“I don’t think we will commence the trial in the absence of the Arabic interpreter. This is strange because we don’t know about the arrangements between him and the ministry,” the source lamented. “But we are still hoping that he could change his mind and answer our calls. “
The trial of four persons charged in connection with the US$100 million cocaine bust in October 2022 likely will not begin today due to the challenges facing Criminal Court “C” in contacting one of the two persons designated as interpreters to assist with the case.
Up until February 24, there was no clear information relating to the willingness of Larsana Keita, whose name the Ministry of Foreign Affairs submitted to the court as the Arabic language interpreter for co-defendant Malam Conte, a Guinea Bissau national.
The other person is Tito Abanobi, who is expected to be a Portuguese interpreter for co-defendant Makki Admeh Issam. The two interpreters’ names and contact numbers were submitted on February 22 by the Deputy Foreign Minister/Legal Counsel, Deweh E Gray, to Judge Blamo Dixon, a highly placed judicial source confided in the Daily Observer.
The Ministry’s decision was triggered by a request from the defense counsel that co-defendants Malam Conte and Makki Admeh Issa could only understand and speak Arabic and Portuguese. But the source further claimed that Conte’s Arabic interpreter phone rang endlessly. “We also have Keita’s contact number, and since August 22, he has refused to answer our calls.”
“I don’t think we will commence the trial in the absence of the Arabic interpreter. This is strange because we don’t know about the arrangements between him and the ministry,” the source lamented. “But we are still hoping that he could change his mind and answer our calls. ”
The source claimed that they have not seen the two interpreters in person since the date their names were submitted to the court through written communication.
To authenticate the claim, the source claimed, Minister Gray’s letter said, “we acknowledge receipt of a cause of Action of Crimes, requesting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to call on the US Embassy to assist in providing two interpreters to the court.”
The letter continues, “the ministry wishes to inform you that it has identified two interpreters who will assist the court in said capacity.”
“The ministry would highly appreciate it if Your Honor could kindly inform us of the date and time the interpreter will avail themselves to perform their separate tasks,” Gray’s communication added.
The trial will begin with the selection and sequestration of the 12-member jury panel by both the defense counsel and the prosecution. This could happen only if interpreter Keita were to agree to attend to his appointed task. The absence of interpreters forced the postponement of the trial, which is now set to start Monday, February 27.
Judge Dixon then said the trial can begin on February 27, if the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has adequately informed the court about the appointment of the two interpreters, which they did through the communication. Dixon put off the trial last week to give the ministry time to get the interpreter after it requested additional time to contact the US Embassy to assist in that regard.
What is not mentioned in the letter is whether it was the US Embassy that suggested the two interpreters, one of whom has yet to show any interest in assisting the court.
The case grew from the government’s seizure of US$100 million worth of cocaine on October 1, 2022, in which one Oliver Zayzay, a Liberian national, and some of his foreign associates were arrested after seeking to purchase what appeared to be a shipping container full of fresh frozen pig feet from a refrigerated storage facility in Monrovia.
The defendants had initially offered to pay the owners of the container, AJA Group Holdings, the sum of US$200,000 for the entire container, which, at the time, cost less than US$30,000.
But when the defendants, within less than eight hours, doubled their offer to US$400,000 and, finally, to US$1 million, AJA Group said they were certain that Zayzay and his associates were dealing with a serious case of narcotics trafficking.
The company said they contacted the United States Ambassador, a move that brought both the American and Liberian anti-narcotics law enforcement agents into the picture and caught the suspects red-handed.
The US$100 million cocaine bust is believed to be the biggest arrest in terms of street value on the African continent so far.
Have you ever found yourself stuck talking to a coke-fueled ego maniac at a party? Or, let’s be even more honest here, have you ever realized after a night out that you were in fact that same coke-fueled ego maniac? Well, regardless of whether it’s you or someone else, the truth is that cocaine – for all of its ‘helpful’ confidence boosting – can definitely make people speak a lot more about themselves.
Cocaine, a powerful stimulant derived from the coca plant, has long been associated with heightened self-confidence, euphoria, and talkativeness. For decades, it has been a party drug of choice, often noted for its ability to make users speak at length about themselves and their experiences. But why is this? We’re going to delve into this question, understanding where this ego boost comes from, and why no one seems to acknowledge that it’s happening to them.
