Emmy nominated actor Michael K. Williams was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment on Monday, September 6th, 2021. The 54-year-old, best known for playing Omar Little on HBO’s “The Wire,” more than once spoke publicly about his substance use. He described addiction as an everyday struggle that he had to continue to fight. 

In a 2012 interview with Inside Jersey, Williams made it clear that his openness on the subject was intended to help others. The actor said, “God saved me for a purpose. So, I decided to get clean and then come clean. I’m hoping I can reach that one person.” 

Williams’s Addiction Journey

Williams, whose mother was an immigrant from the Bahamas, had a childhood characterized by sexual molestation and bullying. By age 19, Williams had developed a substance use problem and was already experiencing the cycle of treatment and relapse. To maintain his dependency on illicit substances, the actor turned to credit card fraud and carjacking which ultimately left him with an arrest record. At age 25, a mugger took a razor blade to his chest and face and gave Williams his signature face scar. The next day William’s mother took out a second insurance policy on his life and told the actor he was not likely to live past the age of 30. 

Williams’ struggles with addiction continued as his acting career began. During his time on “The Wire,” Williams got lost in the character of Omar Little, a notorious robber in the Baltimore drug scene. To cope with the intense character traits of Little, Williams began using Cocaine. According to the New York Times, he spent most of his earnings from the show on drugs which led to him being kicked out of his apartment. He began living out of hotels and also the floor of a drug house in Newark, NJ. Producers of “The Wire” have said they knew he was struggling and that they refrained from firing him in fear of how it could have worsened his substance use. 

In his 2012 interview, Williams credited a pastor at Christian Love Baptist Church in Irvington, NJ with helping the actor to get clean. Reverend Ronald Christian, who passed away in 2015, was the first person that Williams felt he could be completely open with. 

“I laid it all out. It was the first time I really laid everything out to anyone. I was a total stranger to him, but I felt very comfortable with him,” Williams told Inside Jersey. 

The current pastor at the New Jersey church, Brandon K. Washington, has said that Williams would visit the parish unannounced a few times each year. “All the times he would come, he would always reference his struggles. He was always confident in his relationship with God,” Washington said. 

Williams continued to be open about his struggles with addiction up until February 2020 when he spoke at an event for former prisoners seeking to re-enter society. He told the group, “This Hollywood thing that you see me in, I’m passing through. Because I believe this is where my passion, my purpose are supposed to be.” 

Celebrity Overdose Deaths And The Opioid Crisis

Although the cause and manner of Williams’s death have not yet been confirmed, officials have said that Williams likely overdosed. The New York Police Department found drug paraphernalia and what appeared to be Heroin on the kitchen table in the actor’s apartment. Williams’ possible drug overdose may be added to a list of recent celebrity drug related deaths that speak to the Opioid epidemic in the US. 

Along with Williams, 2 comedians, Faquan Johnson and Enrico Colangeli, were found dead at a party in Los Angeles this past Saturday. Their deaths were determined to be overdoses after ingesting Cocaine that was laced with Fentanyl, a synthetic Opioid which can be 80 to 100 times stronger than Morphine. This substance has been frequently found laced with other substances like Heroin, pain pills, Cocaine, and even Marijuana over the past few years.

Because Fentanyl is cheaper to produce and lighter to transport, manufacturers of illicit substances may be using it for economical reasons. It is also possible that the substance becomes laced with others as a result of cross-contamination. In either case, it is extremely dangerous when those who do not have a tolerance for Fentanyl or other Opioids unknowingly consume it. Additionally, Fentanyl is almost impossible to visibly detect so determining how much has been laced is very difficult. These factors can lead to unintentional overdoses which have been on the rise. In 2020, the highest number of overdose deaths were reported in a 12-month period at 81,000 in May. Of these reported drug related deaths, synthetic Opioids were the primary cause which increased by 38%. 

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Addiction Is An Everyday Struggle

Michael K. Williams was open about his struggle with substance use in an effort to help others. He wanted to let others know that an addiction doesn’t just go away and that recovery is something to work towards everyday. If Williams’ death is proven to be an overdose, along with Johnson’s and Colangeli’s deaths, they will speak to the Opioid crisis in the US which has caused an increased amount of unintentional deaths. 

