Author: Author: Lee Gibson

[Boss]

Funny they have the resources for this, but not rebuilding peoples lives, and the city they lived in.