Desert Snow and the War on Drugs – 4th Amendment Violation?

What is Desert Snow you ask? To me, Desert Snow is to the War on Drugs what Blackwater is to the War on Terrorism. They are civilians who work with local, state and federal agencies to go after drug traffickers on our nation’s interstates...supposedly.

Desert Snow – The Desert Snow Training Program began in 1989. Over the years, Desert Snow has created interdiction concepts and training techniques that are currently in use by almost every interdiction training program around. The training programs offered by Desert Snow have become some of the most sought after and attended Criminal Interdiction & Terrorist Apprehension Training Workshops in the world.

www.nationalinterdictionconference.com...

Here is an example of what Desert Snow teaches:



Seems harmless enough but here’s where it becomes strange. Notice how the following video goes from a focus on ‘drug interdiction’ to a ‘good-guy vs bad guy’ and 'us vs them' chest thumping video.



If you visit the Desert Snow/Black Asphalt website the topic switches from drug interdiction to ‘Criminal and Terrorist Identification and Apprehension Training’.

This all seems a bit strange to me. Are they looking for drugs or terrorists? Who are the terrorists? Why are civilians the primary trainers of police forces? BETTER YET - WHY are civilians participating in the pulling over and searching of other civilian's vehicles?? Then it dawned on me….I should follow the money!

Case in point- after seizing more than $1 million in cash in drug stops this year, a district attorney has suspended further roadside busts by his task force because of growing criticism over a private company's “participation.” According to an informative article from the Oklahoman newspaper, Caddo County District Attorney Jason Hicks has been very busy explaining why civilians were making stops while working with drug task force.

Now Hick’s prosecutors have dropped all criminal cases arising from the drug stops according to The Oklahoman.

Some seized money is even being returned. And the attorney general's office is investigating at least one complaint that seized funds went missing.

That’s right! Desert Snow civilians were working alongside LE and participating in traffic interdiction. It gets worse! Apparently they were not only being paid a percentage of recovered money, they were also taking money from people who had no drugs!!

The terms Hicks agreed to when he signed a one-of-its-kind contract in January are interesting.
Hicks agreed in writing to pay the Guthrie-based company 25 percent of any funds seized during actual training days. He agreed to pay the company 10 percent of funds seized by his task force on other days when the company trainers weren't present.

Sometimes, no drugs were found and no one was arrested, but task force officers took money found in the vehicles anyway after a drug-sniffing dog got excited or was false alerted by a handler.

Forfeited funds are split among the law enforcement agencies of the task force. But that’s after Desert Snow gets their end first.

So is this blatant corruption featuring all manner of kickbacks and back-room deals?

www.koco.com...< br />

In the end, it’s the all-mighty dollar that drives them.

It appears this group, much like Blackwater, believes its people are above the law. From the tone of their video, their tactics, and the complete lack of regard for the rights of others, this rogue group considers all of us to be the “bad guys”.

Since they now appear to be interested in ‘Criminal and Terrorist Identification and Apprehension’ rather than simply drug interdiction, I wonder how long it will be before this group’s civilian “teams” are performing other law enforcement functions. After all, they aren’t accountable to anyone (much like Blackwater). They can just change their company name and continue violating people's rights.

Well it makes sense something I had not thought about, everyone knew military uses contractors, it only makes sense they would use them for the 'war of drugs' too.

And with that escalates the potential for abuse, and corruption.

This is where the 4th get's lost in translation:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Clearly they 'think' they have probably cause, and as to terrorists, and drug cartels in collusion ?

Yep that is happening, that often get's glossed over.

Congressional report ties Middle East terrorists to Mexican drug cartels

Hezbollah's coc aine Jihad

Some people will dismiss terrorists working with drug cartels, one of the many things that fund terrorism is drug trafficking.

Others will have different opinion's though.

reply to post by neo96

Well it makes sense something I had not thought about, everyone knew military uses contractors, it only makes sense they would use them for the 'war of drugs' too.

And with that escalates the potential for abuse, and corruption.