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On April 1st, former Olympic kayaker Nathan Baggaley and his brother were found guilty of plotting to smuggle $150 million of Cocaine into Australia. After a 2-week trial, a Brisbane jury convicted both Nathan and Dru Baggaley to life in prison. Both brothers pleaded not guilty to attempting to import 650 kilograms of Cocaine.

According to the prosecution, Nathan Baggaley purchased the boat used in the plot. He then oversaw the installation of navigation technology on the water vehicle. Dru Baggaley and a man named Anthony Draper used the vessel to collect and transport the Cocaine. Authorities believe Nathan was aware of his brother’s scheme. They think he had planned to meet both men at a boat ramp to store the drugs.

In June 2018, the younger Baggaley brother and Anthony Draper were spotted together. The men were caught on aerial surveillance collecting vast quantities of Cocaine. The duo retrieved the drugs from a foreign ship about 360 kilometers from the New South Wales coast. Once the men loaded the boat (2 hours later), the Royal Australian Navy patrol began its chase. Throughout the pursuit, Dru Baggaley was seen tossing bundles of the substance overboard. After the dramatic police chase involving the Navy and Air Force, both men were arrested.

During the high-speed aquatic pursuit, Dru attempted to contact his older brother. Yet, the 2 silver Olympian denies prior knowledge of his younger brother’s plot. Instead, he claims Dru gave him money to buy the boat, which he believed was for a “whale-watching business.” However, the prosecution linked Nathan Baggaley to the case. A fingerprint of the star was discovered on a tape covering the boat’s registration plate.

Like his brother, Dru also claimed he had no idea the parcels he was carrying contained Cocaine. During his testimony, he insisted he thought he was collecting tobacco. Dru also alleged that he was kidnapped by Anthony Draper, who forced him to collect the packages. Meanwhile, Draper testified that Dru recruited him to drive the boat and pick up what he thought was Marijuana. Earlier this year, Draper testified against the Baggaley brothers and pleaded guilty to his Cocaine charges. His cooperation led to a reduced sentence and last Thursday’s conviction of Nathan and Dru.

Cocaine Addiction

Cases like Nathan and Dru Baggaley have raised concern among the health community. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), drug trafficking is a $32 billion industry and is believed to be the most lucrative form of business for criminals across the globe. The high demand for drugs like Cocaine indicates a rise in abuse around the globe. It is important to note that repeated Cocaine use is harmful to the body and mind. Over time it can affect a person’s wellbeing and even lead to addiction.

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The night of the election brought about several changes to the United States. One of the changes centered on the decriminalization of drug possession in Oregon. To be specific, the state of Oregon has declared the decriminalization of marijuana as well as the possession of hard drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin utilizing Measure 110. Additionally, the measure reduces the penalties for the possession of larger amounts of drugs. Aside from marijuana being decriminalized, this decriminalization of drugs includes stimulants such as methamphetamines and cocaine. Additionally, reports indicate LSD and Oxycodone decriminalization are in effect. In addition to the decriminalization of such drugs, funding for treatment, and harm reduction programs would be in effect for recovery.

Much of the decision to decriminalize drugs stemmed from voters showing a resistance to the American war on drugs. As of late, many states have shown a relaxed attitude to the legalization of marijuana, with 1 in 3 Americans residing in a state that allows recreational marijuana use for those aged 21 or older. Twenty-six states have decriminalized marijuana for recreational use. Due to research revealing ways that drugs like Psilocybin mushroom’s ability to aid in depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and other conditions, states like Washington D.C. have approved the use of this substance in small amounts. Oregon participated as they approved Measure 109 in order to decriminalize the use of psychedelic mushrooms. The catch is it must be used in a state-licensed psilocybin-assisted program and solely for those battling challenging mental health conditions.

The Pros Of Oregon’s Drug Decriminalization

The decriminalization of drugs does not permit the widespread use of drugs. According to the Drug Policy Alliance, there were roughly 1.6 million arrests in 2018 for drug possession alone. The decriminalization of drugs for Oregon would help protect some people in such cases by, “removing the penalty for the possession of small amounts of drugs.” Furthermore, it allows people to take control of their addiction by offering them the option of getting health checkups. This is based on the condition they do not want to finance or cannot afford to pay fines for drug penalties. Portugal implemented drug decriminalization with positive results stemming from decreases in drug fatalities (from 80 to 16 in the span of 11 years) decreases in HIV diagnoses, and decreases in drug-possession prisoners.

