Pubdate: Sun, 16 Jan 2005
Source: Pacific Daily News (US GU)
Copyright: 2005 Pacific Daily News
Contact: http://www.guampdn.com/customerservice/contactus.html
Website: http://www.guampdn.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1122
Author: Mark-Alexander Pieper
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

ICE EPIDEMIC SWEEPS GUAM

Federal Court Sees Growing Number Of Cases

At least seven ice cases are scheduled to be heard in the U.S.
District Court of Guam next month, starting off a year that the U.S.
Attorney believes will see the number of ice-related cases grow
significantly.

Since November, Guam Customs and Quarantine has seized more than $2
million worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride, the drug commonly
known as ice, through the island's various ports of entry.

While there have been higher dollar amounts worth of ice seized in the
past, the seizures customs are pulling now are significant as the
street value of the drug on Guam has dropped from about $1,000 per
gram in the 1990s to less than $500 per gram now, said Maj. Philip
Taijeron Jr., assistant chief of the Guam Customs special enforcement
division.

Local Manufacture

Customs Director Ricardo Blas said although more than $5 million worth
of the drug was seized in 2005, that doesn't address a growing problem
facing Guam -- the local manufacturing of the drug.

"That why it's important that the people hear about these cases and
see these convictions because it educates in that it raises awareness
of the problem and hopefully will push people to stand up and say we
will not tolerate this in our community," he said.

Scheduled in court this month were hearings in the cases against
Joseph Anthony Mesa, Jeffrey Anthony Espinosa, Justin Keith Guerrero,
Ginger Perez Hamamoto and Renea Dorleen Cruz-Taitano, who were
arrested and accused for possession of the drug as part of a September
ice bust at the Guam Reef Hotel.

Sean Michael Cole, who had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute
more than 100 grams of ice in August, is scheduled for further
proceedings and will face sentencing soon thereafter.

Editha Ilang Fuller, who pleaded not guilty in late August to charges
that she imported ice and that she conspired to import and distribute
the drug, is scheduled in court for a motion to dismiss her charges.

More To Come

U.S. Attorney Leonardo Rapadas said he believes that the island will
begin to see an increase in cases tried in federal court as more
people are producing the drug on island.

Taijeron said all law enforcement agencies will be required to work
more closely together to control the problem.

"When I was a younger Customs officer, I held the position that if
there was drugs on Guam, it was Customs' fault because everything had
to be brought in," Taijeron said. "That used to be true because ice
was never manufactured on Guam."

Taijeron said the lower price of the drug can be an indicator of two
things -- either there's less demand for the drug as education
campaigns are succeeding or there's an abundant amount out there.

Guam Police Department spokesman Sgt. Joseph Carbullido said if you
look at the blotter each day there are many ice-related arrests.

"Unfortunately, it's everywhere these days because it seems like it's
the drug of choice," Carbullido said.

"I think that if you're looking into a lot of the crimes happening
these days, many are drug-related and you're seeing some of the people
committing the smaller stuff graduate to the higher crimes."

Treatment

Dennis Penaflorida is the clinical supervisor for the Salvation Army's
Lighthouse Recovery Center, which is a residential rehabilitation
treatment center for adults.

The center serves an average of 40 people per year and, in his four
years there, Penaflorida said, about 80 percent of the cases have been
ice-related.

"It's definitely at the top of the list, with alcohol in second
place," he said.

"We may also be treating people for addictions to downers and other
drugs but in those cases ice seems to be always there."

Penaflorida said while the number of clients who have dabbled in ice
has remained consistently high in his four years at Lighthouse, he's
heard the drug is more accessible on island these days.

"Many of these people are within the drug world and they confide in
us," he said. "It would seem that ice is just rampant -- the substance
is available anywhere and it's gotten to the point where someone using
ice would have a harder time breaking the habit because it's
everywhere." 
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