America Wins Drug War: Mexican "Drug Lord" Arrested!

Finally!

We can all rest easily, the Drug War has been won!

Yesterday, Javier Arellano Félix, leader of a Mexican drug cartel was arrested. The New York Times reported:

Federal drug enforcement agents, aided by the United States Coast Guard, arrested a man they said was a top figure in one of Mexico’s most notorious drug gangs on a fishing boat off Baja California on Wednesday.

Federal officials said the man, Francisco Javier Arellano Félix, 37, was one of the last remaining ring leaders of the Arellano Félix gang. The group, based in Tijuana, is charged in several killings, including that of a Roman Catholic cardinal.

Awesome! No more Drug War, and no more drugs! I can retire!

At a time like this, a drug policy reformer like myself has to scratch his noodle and think, "What have I been doing with my life? Why did I ever want to stop the Drug War when in the first place since it is obviously doing such a stellar job at sweeping scum like Arellano Félix off society's doorstep? What shall I do now?"

I guess the only thing I can do is continue reading the story...

The arrest on Wednesday riveted Mexico, a nation long weary of intransigent drug violence. It was expected to deal a blow to the gang, though the authorities acknowledged that associates were probably waiting to take Mr. Arellano Félix’s place.

Hrm. Maybe it's not time to start contemplating my retirement plans just yet.

Right... I think this is part of the reason I wanted to end the Drug War in the first place. Something about a revolving door. Or Whack-A-Mole.

Something about drug busts becoming lucrative job openings...

But surely this arrest meant something. Surely, this is one dangerous criminal removed from society, and society is better for it. We can let the Drug War run its course and soon enough, all the scumbags will be locked up, right?

Right?

Wait. What's this?

“Javier was not an important capo,” said Jesús Blancornelas, the editor of Zeta, a Tijuana magazine, who has devoted his life to writing about the cartels. “He’s a member of the family, nothing more, dedicated to partying. I’d call him a playboy.”

SHIT.

Back to work...