Another incentive for the decriminalization of drugs is reducing racially motivated arrests, saving costs used to imprison people, and reducing costs used to persecute people. For example, African Americans are much more likely to be penalized and more harshly than white counterparts for drug possession. The Oregon Criminal Justice Commission states the measure 110, “would reduce convictions for drug possessions by nearly 90%,” eliminating the high numbers of jailed African Americans for such offenses. This can possibly nullify racial stereotypes related to drug possession. The health of those impacted by drug possession gain exposure to treatment, with an understanding how treatment works. If they struggle with substance abuse, they would have care. This opens them up to receiving help during addiction.

Concerns On Measure 110

Despite Measure 110 seeking to reduce inmate populations surrounding drug possession and provide the option of health screenings and treatment, some still have fears. Some people believe the decriminalization of drugs will allow for widespread use as people may not fear consequences of possession. Some critics have posed the idea that people may desire drugs more because there are less legal risks; however, many believe the opposite would occur. Since stigmas with drug abuse may become lessened, people may feel that substance abuse is less of a taboo. This could lead to the increase of people seeking treatment for their substance use disorder and not hiding it from friends or family.

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The first presidential debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden covered topics such as COVID-19, the economy, and race and violence in American cities. The 90-minute debate, moderated by Chris Wallace, touched on addiction and depression due to COVID-19, and whether or not lockdowns should be lifted or maintained.

Few have been able to escape the economic impacts caused by COVID-19. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, 1 out of 4 American adults have had trouble paying their bills since the start of the pandemic, while a third of them have had to extract from their retirement account or savings to make ends meet. Young adults and lower-income adults are more likely to report personal job loss or job loss in their household, with an overall 25% of American adults saying that someone in their home or themselves were laid off due to COVID-19. Of those who said they were laid off due to COIVD-19, half say they are still currently unemployed.

The first presidential debate discussed the effects of shutting down the economy, the unemployment rate, and both candidates’ outlooks, with President Trump stating that, “We had 10.4 million people in a four-month period that we’ve put back into the workforce. That’s a record the likes of which nobody’s ever seen before. And he wants to close down the… He will shut it down again. He will destroy this country.” Biden returned stating that the country should not be opened up further because of the risk of COVID-19 cases and deaths, and that, “You can’t fix the economy until you fix the COVID crisis.”

When discussing COVID-19 and the ramifications of either opening up or shutting down the economy, President Donald Trump mentioned another impact that COVID-19 has had, aside from unemployment issues. When talking about lock downed states, he said, “And you look at what’s going on with divorce, look at what’s going on with alcoholism and drugs. It’s a very, very sad thing.” One survey found that 31% of couples say the quarantine has been damaging to their relationship, and Legal Templates, a company that provides legal documents, stated that they have seen a 34% increase in sales of their divorce agreements compared to the same period in 2019. The stress and anxiety caused by COVID-19 has not only hurt relationships but has caused a spike in mental health and substance use disorders.

COVID-19, Addiction, And Mental Health

Polling has found that 53% of American adults reported that their mental health has been negatively impacted due to worry and stress over COVID-19, compared to 32% that was reported back in March 2020. There has also been a reported increase in substance abuse and alcohol consumption, as well as difficulties with eating and sleeping. Loneliness and isolation have been linked to negative mental health effects, and job loss is associated with depression, anxiety, distress, and low self-esteem. These mental health effects can be tied to higher rates of substance abuse. Those who have developed or had a worsening substance use disorder during the pandemic may also be hesitant to seek treatment and reach out to others for support because of fear of contracting the virus. However, substance use disorders are often far more deadly than COVID-19, depending on the substance and severity of addiction.

Drug Use Claims

On Sunday the 27^th before the debate, President Donald Trump tweeted out: “I will be strongly demanding a Drug Test of Sleepy Joe Biden prior to, or after, the Debate on Tuesday night. Naturally, I will agree to take one also. His Debate performances have been record setting UNEVEN, to put it mildly. Only drugs could have caused this discrepancy???” Biden’s deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield responded to the demand stating, “Vice President Biden intends to deliver his debate answers in words. If the president thinks his best case is made in urine he can have at it. We’d expect nothing less from Donald Trump, who pissed away the chance to protect the lives of 200K Americans when he didn’t make a plan to stop COVID-19.”

