The problem of presumption and seriousness in the fight against drugs

Due to my duties in a case involving the crime of drug manufacturing and trafficking, I met several of our police officers who are fighting this crime. 

I was moved by the dedicated efforts of our police officers. 

When I asked them for their suggestions on solutions to this issue, I fell into deep thought. 

In the crime of drug manufacturing and trafficking, catching a person in the act is not very easy. There may be certain signs indicating that a person is manufacturing drugs. For example, a precision scale, a large amount of acetone, tobacco, rolling paper...

However, in my opinion, none of these signs are sufficient. After all, people are rolling their own tobacco due to the high cost of living. Many people have acetone in their homes. A precision scale can also be used for many reasons. In fact, all of these can be used, and are used, in the same house for purposes completely unrelated to drugs. Therefore, their presence does not constitute a presumption of drug manufacturing. 

But in practice, simply because of their presence, our courts, with the comfort provided by the fact that drug manufacturing and trafficking are listed among catalog crimes, can issue detention orders based on the existence of "strong suspicion of a crime." This results in the restriction of freedoms in a disproportionate and excessive manner. 

On the other hand, drugs are rampant on the streets. All stakeholders involved in the issue, our police, and judicial personnel are witnesses to the fast and easy access to drugs. Families, members of the judiciary, and security forces are disturbed by this. This discomfort must, of course, be addressed. However, while doing so, a smart criminal policy must be established. Laws and practices must be brought into line with this criminal policy. 

If the goal is to fight drug consumption, manufacturing, and trafficking, more radical and systematic solutions must be sought. Solid psychological, social, and economic support must be provided to drug users. In this way, the cooperation of those who consume drugs should be utilized. Instead of hunting down the smallest-scale elements of drug manufacturing and trafficking one by one, endangering rights and freedoms; the traffic of active ingredients in drug manufacturing should be pursued, the human resources involved in drug manufacturing and trafficking should be handled with seriousness, and a real social life should be provided to them. 

Trying to fight drug manufacturing and trafficking through acetone, precision scales, tobacco, and rolling paper is like trying to prevent wars by chasing after fruit knives.

Let us be serious. Without touching the drug barons, without targeting the global, regional, and national owners of the drug trade, we have no chance of success. In this way, we only soothe our conscience. At the same time, we keep the trio of law enforcement, courts, and lawyers busy with overtime. 

We must drain the swamp. Otherwise, we will be swatting flies all day long.