1. The first paragraph of a news article should answer the questions who, what, where and when. List the who, what, where and when of this news item. (NOTE: The remainder of a news article provides details on the why and/or how.)

2. a) Define offload (as compared to unload).
b) How much money are the confiscated drugs worth (street value)?
c) Where were the drugs seized?

3. What does the Coast Guard do with the confiscated drugs?

4. a) What is the significance of these drug seizures?
b) What is the purpose / goal of the seizures, according to Commander Jonathan Carter?

5. What do you think Cmdr. Carter means when he says the illicit drug trafficking “breeds instability”?

CHALLENGE:
In addition to confiscating massive amounts of cocaine and marijuana from smugglers’ boats, the deadly drug fentanyl is also being smuggled in to the U.S. Despite media reports that the fentanyl comes directly from China, Stratfor’s Scott Stewart investigated and found that fentanyl actually is being brought in to the U.S. from Mexico. He writes:
“The [illegal] manufacture and distribution of fentanyl, like methamphetamine, is lucrative for the Mexican cartels. They manufacture it in their own labs using *precursor chemicals imported from China and reap huge profits smuggling it into the United States. [Precursor chemicals are those used to make illicit drugs.] Fentanyl's potency (it is many times stronger than heroin) allows the cartels to deal in smaller shipments, boosting the return on trafficking. It would take 50 kilograms (110 pounds) or so of heroin to equal the dosage from 1 kilogram of fentanyl.

Read Mr. Stewart’s report “The Chinese Connection to the Flood of Mexican Fentanyl”

What 3 facts did you learn from this article that you think people should know? Explain your answer.