It is unknown exactly which performing enhancing drugs President Trump may believe Biden to have taken. In a recent White House press conference, when asked if he was joking about Biden using performance enhancing drugs, Trump replied, “No, I’m not joking,” and explained how he had observed Biden in a debate seemingly “out of it” and another time where he was okay. Michael T. Swanoski, a professor at the University of Minnesota’s College of Pharmacy, stated in an interview with Slate that a drug like Adderall could increase attentiveness, however it would not increase cognition.

During the first presidential debate, Joe Biden’s sons Hunter and Beau Biden were brought up when discussing military members. The topic turned to Hunter when President Trump stated that Hunter was, “thrown out of the military” for cocaine use. Biden retorted with, “My son like a lot of people at home had a drug problem. He’s overtaking it. He’s fixed it. He’s worked on it. And I’m proud of him, I’m proud of my son.” Back in July 2019, Hunter Biden had spoken openly in an interview with The New Yorker about his struggle with alcohol and drug addiction and his relapses, as well as his foreign business dealings.

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Costa Rica is a country in Central America with a population of about 5 million people. While Costa Rica is one of the region’s safest, happiest, and most stable nations, Costa Rica is also a major conduit through which drug traffickers transport cocaine from Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru to illegal markets in the United States and Europe.

On February 14, the Costa Rican Drug Control Police (PCD) searched a shipping container in Puerto Moín, a seaport near the city of Limón. According to the Ministry of Public Security, which oversees the PCD, law enforcement agents discovered 5,048 kg (about 5.5 tons) of cocaine stored in 202 suitcases inside the shipping container. All together, the cocaine was worth at least $300 million. With respect to the size and value of the cocaine haul, the operation on February 14 was the largest drug bust in Costa Rican history. The PCD agents required an entire day to un-package and process the cocaine stash.

The shipping container in which the PCD found the cocaine was labeled as containing ornamental flowers. The destination for the container was the Dutch city of Rotterdam, one of Europe’s largest ports. Before the ship carrying the container left Costa Rica, PCD agents identified the vessel as suspicious and decided to search the cargo onboard. The police arrested the ship’s conductor, a 46-year-old Costa Rican man with no recorded criminal history.

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Cocaine Trafficking In Costa Rica

Michael Soto Rojas, Costa Rica’s Minister of Public Security, praised the PCD agents who discovered the cocaine and promised the government will remain committed to fighting drug trafficking. However, he signaled caution about his country’s abilities to effectively handle the problem. “On this occasion, thank God, we had a positive result, but I must say that in the past, and probably in the future, we might not be able to detect cocaine in these huge containers which move through the Port of Moín, at APM Terminals, in this case,” he said.

Costa Rica does not have a military, so the government sometimes struggles to prevent cartels from transporting drugs through the country, even with millions of dollars in security assistance from the United States. Gustavo Mata Vega, who led the PCD from 2015 to 2018, has called drug trafficking in Costa Rica a “tsunami” and a “constant bombardment.” Cartels “exploit air space and land and sea borders,” he stated in 2017, so that “when police find one shipment, three or four more enter.”

From 2010 to 2015, Costa Rican police confiscated over 100,000 kg of cocaine. The Public Security Ministry estimates that law enforcement only detects an average of 200 kg of cocaine per every 1,000 kg in transit from Colombia to Central America. The largest cocaine shipments consistently arrive in Costa Rica by sea, but they often leave the country by air. Cocaine shipments from Costa Rica containing hundreds of kilograms of the illegal drug have been found in airports all throughout the world. Lucrative “transportation services” have even emerged in Costa Rica as businesses to facilitate cocaine sales to foreign customers.

Additionally, some of the cocaine which traffickers bring into Costa Rica remains in the country for the domestic market. It is illegal in Costa Rica to use, possess, buy, or sell the dangerous and addictive substance.

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On January 13, the pharmaceutical company Lannett Company, Inc. announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved its New Drug Application to market Numbrino, the brand-name for a cocaine hydrochloride nasal spray. Numbrino is a topical solution for the mucus membranes in the nasal cavities. Lannett Company intends to advertise and sell Numbrino to otolaryngologists, a group of doctors who specialize in the ears, nose, and throat. Otolaryngologists who buy Numbrino will use the drug as a local anesthetic during nasal operations. The drug will not be available for ordinary retail.

