Tuesday, March 18, 2003

I'll tell you what I'd do if it were up to me: I would establish a strictly controlled distribution network through which I would make most drugs, excluding the most dangerous ones like crack, legally available. Initially I would keep the prices low enough to destroy the drug trade. Once that objective was attained I would keep raising the prices, very much like the excise duty on cigarettes, but I would make an exception for registered addicts in order to discourage crime. I would use a portion of the income for prevention and treatment. And I would foster social opprobrium of drug use.
--George Soros

Crime & Punishment Vow to seize assets of the Mr Bigs

Every good goanna type character knows that protection is essential to running an efficient and successful organized crime operation.
From the local councillor to the Premier, organized crime requires political protection. If they get the right people in office, criminals can flourish.
Under anti-organised crime laws which the Opposition Leader, John Brogden, said would be the toughest in the country, individual criminals also could be prosecuted for the actions of gang associates.
Another Coalition policy announced yesterday is based on the RICO (Racketeer-Influenced and Corrupt Organisation) statute used in the US to fight organised crime. Professor G Robert Blakely, played a pivotal role in developing US legislation on organised crime (The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisation Act).

· AssetsAustralia [SMH]
· AssetsUK [AssetsRecovery]
· AssetsIreland [OCTF]
· Assets UK [NRAILA]
· RicoUS [RicoPaper]