Would This Help Sweep Heroin Right off the Streets?

   Want to sweep heroin and methamphetamines right off the streets of America? Well, perhaps we just received a heads-up as to how to go about it. Listen up, if this means anything to you -- if ridding our country of drugs has value in your way of life, listen up, listen up, listen up.

  Vanita Gupta, President Biden's nominee for associate attorney general. We just learned she owns stock in a company called Avantor, didn't we?  Now, Avantor means nothing to you -- until you learn it has offices in Mexico, and a key product it sells is being connected to the cartels' production of heroin and methamphetamines. Now, how about that? Now, we are getting somewhere.

   So, acetic anhydride -- that's what they call this stuff. How significant is it? Well, other than the sap drained from the opium flowers, acetic anhydride is the only thing needed to make heroin. Take away a component like acetic anhydride, and there isn't even such a thing as heroin. Gone, pa-too. Opium plus acetic anhydride equals heroin. The recipe is simple, and you take away one of the key ingredients, and there is no more heroin. 

   Not too many companies offer this acetic anhydride. Avantor does. Now, yes, Avantor is an American company, but you might find it interesting to learn Avantor has offices in Mexico to accommodate customers down there. What customers -- right? Just who down in Mexico would be needing something called acetic anhydride? Now, Avantor might not sell to the cartels directly, but there is plenty reason to wonder if Aventor's acetic anhydride finds its way into the cartel's possession. Check: Containers loaded with acetic anhydride with Aventor's name on them have been found at cartel sites. 

   And, there's reason to wonder if Avantor is involved in the illicit production of acetic anhydride and heroin right here in the U.S., without having to funnel things up from Mexico. Mexico may be one route, but not every bit of heroin in the U.S. is smuggled in across our southern border. Some could have a stamp on it, saying, "Support domestic commerce. This heroin was made right here in the USA."

   How's this for a coincidence then? Avantor is headquartered just outside of Philadelphia. And, it just so happens that the largest outdoor heroin market on the East Coast is also located just outside Philly. Just a coincidence, huh? No reason for suspicion. 

   So, what should we do? To begin with, we should consider banning acetic anhydride, outright. It is also used to make cigarettes, and fragrances. What would happen if we were to ban it? Are those needs enough to keep it around? And, perhaps there are legitimate drug uses in hospitals, where acetic anhydride is used to make necessary opioids. So, consider whether we move the production of acetic anhydride to the government (and face criticism its just one more step toward our being a socialistic country), or whether we leave it in the hands of private companies. My thought is, whichever is the best way to keep it out of the hands of crooks is the better route, regardless what might be "socialism."

    Secondly -- and this is more important -- we need an investigation, a big one, a massive one. This thing screams for investigation -- SCREAMS, in uppercase letters. I mean, so here we have an open heroin market right in the shadow of Avantor's headquarters? And, we don't dispatch a few DEA officers to mull around and find what's up with that? And, don't stop our investigation there. Avantor isn't the only company offering a product like acetic anhydride. March down to Kingport, Tenn,, and investigate the Celanese Corporation and Eastman Chemical. They offer components similar to acetic anhydride. Any leak of product out onto the streets there? Or, are those companies careful in their distribution? 

   Nor do you stop there. Not at all. You go right down into Mexico, to Avantor's offices. Who are they selling to? Acetic anhydride is used in making fragrances and cigarettes. Is that who they are selling to? Or, to holding companies that make you wonder if there is a laundering scheme?

  So, there you have it, the great acetic anhydride scandal. Let's look into it. Where's our police? This is what having a DEA is all about. This is what fighting drugs coming into our country is all about. Let's do something.