Numbrino is the first brand-name medication ever to be sold by Lannett Company, a Philadelphia-based manufacturer of about 100 generic drugs. The announcement caused the value of Lannett Company shares to rise by 5.7%. Tim Crew, the company’s CEO, hailed the FDA’s decision as “a major milestone in Lannett’s 70-plus years of operations” and predicted a product launch for Numbrino would happen soon. Last year, Lannett Company received FDA approval to sell a generic version of Adderall, a popular medication for ADHD.

Cocaine In Medicine And The FDA

Cocaine is a Schedule II controlled substance, a drug with medical value which poses serious risks for abuse and addiction, according to the federal government. Although it is illegal as a recreational drug, cocaine is legal as an ingredient in legitimate medications.

In fact, Lannett Company is not the first business to manufacture an anesthetic with cocaine. In 2019, Lannett Company won a regulatory battle against Genus Lifescience, a competitor also headquartered in Pennsylvania, over the latter company’s claim to a five-year period of exclusivity for its own cocaine hydrochloride product the FDA approved two years earlier. The FDA dismissed a petition to uphold an exclusivity period and allowed Lannett Company to submit Numbrino for approval.

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The FDA Takes Less Time To Approve Drugs

Since 1906, the FDA has been responsible for assessing the safety and effectiveness of drugs before allowing pharmaceutical companies to sell them to Americans. The agency must consult clinical trials to ensure the benefits of every drug outweigh the risks.  The FDA approved Numbrino only after the drug underwent a “phase 1” and a “phase 3” clinical trial. A phase 1 clinical trial takes several months and requires 20 to 100 subjects to test the short-term safety of a drug. A phase 3 clinical trial involves as many as 3,000 subjects and takes several years to monitor a drug’s long-term effects and hazards.

A study published this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found the FDA is approving drugs faster than ever before. The researchers for the study determined the FDA approved an average of 41 drugs every year from 2010 to 2018. By contrast, the agency approved an average of 34 drugs every year from 1990 to 1999.

While the number of approvals has increased, the length of time the FDA dedicates to reviewing New Drug Applications has decreased. Specifically, the median length of time the FDA spent on reviewing data on a given drug from 1993 to 2005 was 1.5 years. From 2006 to 2017, the median length of time for review fell to 1.2 years. In 2018, the median length of time fell even further to just eight months. According to the study, accelerated review for drugs at the FDA “reduc[es] the amount of evidence available at the time of approval and increas[es] uncertainty about the existence or amount of clinical benefit.” Nevertheless, drug companies still take about seven years to conduct clinical trials, as they did thirty years ago.

The Pharmaceutical Industry Pays The FDA “User Fees” To Expedite Approval

The study attributes this trend to laws that Congress passed in the 1980s and 1990s to accelerate drug approval for HIV/AIDS and other diseases for which medications were not available. One law, the Prescription Drug User Fee Act of 1992, allows drug companies to donate money to the FDA to help the agency hire more researchers and review drugs more quickly.

In 2018, drug companies paid over $900 million to the FDA for this purpose. The JAMA study estimates that about 80% of the salaries of FDA researchers depend on Big Pharma “user fees.” The intention of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act was to create a partnership between the drug industry and the FDA for the benefit of patients, but researcher Jonathan Darrow suggests the law “has created a culture in the FDA where the primary client is no longer viewed as the patient, but as the industry.” Darrow and his peers say Congress should consider revisions to the system.

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Miami rapper and restaurant owner Maurice Young, also known as Trick Daddy, was arrested on DUI charges and cocaine possession earlier this year. The police received calls about someone driving a Range Rover who ran red lights and hit stop signs. The Miami Herald reported Young was caught sleeping behind a wheel when officers approached his vehicle. He confessed to having 5 drinks after a club, and had “slurred speech, bloodshot, watery and glassy eyes.” The rapper failed a field sobriety test after police smelled alcohol on his breath.

