Operation Pot Points: Drug dealers must get stoned

Marijuana confiscated in Penitas, Texas, had an interesting message written on some of the packages: "Obama-USA."

Not so fast reader/narc, you'll have to roll back Operation Thunder Thighs for a moment here. The idea that Obama had drugs shipped to him from Mexico, with his name written on them, is flimsy. Sure, he inhaled in the past, but that's not the point.

The Penitas police chief believes that the dealers are "trying to mock the president's effort to fight drugs." It makes you wonder how certain drug dealers may try to mock University police.

If you've haven't been in a finals and Red Bull-induced coma for the last few weeks, you've probably heard of "Operation Thunder Strike."

This was the name given to the mass arrests last week that were a result of an eight-month undercover investigation cracking down on the "Mary Jane" or whatever you kids call it, and other drugs.

There were 25 people arrested, 21 of whom were students at the University. The charges covered everything from misdemeanor cannabis possessions to felony charges for the alleged sale of controlled substances.

University police nabbed 180 grams of cannabis, drug paraphernalia, "cocaine residue, Xanax pills ... $3,100 cash, two vehicles, three flat-screen televisions and two laptops," according to a report in The Daily Illini.

Police said that they wouldn't stand by idly while drugs are being trafficked on this campus. According to them, it's "contrary to what the mission of what the academic institution is."

That's true.

And now that the department has finished the operation, the new information may lead to putting the kibosh on the campus drug trade.

Not so true.

It was reported that the police would not address rumors about the undercover operation, such as whether officers were stealthily going around campus as delivery men. But it was confirmed that undercover tactics were used.

I'm going on a limb here, but this may have something to do with the random 217 area code text messages that certain people, including myself, received earlier this semester. The texts in question said that the sender had some "flame a** bud, the best on campus" and asked whether I or any of my friends needed any.

This is not an argument about whether pot should be legalized or a comparison of the effects of pot smoking and alcohol. The question is whether these drug raids will change anything. I mean, it was a two-semester operation, the drug kingpins everywhere should be quaking in fear, right?

If you ask any student on campus, chances are that they'll agree that in fewer than three phone calls people can obtain marijuana. And it's common knowledge that certain smells emanate from certain rooms in certain apartment buildings on a regular basis, certain incriminating photographs exist on Facebook, certain statuses and even wall posts blatantly discuss certain illegal activities. What about the certain campus residence halls known for being a haven for drug dealing and use?

If officials really wanted to eliminate the use of drugs like pot on campus, the red flags are waving wildly and there are people out there ready to become narcs and rat out those who are high.

But then again, we're simultaneously waging a war against the rampant spread of underage drinking, and police officers are scouring the neighborhoods looking for young kids who may be tipsy. Yet still, the giant red X on Green Street and the 10-plus bars on campus fail to garner attention.

University police have said that they've made their "point," and that point is that there's a zero-tolerance policy for drug dealing on campus.

Zero-tolerance for drug dealing. Maybe someone's missing the point.

Sujay is a senior in biochemistry.