Pubdate: Tue, 4 Feb 2003 Source: Chicago Sun-Times (IL) Contact: 2006 The Sun-Times Co. Website: http://www.suntimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/81 http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_200302/ai_n12489691#continue Author: Derek Rea CONFOUNDING CRIME STATS Regarding "Crime again fell in Chicago in '02" [news story, Jan. 24]: One statistic stood out like a sore thumb--"A record amount of narcotics was seized: cocaine, heroin, marijuana and other drugs valued at $833 million." This not only illustrates the amount of money involved in the underground drug market, it also puts a spotlight on the billions of dollars spent to stop those drugs and how we are doing. Crime down and drugs up: Something's not right. That's the opposite of what we are told on a daily basis. Derek Rea, Granite City