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November 22, 2009

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Las Vegas gets a new type of crime

(via Los Angeles Times) · October 21, 2008 · 5:34 AM

The Los Angeles Times today takes a look at the drug-related kidnapping of Cole Puffinburger and notes that this type of crime is unusual for Las Vegas. But narcotics find their way frequently into the northeastern part of the city, the LA Times writes.

"The number of meth labs has shriveled. The city hasn't seen the fighting between rival crime rings that has led to a rise in kidnappings in other Southwestern cities like Phoenix.

"That's one reason the kidnapping of Cole Puffinburger, who was returned unharmed over the weekend, has resonated. "This is not the norm for Las Vegas," said Michael Flanagan of the Nevada office of the Drug Enforcement Administration."

Discussion: 5 comments so far...

  1. By neiman1
    10/21/08 at 5:59 a.m.
    Suggest removal

    It is becoming the norm across America. San Diego has had 24 of these kidnappings with victims taken to Mexico for ransom or death this year. El Paso has seen 60 kidnappings so far this year. Why do we want to open our border and make Mexico's drug wars our way of life. Why does Obama want illegals to be able to receive drivers licenses'. Wake up America, life is changing the wrong way.

  2. By nevadaresident
    10/21/08 at 8:46 a.m.
    Suggest removal

    Neiman1, you make it sound like the Democrats will open the floodgates to the cesspool that is Mexico when Obama wins the presidency. The Republican party has been in power the last 8 years and haven't done jack to effectively secure our borders. This party has done everything to allow these bigots to work here illegally because they are a cheap source of labor. If they wanted to do something effective, they would've cracked down on the businesses hiring illegals instead of building a joke of a "wall" to keep them out.

  3. By harske
    10/21/08 at 11:03 a.m.
    Suggest removal

    That's just the way neiman1 is. I'm surprised his post didn't state that this wouldn't have happened if we had more domestic offshore drilling. I'm surprised the kidnappers could make a getaway with the price of gas nowadays...

  4. By stic
    10/21/08 at 12:24 p.m.
    Suggest removal

    I think Nevadaresident has forgotten who opened the borders and who has the majority in Congress

  5. By bluemoon
    10/21/08 at 10:31 p.m.
    Suggest removal

    Kidnappings by drug cartels are not a political statement about our US leaders, guys. They are a statement about our society. Too often we look the other way when drug dealing enters our community. We don't want to get involved. We don't want to get hurt. Yet the ripple effect affects us all... and now our children have become the targets. First the dealers try to peddle drugs and poisons to them, then they try to use our children as collateral to send a message of fear and intimidation to the adults. They are not just dealers, they meet the definition of terrorists.

    If enough citizens stand up and speak out, I think we can make a difference. If not - well, wasn't it the Isreali gov't that discovered an effective way to deal with terrorists after the incident at the Olympics? Hmmmm....

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