What is Cocaine?
Before we talk about the egotistical tendencies that coke can cause, let’s have a quick reminder of what cocaine actually is. Cocaine is a powerful central nervous system stimulant drug that is derived from the leaves of the coca plant, which is native to South America. It is a highly addictive substance that has been used for centuries by indigenous peoples in the Andes for its stimulant effects.
When it was first discovered, the substance was seen as one sent from the gods due to its medical benefits and ability to reduce the feeling of hunger. Nowadays, cocaine is one of the most common party drugs used around the world. Coke is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance in the United States, and it typically comes in the form of a white powder and can be ingested in various ways, including snorting, injecting, or smoking. The effects of the substance include:
Euphoria: Cocaine use can induce intense feelings of pleasure and well-being.
Increased energy and alertness: Users often experience increased energy levels, heightened alertness, and a decreased need for sleep.
Increased heart rate and blood pressure: Cocaine is a powerful stimulant that can lead to elevated heart rate and blood pressure, which can be dangerous, especially for individuals with heart conditions.
Increased confidence and talkativeness: Users may feel more confident and talkative when under the influence of cocaine.
The last effect listed is what is significant for this article. The reason why cocaine does make people so confident and able to talk about themselves – with often very little filter – is sometimes mind boggling. In fact, a whole group of people being on the drug, can often make it impossible for you to be the only one not on it. Unless, of course, you want the most boring night of your life, with no one having any interest in what you’re up to or who you are.
Cocaine Confidence – The Ego Boost
Before diving into the psychology behind cocaine-induced self-expression, it’s important to understand the drug’s effects. Cocaine primarily affects the central nervous system, leading to increased alertness, energy, and a sense of invincibility. Users often report feeling more self-assured and charismatic, which can lead to an overwhelming desire to share their thoughts and experiences with others. One of the most significant effects of cocaine is the surge in self-confidence.
If you’ve ever taken the substance, or have seen someone that has, you’ll notice this sudden belief that you can do anything, talk about anything, be anything. It’s like you’ve just been given a pep talk by the greatest life coach ever. You feel, in a lot of ways, invincible. Cocaine temporarily increases levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward.
This dopamine rush can lead users to feel more confident, outgoing, and self-assured than they do in their sober state. This newfound confidence can be a driving force behind the desire to talk about oneself. Imagine, you’re filling up with dopamine, feeling incredible, and the only way to release all of this new-found happiness is to let it out… perhaps verbally. Vice News writes:
“Of course, not everyone turns into a big sentient clenched jaw after half a gram—lots of us can do cocaine without becoming self-obsessed or arrogant or devoid of all self-awareness. But some of us can’t, which is where the “cocaine dickhead” archetype comes from: the girl who won’t stop banging on about her screenplay; the guy who wouldn’t be able to gauge the vibe of the room (extremely anti-him) if it was written out in spray paint on the wall.”
These archetypes, whilst comical, are unfortunately completely accurate. There seriously isn’t much worse than being stuck being talked at by someone who’s taken a copious amount of this specific substance. “Yeah I work in recruitment, mate. It’s alright but I’ve actually been thinking about doing something else. You know? Or maybe travelling. I feel like I need to see the world and get out of this suffocating suit. You know?” As Vice reports, not everyone turns into an egotist when consuming cocaine, but it certainly is not uncommon.
Why?
So it seems the only question to really ask is: why? Why does cocaine cause people to feel like they need, without any censorship, to talk about themselves. In addition, why do they also not realise how much they’re doing it. Well, festival welfare worker Katy Mcleod (director of Chill Welfare), says in Vice:
“Cocaine tends to make people go into themselves, so they can either become introverted or be very sociable but a bit dominant or self-involved… One big issue with coke is how it makes you feel in yourself and how you come across to others when under the influence. The two don’t always match up. You might think you’re being really witty and outgoing, when other people just think you’re a twat.”
So, as you can see, there’s a dichotomy here. There’s how you feel about yourself, and there’s how the world perceives you. To be fair, this probably exists most of the time anyway but, when cocaine is consumed, the difference is a lot more extreme. This comes from the dopamine hit that coke gives.