After Young was arrested and taken to Hammocks District Station, authorities found cocaine in a dollar bill, reporting it after Young was placing items in a plastic bag. Soon after, he was arrested and incurred “one charge of felony cocaine possession.” Young was wanted for a warrant, and his bail set to $5,000 for the cocaine possession and $1,000 for a DUI charge. In prior years, Young was charged with firearm possession, and has been arrested on a cocaine possession charge, “carrying a concealed firearm, and violating probation.” The rapper has opened a successful soul food restaurant in Miami and has made appearances in the media in recent years.

Young’s Unique Treatment For Lupus

Young has openly admitted to self-medicating help cope with the impact of the autoimmune disease, Lupus. Additionally, Young admitted to not being a pill user. Instead he laced marijuana with cocaine to help with Lupus. He also admitted to being a drinker. There is no cure for Lupus and this method of self-medication could explain Young’s DUI charge and cocaine possession.

Signs Of Cocaine Abuse

Cocaine is extremely addictive that can have life-long effects on the mind and body. Some of the most commonly reported symptoms include:

• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Paranoia
• Mood swings
• Runny nose
• Irritability
• Depression
• Sniffing
• Coma
• Chills
• Sweating
• Nausea
• High blood pressure
• Confusion

Cocaine combined with other substances like alcohol has a higher impact of resulting in an overdose. Cocaine abuse can impact the lives of those around you, and if operating vehicles, can potentially lead to harm of self or others via crashes.

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If you or a loved one struggles with cocaine or alcohol use, there are several treatment options available. If your loved one uses illicit substances for pain management, there are healthier options available. Contact a dedicated treatment provider and explore the available options.

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A quiet suburban neighborhood in Amsterdam witnessed a bloody shooting this past September that is bringing attention to the growth of drug-related violence in the Netherlands. Derk Wiersum was murdered outside his home during broad daylight in an act meant to frighten and intimidate civilians and local law enforcement. Coincidentally, just a month prior to the attack, Dutch Minister of Justice and Security, Ferdinand Grapperhaus, publicly stated that “The Netherlands is at risk of becoming a narco state.”

A narco state is a country whose economy is dependent on the trade if illegal drugs. Although the Dutch economy is not currently defined by the drug industry, it is an illicit market which has increasing influence on its society. The Netherlands has been described as a central hub for the global drug market due to its many transit ports and the large number of synthetic drugs being produced in the country and distributed around the world.

The death of Wiersum marked the first time in Dutch history that the criminal world murdered a legal representative of the state. The lawyer was representing Nabil B, a key witness against two of the Netherlands’ most wanted suspects. Ridouan Taghi was detained last month while attempting to enter Dubai and held under an international arrest warrant for murder and drug trafficking. The organization he leads, known as “Angels of Death,” is linked to nine assassinations, including that of Derk Wiersum. The arrest was considered a great success, but unfortunately many have doubts that it will prevent young people from following in his footsteps.

Influence Of Drugs On Dutch Society

The Netherlands’ tolerant approach towards drug use and its low penalties for drug-related crimes have contributed to the country’s position as a top producer for drugs. The country is famous for its “gedoodbeleid” or “policy of tolerance” that leads to non-enforcement of soft drug offenses. Distinctions between soft drugs and hard drugs are made under the Opium law of the Netherlands. Drugs with a low risk of harm and/or addiction such as hash, marijuana, sleeping pills, and sedatives are considered “soft drugs.” Hard drugs include heroin, cocaine, amphetamines, LSD, and ecstasy. These substances are considered to have a higher risk of harm and addiction.

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The extensive transport network and transit ports in the Netherlands has turned it into the central distribution hub for marijuana, ecstasy, and cocaine. A majority of soft drugs are imported from South America and North Africa but a significant amount of the world’s synthetic drugs are produced within the country itself. Substances such as MDMA, LSD, amphetamines, and GHB are being transported around the globe, and an estimated 18.8 billion euros ($20.75 billion) worth of ecstasy pills are being produced in Amsterdam yearly. The market is not only big, but it moves quickly as well. On the day Donald Trump was elected president in 2016, orange “Trumpies” ecstasy tablets were found on the streets and 24 hours later they were being sold in Australia. Drugs are becoming harder, profit margins are getting larger, and a new generation of drug crime lords are taking over.

