1 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:05,640 Speaker 1: Kielda. 2 00:00:05,720 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 2: I'm Chelsea Daniels and this is the Front Page, a 3 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 2: daily podcast presented by the New Zealand Herald. You might 4 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:20,160 Speaker 2: look on Facebook Marketplace for a new couch, a lamp, 5 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:24,760 Speaker 2: a rug, but what about Class A drugs or how 6 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 2: about a ghost gun. Harold investigation has revealed at least 7 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:34,199 Speaker 2: fifty six listings were circulating on the site offering magic mushrooms, 8 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:38,879 Speaker 2: cannabis and in one case LSD across the North Island 9 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 2: and top of the South and that could be just 10 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:45,479 Speaker 2: the tip of the iceberg of illicit sales on social media. 11 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:49,280 Speaker 2: So how do we get on top of this? Nsaid 12 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:53,160 Speaker 2: herold's senior investigative reporter Michael Morat has been looking into 13 00:00:53,159 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 2: this and joins us today on the front Page. Michael, 14 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 2: how did this first capture your attention? 15 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:07,679 Speaker 3: Well, I was contacted by a bay of plenty man 16 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 3: who essentially said there are multiple listings on Facebook Marketplace 17 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:20,960 Speaker 3: for drugs and these listings then linked to encrypted Telegram accounts. 18 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 3: I contacted some of these dealers on Facebook Marketplace and 19 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:30,640 Speaker 3: you'd go to the encrypted telegram account and then from 20 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:33,319 Speaker 3: the outset, from what it looked like, it was just 21 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 3: magic mushrooms being sold, but when you went to the 22 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:39,760 Speaker 3: Telegram account and asked for a full menu that you 23 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:44,080 Speaker 3: were then supplied with a list of many other A 24 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 3: class drugs. 25 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 2: It's interesting that they've chosen to advertise mushrooms, but that's 26 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 2: actually a Class A drug in itself, isn't it. 27 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 4: Yeah. 28 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 3: I think it's potentially because those peddling these drugs think 29 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 3: that mushrooms is a more innocuous term than perhaps using 30 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 3: cocaine or methanphetamine or whatever else. 31 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:10,640 Speaker 4: But it seems clear that the ad. 32 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 3: For mushrooms is just a gateway to then offer the 33 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:19,360 Speaker 3: visitor any other form of drugs that they want. Now, 34 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:24,800 Speaker 3: I was unable to verify whether in fact these drugs 35 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 3: could indeed be purchased, but the very fact that these 36 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:34,080 Speaker 3: are advertised on Facebook Marketplace, a very very open platform, 37 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 3: would suggest that if you indeed were a legitimate seller, 38 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:42,559 Speaker 3: you could do this because it exposes a loophole. Regardless 39 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 3: of it whether these people on marketplace are scammers or 40 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 3: legitimate sellers of Class A drugs, it shows that on 41 00:02:50,639 --> 00:02:53,359 Speaker 3: Facebook Marketplace you can do it and get away with it. 42 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 4: Right. 43 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 2: So what do these listings actually say they've got like mushrooms, 44 00:02:57,320 --> 00:02:58,799 Speaker 2: and then it has what. 45 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 3: I've seen that included drugs for sale, including pictures, images 46 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:12,800 Speaker 3: of magic mushrooms, cannabis, tabs of LEAs d gummies for 47 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:16,920 Speaker 3: sale as well. And then when you link to the 48 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:21,840 Speaker 3: Telegram account, you're supplied with full menu of any type 49 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 3: of drug you can imagine, including ayahuasca, masculine cocaine, MDMA, 50 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 3: et cetera, et cetera. 51 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 2: Wow, and so Telegram, I'm assuming they use that because 52 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 2: it's encrypted, one of. 53 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 4: Those absolutely yeah. Encrypted. 54 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 3: So, like I say, I believe that these very open 55 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 3: advertisements for mushrooms are essentially to get lots of eyes 56 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 3: onto a product, and a legal product, to then lead 57 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 3: the visitor to this other menu and the supply of 58 00:03:55,240 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 3: other drugs. 59 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 2: It took me all of about a minute this morning 60 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 2: to find one of these ads on Facebook marketplace that 61 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 2: you told me about, and it didn't take very much 62 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 2: like snooping as well. Then I saw another one. Then 63 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:09,720 Speaker 2: I scrolled down a little further and I think I 64 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 2: counted up to like forty of them, and all of 65 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 2: them listed either today, yesterday, within the last couple of days. 66 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:16,919 Speaker 2: I mean, is it just a case of whack a 67 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:17,720 Speaker 2: mole out there. 