Euphoria and Ego Inflation
Cocaine’s primary mechanism of action involves blocking the reuptake of dopamine in the brain. This results in an accumulation of dopamine in the synapses, leading to intensified feelings of pleasure and reward. The increased dopamine levels reinforce behaviour associated with the drug’s effects, including self-expression. Cocaine also induces euphoria, a state of intense happiness and well-being. This elevated mood can lead users to believe they are more interesting, intelligent, and captivating than usual. As a result, they may feel compelled to share their thoughts, stories, and opinions, convinced that they are the centre of attention. Essentially, you not only feel great, but you also think you are great. Hired Power writes:
“It boost’s a user’s ego and self-confidence, making the user believe that he is the most powerful person in the room.”
Cocaine gives you license to have social confidence, as well as confidence in yourself, which can be quite extreme. This doesn’t sound too bad, does it? Well it wouldn’t if you didn’t then spend an entire evening thinking that your voice deserves to be heard by everyone all night. The danger in an ego boost is that it can make you blind. Make you believe that you are the boss. Again, there’s nothing wrong with self-belief, but too much can become arrogant and hugely irritating.
Final Thoughts on Cocaine Ego Boosts
Scientifically the ego-boost phenomenon of cocaine makes sense. A boost of dopamine, energy and confidence, makes users believe that they are the bees knees and they want people to know it. For some, with social anxiety, this can be a great moment – finally able to speak to people like they want to. For others, this can be an enhancement in ego they simply do not need. These sorts of people are the ones you want to avoid at parties, unless of course you want to hear (for hours on end) about their very interesting ideas on modern politics.
It’s important to say, of course, that cocaine is a highly dangerous substance and is incredibly addictive. This ego-boosting effect of cocaine is perhaps one of the most addictive parts of it and, worst of all, it can make it very hard to have any self-confidence without the substance. The effects of cocaine may be harnessed for that initial boost of confidence before an event, but those effects can very easily create an ego-tistical monster if you’re not careful.
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Police have charged four people after an extensive investigation into an alleged drug-supply syndicate operating in the Fairfield area.
In April 2023, Wetherill Park Region Enforcement Squad (RES) established Strike Force Winetr to investigate the activities of a syndicate believed to be involved in ‘dial-a dealer’-style supply of cocaine.
Following extensive inquiries, strike force investigators executed search warrants at homes in Fairfield West, Smithfield and Bossley Park from 10.30am yesterday (Friday 25 August 2023).
They were assisted by officers attached to Bankstown Region Enforcement Squad, Southwest Metropolitan Operations Support Group and Raptor Squad.
During the searches, police seized a number of electronic devices, prohibited drugs, a knife, ammunition and over $70,000 cash. The items will undergo further examination.
Four men were arrested and taken to Fairfield Police Station where they were charged.
A 24-year-old Fairfield West man was charged with 17 offences; including two counts of supplying a commercial quantity of prohibited drugs; nine counts of supplying an indictable quantity of prohibited drugs, knowingly direct activities of criminal group, and deal with property proceeds of crime.
A 21-year-old Smithfield man was also charged with 17 offences; including supplying a commercial quantity of prohibited drugs, six counts of supplying an indictable quantity of prohibited drug, and participate criminal group contribute criminal activity.
A 25-year-old Bossley Park man was charged with five counts of supplying an indicatable quantity of prohibited drug; participate in criminal group, supplying prohibited drugs on an ongoing basis; and take part in the supplying of an indictable quantity of cannabis.
The three men were refused bail to appear before Parramatta Bail Court today (Saturday 26 August 2023).
A 17-year-old boy, also from Bossley Park, was charged supply prohibited drug and possess prohibited drug.
He was granted conditional bail to appear before a children’s court on Monday 18 September 2023.
Investigations under Strike Force Winetr continue.
The BBC A lorry driver from England has appeared in court charged in connection with the seizure of about £1m of cocaine at Larne Port. Justin Walsh, 37, appeared before Ballymena Magistrates’ Court on Saturday charged with possession of a Class A drug with intent to supply. The seizure happened shortly before 06:00 BST on […]