From The Underworld To The Upper World

There has been a steady increase in drug related violence and at least 50 homicides linked to the criminal networks in greater Amsterdam within the last 7 years. Police complain that they are understaffed and unprepared to handle the rise of crime resulting from the flourishing drug trade. Young people growing up in areas ignored by the government and tourists are turning to crime in hopes of making a living. Drug business and violence is going from underground to broad daylight with lawyers, mayors and police officers being threatened by organized crime. There is growing concern over the way the drug economy is undermining and threatening the legitimate economy and society of the Netherlands.

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The country has moved from consuming drugs to producing them on a global scale, creating a lucrative black market. Today, about 59% of Dutch citizens believe the country is now a narco-state. According to chairman of the biggest Dutch police union, Jan Struijs, “If you look at the infrastructure, the big money earned by organized crime, the parallel economy. Yes, we have a narco-state.”

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This past Tuesday, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court filed a report saying that more than 24,000 convictions in 16,449 cases have been dismissed as a result of foul play by a former state drug lab chemist. The chemist, Sonja Farak, worked at the Amherst crime drug lab from 2004 to 2013 during which she was high almost every day. Farak pleaded guilty in 2014 to stealing drugs and tampering with evidence, in addition to using crack cocaine and other drugs while analyzing evidence at the lab.

The Supreme Judicial Court ruled last October that Massachusetts must dismiss all convictions based on drug evidence tested at the Amherst lab between Jan. 1, 2009 and Jan. 18, 2013, when the lab closed. The American Civil Liberties Union said the dismissals represent a “historic victory” for people wrongfully convicted of drug crimes based on unreliable evidence. Despite the widespread havoc Farak’s misconduct wreaked on the courts, the woman was only sentenced to 18 months behind bars back in 2014.

Sonja Farak: The Woman Behind The Scandal

During her arraignment in 2013, Farak admitted to investigators that she smoked crack almost every day while at work during her eight-year stint at the Massachusetts crime lab in Amherst. In addition to crack, she also took any drugs that she could get her hands on in the lab, including: meth, amphetamine, ketamine, marijuana, ecstasy, and LSD. All of the drugs were free, and often of extremely high quality, as it was Farak’s job to test the drugs for police departments in criminal cases across the state.

In addition to the samples of suspected drugs submitted by police, the Massachusetts crime lab also included “standard” samples of drugs, which could be compared to the seized samples for testing. According to the MA attorney general, Farak started consuming the Amherst Lab’s standard samples on a regular basis back in late 2004. She started out by stealing meth samples as it was the most voluminous standard in the lab and she liked the boost of energy that the drug provided. By early 2005, she began using meth every morning before work and soon increased her usage to multiple times a day.

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By the beginning of 2009, Farak had nearly exhausted the lab’s entire standard of methamphetamine. This shortage of meth caused her to seek out and steal other stimulants that were available in the lab. She then continued to abuse these substances during work hours while she was testing alleged narcotics. According to a report written by Assistant Attorney General Thomas A. Caldwell, Farak maintained that her “productivity and accuracy in her testing still did not suffer and that none of her fellow employees or superiors at the lab ever noticed.”

By 2010, Farak began to take from not only the lab standards, but also the police-submitted evidence. She frequently siphoned off portions of seized powdered cocaine, which she would snort and swallow during work hours. In one case in 2012, where police in Chicopee, Mass., had seized a kilo of cocaine, Farak “took approximately 100 grams from the same and used it to manufacture base [crack] cocaine at the Amherst Lab.”

It was during this time that Farak must have realized her addiction was starting to spiral out of control because she sought out professional drug addiction treatment. However, she never attended rehab and continued her daily binges. In late of 2012, she began stealing from her co-workers’ samples as well, and manipulating the computer databases so that it was undetectable.

The Arrest And Incarceration Of Sonja Farak

Farak’s five-finger discount finally ended when multiple co-workers noticed that some of their samples were missing in January of 2013. While strange, her colleagues didn’t think much of it until seeing chunks of crack at Farak’s workstation that shouldn’t have been there. Upon this discovery, the police were called to whom Farak admitted that she actively stole and used the seized drug samples while she was analyzing them. The Amherst lab was promptly shut down and Farak was arrested.

At the time of her arrest in 2013, the Massachusetts attorney general’s office said they “did not believe Farak’s alleged tampering would undermine any cases.” However, we now know that that wasn’t the case as thousands of convictions have been tossed out because of Farak’s involvement.

Although many of the drug charge defendants that were affected by Farak have already served their time prison, the conviction will be stricken from their records.

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