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U.S. NEWS Friday 7 February 2020
Ill Cali cartel drug San Francisco to open tent

kingpin seeks early 'sobering' center for meth users

prison release Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A
center for people expe-
By CURT ANDERSON riencing methamphet-
AP Legal Affairs Writer amine-induced psychosis
MIAMI (AP) — One of the will open in San Francisco
world's major cocaine to help them get sober in a
kingpins, a co-founder of safe place, the latest effort
Colombia's Cali Cartel that to address the city's rising
smuggled some $2 billion in drug overdoses and ram-
drugs to the U.S., is seeking pant street drug use.
compassionate early re- The center, believed to be
lease from a federal prison the first in the U.S. specifical-
because of ill health. ly for people who are high
Gilberto Rodriguez- on methamphetamine, will
Orejuela, 81, is asking a open late this spring on a
Miami federal judge to city-owned parking lot in
let him return to his family the Tenderloin neighbor- In this April 26, 2018, file photo, a man lies on the sidewalk be-
in Colombia because he In this Nov. 7, 2002 file photo, hood, where streets are side a recyclable trash bin in San Francisco.
suffers from prostate and Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela littered with syringes and Associated Press
colon cancer. Rodriguez- leaves the Combita maxi- addicts congregate, the
mum security prison, in Tunja,
Orejuela has served about 60 miles northeast of Bogota, San Francisco Chronicle re- ready. it.
half of his 30-year prison Colombia. ported Thursday. From 2017 to 2018, 47% of A driver with a van will be
sentence under a 2006 Associated Press Mayor London Breed said all visits to the psychiatric posted outside the center
plea deal."He has been in the 24-hour center will get emergency room were to pick up people show-
various jails for the past 25 time. high people off the streets related to methamphet- ing signs of methamphet-
years," his attorney, David Federal prosecutors op- and connect them with amine use. Officials hope amine-induced psychosis.
O. Markus, said in an email pose the release of Rodri- addiction treatment and the center will relieve some Officials said the center
Thursday. "Our system al- guez-Orejuela, contending other services. Each tent of that pressure. may eventually accept pa-
lows judges to be compas- he has gotten good medi- will have 15 beds. People with methamphet- tients from hospital emer-
sionate, and that's what cal treatment in a North "The reality is that drug use amine-induced psychosis gency rooms, but will begin
we are asking for here." Carolina prison and does and overdoses are on the often have paranoia, hallu- by accepting people only
Although not as notorious not deserve to get out. rise, and doing nothing is cinations and behave ag- from the streets.
as Pablo Escobar and the They cite the huge scope not an option," Breed said gressively. San Francisco is also among
Medellin cartel, Rodriguez- of his crimes. in a statement. "The public The center, aimed at help- several cities in the country
Orejuela and his brother, "Releasing Rodriguez- drug use we see every day ing people come down considering opening super-
Miguel, fashioned a sophis- Orejuela early jeopardizes hurts those who are suffer- from drug highs, will be vised injection sites to ad-
ticated global smuggling public safety by diminish- ing from addiction as well staffed by nurses and coun- dress drug addiction.
enterprise known for us- ing the seriousness of his as the surrounding commu- selors who will give addicts Advocates say injection
ing innovative techniques offense and would send nities." advice about longer-term sites have been success-
to hide cocaine in all sorts entirely the wrong mes- The spike in methamphet- help like treatment beds, ful in Canada, Europe and
of legitimate shipments — sage about leading such a amine addiction in the city shelter beds and how they elsewhere and that when
even such items as frozen large scale drug trafficking has been a main driver for should take care of them- combined with on-site re-
vegetables and coffee (operation) and the pun- crowding of the psychiatric selves mentally and physi- covery resources, they can
packages. ishment that must come emergency room at San cally. help prevent overdoses
Officials estimate they with it," Assistant U.S. Attor- Francisco General Hospi- HealthRight 360, one of the and help users.
smuggled at least 200 tons ney Lisa Hirsch said in court tal, overwhelming medical largest San Francisco drug But injection sites are illegal
(181,000 kilograms) of the papers. staff and sometimes result- treatment providers, will run under U.S. federal law.q
drug into the U.S. during Overall, the U.S. prosecut- ing in patients being re-
the 1990s, or about 80% of ed about 100 Cali cartel leased back to the streets
the nation's supply at the members. q before they are deemed

Sheriff: 3 dead in plane

crash in Louisiana

CHATHAM, La. (AP) — A from Jackson, Mississippi, Brown said there were
small plane crash in Louisi- to Shreveport in northwest three people on the plane.
ana on Thursday afternoon Louisiana. It crashed north He later confirmed that all
has left three people dead, of Chatham on Louisiana three were killed.
according to authorities. Highway 34. The plane was a Cessna.
Jackson Parish Sheriff Andy The Monroe Regional Air- Further details regarding
Brown told news outlets port tower lost contact with the crash weren't immedi-
the plane was heading the plane around 2:10 p.m. ately known.q