In yet another ominous sign from Rio before the Olympics kick off on Aug. 5, police confiscated over a hundred bags of cocaine Tuesday in what would have been a routine case if not for the bags’ labels.
Of the 93 bags of cocaine and 23 bags of crack cocaine seized by the police, each was sealed with a paper label displaying the “Rio 2016” logo and iconic Olympic rings. Whoever illustrated the label was also thoughtful enough to include a warning: “Don’t use near children.” In addition to the large stash of cocaine, the cops claimed some .40 caliber ammo from the drug traffickers.
The discovery is particularly concerning for people visiting the area during the Olympics, where dealers from “Crackland,” which the USA Today reported is less than a mile from the main stadium, may try to sell drugs like these under the guise of Olympic-sanctioned products. No matter how much success drug dealers have during the Olympics, they certainly will profit from Rio’s surge in tourism, using any leftover money to grow the already dangerous drug industry.
Brazilian police should expect to be on high alert from now until the end of the Games with the threat of kidnappings and violence increasing by the day. Jiu-jitsu athlete Jason Lee claimed Saturday he was kidnapped by criminals dressed as cops and forced to hand over money, while Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone’s mother-in-law continues to be held hostage for the largest ransom demand in Brazil’s history at $36 million.