68 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:20,480 Speaker 3: I think so, and I mean that's what really surprised 69 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 3: me about this situation. I mean, you know, police and 70 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 3: other authorities have said for some time that we're seeing 71 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:33,120 Speaker 3: an increasing number of drug sales on social media. But 72 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:35,599 Speaker 3: what surprised me about this was just how open and 73 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:40,159 Speaker 3: blatant the dealers were being. And when I initially was 74 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:43,839 Speaker 3: reviewing Facebook Marketplace, I counted a total of fifty six 75 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 3: different listings from the far North right down to the 76 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 3: Tasmin region, Nelson and picton, all saying we've got various 77 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 3: drugs available and you can pick them up or we 78 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,479 Speaker 3: can deliver. So I was pretty surprised by that. And 79 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 3: of course I got in touch with Meta, which is 80 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 3: the owner of Facebook, and after sending several links to 81 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:12,919 Speaker 3: them and screenshots, they said they would then act to 82 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 3: remove those illegal accounts. 83 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:18,600 Speaker 2: Who else have you spoken to about this? I mean, 84 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:22,039 Speaker 2: I can't imagine the New Zealand Drug Foundation would be 85 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:22,920 Speaker 2: too happy about it. 86 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 3: They do think there are obvious inherent risks with this. 87 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:30,720 Speaker 3: They talk about the risk with magic mushrooms, for example, 88 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:35,360 Speaker 3: is in the CEO Sarah Halm's words, the risk is 89 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 3: identification of the mushroom. Right, if you get the wrong 90 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 3: one and you don't know what it is, that can 91 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 3: be very risky. But in general, the active ingredient in 92 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 3: magic mushrooms is not something, she says, that could have 93 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:55,919 Speaker 3: fatal consequences. But she says the other issue with Marketplace, 94 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 3: of course, is that it exposes people, including young people 95 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 3: who go on to these sites to material that they 96 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 3: otherwise would not be exposed to. That is one of 97 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 3: the concerns. The other key concern of the Drug Foundation, 98 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 3: of course, is that they are an entity that is 99 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 3: set up to promote and give information about drug harm reduction. 100 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:20,039 Speaker 3: That is one of their core things. You know, you 101 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 3: see them talking about drug testing at festivals and promoting 102 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:26,920 Speaker 3: information about new and emerging drugs if they're you know, 103 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 3: dangerous or lethal to put that information out on social media. 104 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 3: Some of the information they are promoting is funded by 105 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 3: the Ministry of Health, by Health New Zealand. And what 106 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:41,039 Speaker 3: we know is that surprisingly some of their drug harm 107 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:46,680 Speaker 3: reduction messaging is being blocked by Meta because they flag 108 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:51,719 Speaker 3: it as problematic. And that is, in Sarah Helm's words, 109 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 3: from the Drug Foundation, ironic considering that you have dealers 110 00:06:56,320 --> 00:07:01,159 Speaker 3: supposedly openly promoting the sale of drugs online. 111 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:04,359 Speaker 2: Isn't that incredible? I mean, I suppose if you type 112 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 2: in I'm going to sell a gram of cocaine, it'll 113 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 2: it'll pop up with it with a flag being like, oh, 114 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 2: no cocaine, but mushrooms. I guess maybe a word that 115 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 2: isn't it is more innocuous. I suppose maybe that's. 116 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:20,320 Speaker 3: Quite well, that's right, And I mean, my original source 117 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 3: for this story said that he was really frustrated Worth Meta, 118 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 3: the owner of Facebook, because he reported dozens and dozens 119 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 3: of these listings over at the course of several weeks. 120 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 3: So you can go to the listings and click on 121 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:38,200 Speaker 3: little three dots and go down and report this as 122 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 3: a dangerous or problematic listing, and what happened he says, 123 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 3: absolutely nothing. So of course, when I contacted Meta, perhaps 124 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 3: because they were risks, they risked being embarrassed by a journalist, 125 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:54,800 Speaker 3: they said they were taken taking action to remove some 126 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 3: of these listings. But the interesting thing is you point 127 00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:00,600 Speaker 3: out is, as you have discovered this morning, these listings 128 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:01,360 Speaker 3: are still up there. 