Thu, Sep 25, 2008 - Page 14 News List

Soaring fuel costs hit drug dealer’s bottom line 高油價衝擊毒販底線

Workers carry bags containing cocaine during a drug incineration at a police base in Lima, on Sept. 1, 2008. Two tons of drugs, such as cocaine, marijuana and heroin, were destroyed during the operation. 
九月一日,利馬警察總部的工人搬運裝著古柯鹼的袋子去焚毀。這次行動銷毀了古柯鹼、大麻和海洛因等共兩噸重的毒品。照片:美聯社

PHOTO: AP

First came the airlines, then the pizza delivery drivers. Now, even drug dealers are charging a fuel surcharge.

An Indiana dealer asked a customer to pay him an extra US$25 “for gas money to deliver the cocaine,” documents produced in court showed.

They were meeting about 32km away from the dealer’s home in Hammond, Indiana, US, according to documents posted on The Smoking Gun Web site last week.

With gas retailing at about US$4 per gallon (3.79 liters), the dealer likely made a small profit on the fuel charge.

That didn’t stop him from raising his price by US$10 a week later when he demanded US$250 for 7.5g of cocaine. He did, however, promise a police informant that the price would drop to US$230 “next time.”

Anthony Salinas was charged with two counts of dealing in cocaine on Sept. 8, the court documents showed.(AFP)

首當其衝的是航空業,接著是比薩外送業者服務。現在,就連毒販都要收取燃油附加費了。

法院出示的文件指出,印地安納州有一名毒販向顧客額外收取二十五美元,作為 「運送古柯鹼的油資」。

上週發表在「冒煙的槍」網站的文件指出,他們相約距離毒販家約三十二公里外的地方交易;該名毒販住在美國印地安納州的哈蒙德。

美國汽油零售價格每加侖(三點七九公升)約四美元,這個毒販可能靠收取燃油附加費小撈了一筆。

縱使如此,他還是在一週後漲價十美元,七點五公克的古柯鹼開價兩百五十美元。然而,他承諾一名警方線民說「下次」會降價到兩百三十美元。

法院文件顯示,安東尼.薩里納斯九月八日因交易古柯鹼的兩條罪狀遭到起訴。

(法新社�翻譯:袁星塵)

EXTRA INFO 小小百科

Fuel prices have risen a lot over the past few years. Many people think twice before going on long journeys and try to share rides when possible.

過去幾年來,油價上漲了許多,許多人在長途旅行前都會三思,如果情況允許,就會考慮與別人共乘。


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