HARLINGEN — Marijuana-derived vaping is driving youths to fall victim to a rash of violent crime, officials said Friday.
Now, police are launching the Youth Safety and Drug Intervention Unit to help youths with drugs problems, Police Chief Michael Kester said during a press conference with Cameron County District Attorney Luis Saenz and Mayor Norma Sepulveda.
The drug unit is aiming to crack down on dealers selling marijuana-derived drugs such as THC oils, Kester told reporters.
“The unit will consist of Harlingen police officers and investigators whose task is the identification and arrest of those individuals who are bringing these drugs into our city and providing them to our children,” he said. “They will be working with our state and federal partners to aggressively address the drug trafficking.”
The drug craze comes amid two of the city’s most violent years.
“In the past couple years in Harlingen, we have seen increasing numbers of juveniles being the victims of shootings or other violent acts due to the illicit drug market,” Kester said.
Violent years
In 2021, police investigated six murders.
Then last year, they probed three murders.
Meanwhile, some youths have fallen victim to shootings.
“While these acts are not random, the juveniles caught up the in drug activity have been assaulted because of it,” Kester told reporters.
Cash app drug sales
Meanwhile, Saenz said youths as young as 12 are vaping.
“Vape pens are made for kids,” he said. “There are 12- to 13-year-olds with vape pens. They’re being marketed. They’re being used. It’s a very serious problem. It’s out of control. We have a big problem with vaping in high school.”
Parents, you need to step up. You’re the primary responsible person for this child. They have to held accountable. There has to be consequences.
Youths are using cash apps to buy THC-based drugs ranging from vapes and paste to edibles through the mail, Sgt. Jaime Palafox, who heads the Youth Safety and Drug Intervention Unit, said during an interview.
“Everything they do is through cash apps,” he said, adding drugs containing more than 0.03 percent THC are illegal in Texas while legal in states such as California and Colorado. “The majority of it comes in through the mail. The profit margin is very lucrative. (Dealers) get the drugs and double and triple the price.”
Calling on parents for help
Authorities are urging parents to monitor their children’s social media pages used to buy THC oils from states where the drugs are legal such as California and Colorado, Kester told reporters.
“The youths are lured into the drug market,” he said. “It is virtually impossible to cut off the drug supply.”
Youths are using social media including Facebook Messenger to buy the marijuana-derived oils they smoke through vape pipes, Kester said.
“The drug dealers are using social media platforms to sell these drugs to our youth,” he said. “It is vitally important to the future of our children and the city of Harlingen to cut off the illegal drug supply, trafficking and dealing of these drugs to the juveniles in our community. The illegal drugs of today target school-aged youths in order to get them addicted. These drugs are marketed in visually attractive manners with familiar names and include liquid marijuana vape.”
Like Kester, Saenz urged parents to help their children.
“The key is parents,” he told reporters. “It starts at home. Parents, you need to step up. You’re the primary responsible person for this child. They have to held accountable. There has to be consequences. This is the real world. It’s awfully challenging. If the parents don’t do their part, it’s not going to work.”
Meanwhile, Sepulveda described Harlingen as a safe city amid a national drug “epidemic.”
“Harlingen has been and continues to be a safe place to live, work and play,” she told reporters. “Harlingen is not immune to this epidemic. I’m interested and dedicated to getting these drugs off the street.”
Reaching for help
As part of the police department’s new program, officials are working with Su Clinica to help children with drug problems, Kester said.
During the press conference, Cheryl Sproles, Su Clinica’s outreach director, said the clinic offers programs such as counseling to help children.
“Parents who find their children with drugs can bring in the illegal substance and children to the police department,” Kester said. “In lieu of charging the kids with a crime, we will take the drugs for disposal and we will aid the parents in getting assistance for their child. The primary goal is the health and safety of the children of our community.”