129 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 4: It does raise a. 130 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:09,000 Speaker 3: Question as to whether Meta is really prioritizing the detection 131 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:14,200 Speaker 3: and removal of illegal drugs on its websites, or whether 132 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 3: it lets them slip because it drives traffic and ultimately profits. 133 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 5: As far as drug use, I don't judge anyone, but 134 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 5: you know, like it has to be off social media. 135 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:33,760 Speaker 5: It's got to get off social media. 136 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:37,679 Speaker 4: Why do you say that, Well, you know, there's a 137 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:38,400 Speaker 4: lot of kids. 138 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:40,760 Speaker 5: On social media. There's a lot of impressionable people on 139 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 5: social media. There are a lot of people who have 140 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:48,720 Speaker 5: never used an iconic in their life. Do we really 141 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:51,239 Speaker 5: want to be turning people who have never touched drugs 142 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:56,400 Speaker 5: into addicts because they're curious and it's suddenly easily accessible. 143 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 2: Well, you've actually met a dealer. Hey, what did they 144 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:04,079 Speaker 2: say about this? 145 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:08,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, So, following that initial story that we did on 146 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:13,560 Speaker 3: the Facebook marketplace, I've been in touch with a former 147 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 3: dealer who used meta products to sell drugs, including cannabis, LSD, MDMA. 148 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 3: I have verified through the courts that he has a 149 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:32,880 Speaker 3: whole series of criminal convictions for drugs, and he says 150 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:37,200 Speaker 3: that what most of the public won't be aware of 151 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 3: is that there is so much available now on social media, 152 00:09:42,880 --> 00:09:45,959 Speaker 3: and it is any drug you can think of, if 153 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 3: you want it, it's out there and it's available, and 154 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:53,079 Speaker 3: did he say something like because you mentioned before they 155 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 3: offered delivery as well. 156 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:56,440 Speaker 2: It's like an uber for drugs. 157 00:09:56,600 --> 00:09:59,960 Speaker 3: Well, in his words, it's as easy as ordering a pizza. 158 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:04,640 Speaker 3: It is, you know, uber for drugs. He says that 159 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:09,160 Speaker 3: in his experience, he felt bulletproof when he was using 160 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:13,319 Speaker 3: private groups on Facebook Messenger. That's the platform he used, 161 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 3: not Marketplace. He was a bit more stealthy than that. 162 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:19,959 Speaker 3: He used private groups on Facebook Messenger to deal his drugs, 163 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 3: but he said he felt bulletproof because at no stage 164 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:26,320 Speaker 3: did his accounts ever get disabled. At no stage did 165 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:30,200 Speaker 3: he believe police or anyone else could get into those groups, 166 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:33,559 Speaker 3: because he oversaw the membership of those groups. 167 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 4: So he felt completely safe. 168 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:36,200 Speaker 3: And he has said that he is not aware of 169 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:40,440 Speaker 3: any other groups, of which are many around the country 170 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 3: that are selling illegal products. He's not aware of any 171 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:44,960 Speaker 3: of those groups being removed either. 172 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:54,559 Speaker 2: It's not just drugs, is it? Though? Can you get 173 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:57,959 Speaker 2: things like other nefarious items on Facebook Marketplace? 174 00:10:58,120 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 3: Well, according to my content the former drug dealer, who 175 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 3: says he's now out of the game, you can you 176 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 3: can get firearms, including what he says is a hugely 177 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:16,160 Speaker 3: popular drive towards three D printed guns. Now, these weapons 178 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:17,199 Speaker 3: you may have heard about them. 179 00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 4: Before. 180 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 3: You get a blueprint, it goes into a printer and 181 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:27,520 Speaker 3: you can create parts made from plastic that are capable 182 00:11:27,559 --> 00:11:32,760 Speaker 3: of firing real rounds. We know because I've done reports 183 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:36,640 Speaker 3: in the past few months about police raising the alarm 184 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:41,160 Speaker 3: about a ramping up of three D manufactured firearms in 185 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:44,160 Speaker 3: New Zealand and those guns being linked to organized crime. 