Contractors are accountable to no one…that’s the scary part. If a cop violated your rights you can go after the cop, his department, the city, the state, etc. LE officers are bound by certain ethics. If a civilian contractor violates your rights there is no accountability. The departments that use their services can simply claim no responsibility, too– “It wasn’t us!!”

Look how Blackwater has changed names a few times to continue their mercenary work. They never go away; they just change colors and go back to work. I can see LE using groups like this in the future to accomplish other things that LE can’t openly get away with.

Maybe I’m looking too deeply into this but, like you said, the potential for abuse and corruption is there.

reply to post by seabag

Maybe I’m looking too deeply into this but, like you said, the potential for abuse and corruption is there.

Yes, and no.

True there are some contractors that DO messed up crap, but not all of them, then get's used to push agenda's. I usually try to maintain some distance with this kinds of topics because of all the obfuscation.

Point being all contractors are not saints, not all contractors are sinners every group has it's bad eggs.

reply to post by neo96


If LE functions were in the hands of unaccountable civilian corporations we’d be in big trouble IMO (though in the right hands it may be preferable to what we have now). I would have a real problem being pulled over by another civilian with no legal capacity to do so. I’d have a real problem with civilians searching my car and taking my money.

Anyone who thinks the Prison Industrial Complex is a problem now, wait until there are even more for-profit companies vying for these dollars.

reply to post by seabag


Oklahoma is rife with corruption. They hardly even hide it. People that live there look the other way.

reply to post by seabag


Agree with the first part the next part not so much

Anyone who thinks the Prison Industrial Complex is a problem now, wait until there are even more for-profit companies vying for these dollars.

Less than 1% of people are in prison in this country, and with Holders new and improved 'no mandatory minimums' just means more business for the cartels.

Of course if someone wanted to make a conspiracy theory of how Holder, and company just gave a 'economic stimulus' to PMC's, and the cartels.

Oh, and one could call the drug cartels PMC's.

It is going to be us vs. them for now on.. We best get use to it, it's how they looks at *us*. Good thread

reply to post by starfoxxx


Ya, there definitely seems to be a disconnect. I know there are 'good' and 'evil' people but this mentality that anyone not in law enforcement or government is the bad guy is alarming. Worse yet, we have civilian groups like Desert Snow running around performing LE duties and acting like the constitution means nothing.

Poison drugs and put it out on the street. If your friend dies doing it, you'll either stop or die. Problem solved. We all know they don't want to clean up drug use. How do you think they fund those secret agendas? It also has the trickle down effect of creating slave labor and not to mention fat cash in the systems pockets. Seizure of all effects is just a bonus. I don't buy that they can't curb drugs with the police state right in front of our eyes. Who is that for? Want to take a guess?

My solution is radical but in the end your grandmother will be able to walk outside. Too bad your government doesn't give a # about you. Greed destroys in many ways.

Originally posted by neo96
Well it makes sense something I had not thought about, everyone knew military uses contractors, it only makes sense they would use them for the 'war of drugs' too.

And with that escalates the potential for abuse, and corruption.

This is where the 4th get's lost in translation:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Clearly they 'think' they have probably cause, and as to terrorists, and drug cartels in collusion ?

Yep that is happening, that often get's glossed over.

Congressional report ties Middle East terrorists to Mexican drug cartels

Hezbollah's coc aine Jihad

Some people will dismiss terrorists working with drug cartels, one of the many things that fund terrorism is drug trafficking.

Others will have different opinion's though.

edit on 21-8-2013 by neo96 because: (no reason given)

so you thought US soldiers protecting opium fields in Afgan was a mistake? the terrorists are in Washington and they make bank from their arrangements with "the cartel" what do you think funds black ops projects?

it's no mistake that the CIA, DEA and many other 3 letter agencies traffic drugs globally. it's called profit and they will have it no matter what you or i think of it.

just another BS reason to control people is all it is. Nixon would love it, that's a good measure of bull chit, would nixon love it or hate it. you like nixon neo?