186 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:47,839 Speaker 3: There are documented cases. My colleague Jared Savage has done 187 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:52,600 Speaker 3: extensive reporting on this as well, where criminals, including in 188 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:56,120 Speaker 3: twenty twenty three or five h one DEPORTI was arrested 189 00:11:56,160 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 3: by police for manufacturing three D printed pistols. I have 190 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 3: been unable to verify if in fact there are legitimate 191 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:08,320 Speaker 3: sellers of three D guns on social media, but my 192 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 3: source says absolutely there are more and more of these 193 00:12:13,160 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 3: firearms groups popping up, he says, on social media where 194 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:23,240 Speaker 3: they show images and video of three D printed guns 195 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 3: and offer them for sale. 196 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:27,640 Speaker 2: Well, and do we call them ghost guns as well? 197 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 2: Is that another here? 198 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:29,840 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean it's just another term. 199 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 3: Essentially, a ghost gun is anything that a firearm that 200 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:37,440 Speaker 3: is privately manufactured that does not have a serial number, 201 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:38,959 Speaker 3: and therefore is untraceable. 202 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 4: So a ghost gun could be. 203 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 3: Several parts of real firearms which are put together to 204 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 3: manufacture something that works, or a ghost gun could be 205 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:50,280 Speaker 3: three D printed guns that can't be traced. 206 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:56,079 Speaker 1: That's the sort of the stuff that really puts pressure 207 00:12:56,160 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 1: on organizations that aren't doing the right thing, and certainly 208 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:03,760 Speaker 1: Minister or Justice, I'll be asking some tough questions about 209 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 1: what hows is happening, what's going on ultimately, you know, 210 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:11,719 Speaker 1: decisions around prosecution are things for police and authorities to make. 211 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 1: An icarnt as a politician interfere with that, but you know, 212 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:15,760 Speaker 1: on the surface of it, it's outrageous. 213 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:21,839 Speaker 2: So have you heard from police or even ministers responsible 214 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:22,160 Speaker 2: at all. 215 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 3: Well, look, I've spoken to police briefly and they have 216 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 3: sent me a statement about the illegal sales in general, 217 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:35,559 Speaker 3: and they are saying that indeed it is an increasing issue, 218 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:39,839 Speaker 3: basically putting this down to more digital use in our 219 00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:45,080 Speaker 3: worlds that illegal sales are increasing. They're also saying that 220 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 3: the use of encrypted apps does make it more difficult 221 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:52,800 Speaker 3: for police to investigate because they're end to end encrypted 222 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:55,840 Speaker 3: and saying that police are urging anyone in the public 223 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:59,360 Speaker 3: who becomes aware of suspicious material being sold on social 224 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:02,160 Speaker 3: media to get into much because they say that they 225 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:06,200 Speaker 3: will investigate. I interviewed last week on Herald Now the 226 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 3: Justice Minnicipaul Goldsmith about the Facebook marketplace advertisements, the apparent 227 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:17,200 Speaker 3: in action from Meta according to my contact in the 228 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:19,600 Speaker 3: Bay of Plenty, and he said it was, on the 229 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:22,960 Speaker 3: face of it, outrageous and that he would be talking 230 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 3: to Meta about this and seeking an explanation and asking, 231 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 3: in his words, some hard questions of why this multi 232 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:34,000 Speaker 3: billion dollar tech company is not doing a better job 233 00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 3: of restricting the sales of illegal drugs. 234 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:40,160 Speaker 2: It is pretty hard to get Meta to do anything, though, 235 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:40,720 Speaker 2: isn't it. 236 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 3: Well, look, I don't work for Meta, but certainly from 237 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:50,000 Speaker 3: my experience and when I inquired with Meta as to 238 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:53,920 Speaker 3: why they had removed some listings when Eye contacted them, 239 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 3: but why they did nothing when you know, my contact 240 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:01,680 Speaker 3: Joe Blogs down in the Bay of Play reported dozens 241 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:04,840 Speaker 3: of these. They said, we're not sure why this didn't 242 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:09,160 Speaker 3: result in anything happening. We're looking into that. That's all 243 00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:12,800 Speaker 3: I can really explain that they have no real explanation 244 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:15,280 Speaker 3: for why they did not act on this issue until 245 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 3: I got in touch. 246 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:17,920 Speaker 2: Thanks for joining us, Michael. 247 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:18,840 Speaker 4: Pleasure, thank you. 248 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 2: That's it for this episode of the Front Page. You 249 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:29,400 Speaker 2: can read more about today's stories and extensive news coverage 250 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 2: at enzidherld dot co dot mz. The Front Page is 251 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:37,320 Speaker 2: produced by Ethan Sills and Richard Martin, who is also 252 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 2: our editor. I'm Chelsea Daniels. Subscribe to the Front Page 253 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:45,680 Speaker 2: on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts, and tune 254 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:50,520 Speaker 2: in tomorrow for another look behind the headlines.