Safetyhit
05-09-13, 15:59
As anyone can see I joined this forum in the summer of '07, just after my highly unfortunate dismissal from TOS. Another fellow member there (Scotter260) sent me an email telling me about a new forum he was impressed with called M4Carbine.net, and so I looked into it.
At about the same time my family member's company mentioned here, Loksak, was just starting to gain traction with our military overseas. In fact by that time I was getting frequent email endorsements and commentary from our troops forwarded to me by the company president who was proud of the new troop-related developments and knew that I would be especially delighted.
Mixed in with all the good news was a series of communications with a man in Pakistan regarding another new business venture that the owner was excited about. This man claimed to want thousands of our bags for use in the mountainous regions which he claimed housed their still viable tourist industry. Remember now, this is 2007 and we are not only at war next door but much of the specified areas were and still are a Taliban haven through which opium is trafficked. And we had just introduced a new line of bags which are completely odor and vapor proof, meaning dogs can't smell through them. Both the government and customs are now aware of this, by the way.
I became suspicious and advised the owner to use caution with this man. They stated that they met with him at an industry convention in Amsterdam and he seemed on the level, so they were moving forward. Could there be a connection to drugs and Amsterdam? Unusual I know, but with that I figured I seek some outside help in assessing this mysterious fellow.
Figuring it was best not to reach out to any of our established military contacts for fear that they might tell the owner that I was taking my concerns to the next level, this only in their best interest, I looked for another source of advice. By coincidence I subsequently heard that the owner of this new forum was involved with Naval Intelligence, so the trusty light bulb went off. :dance3:
I no longer have the original PM's, so this is the generalized discussion from my now foggy memory:
New Member (Safetyhit): Hello sir. I was told that you were involved with military intelligence. Is that correct?
C4: Yes, I was involved with Naval Intelligence.
New Member: Ok, thank-you. I could use some help here, for you see there is a man in Pakistan who I believe is looking to utilize a product for the international drug trade that a well-intentioned but naive family member of mine manufactures. I need to have someone investigate this man, can you point me in the right direction?
C4: Not sure what you mean, can you be more specific?
New Member: Well it's complicated and I can't have it get back to the owner that I am doing this, so secrecy is a must. I can supply the emails to anyone who is interested and I think they will tell the story.
C4: I'd contact the FBI or the CIA.
New Member: I did send them an email but thank-you.
Now if that didn't strike Grant as being a bunch of bullshit I don't know what would have. Anyway in the end, and after no meaningful response from the CIA or the FBI, I simply went rouge and confronted the Pakistani man myself. I told him that I knew the regions he spoke of were at one time attractive to tourists, but now they were dangerous Taliban sanctuaries where drugs are routinely trafficked. He became irate, appeared insulted and asked how I could come to such a baseless conclusion. He then forwarded all of my emails to the company owner who was very angry with me for some time after. :rolleyes:
I explained that despite his acting job he never elaborated on any specific usage and the entire scenario had a bad feel to it. I also explained that if he or his affiliates were caught using the bags for such a purpose there could be repercussions here at home. With that they let me slide, figured that maybe there was some degree of risk and eventually all was well.
Had totally forgotten about this until recently, thought some might find it amusing.
At about the same time my family member's company mentioned here, Loksak, was just starting to gain traction with our military overseas. In fact by that time I was getting frequent email endorsements and commentary from our troops forwarded to me by the company president who was proud of the new troop-related developments and knew that I would be especially delighted.
Mixed in with all the good news was a series of communications with a man in Pakistan regarding another new business venture that the owner was excited about. This man claimed to want thousands of our bags for use in the mountainous regions which he claimed housed their still viable tourist industry. Remember now, this is 2007 and we are not only at war next door but much of the specified areas were and still are a Taliban haven through which opium is trafficked. And we had just introduced a new line of bags which are completely odor and vapor proof, meaning dogs can't smell through them. Both the government and customs are now aware of this, by the way.
I became suspicious and advised the owner to use caution with this man. They stated that they met with him at an industry convention in Amsterdam and he seemed on the level, so they were moving forward. Could there be a connection to drugs and Amsterdam? Unusual I know, but with that I figured I seek some outside help in assessing this mysterious fellow.
Figuring it was best not to reach out to any of our established military contacts for fear that they might tell the owner that I was taking my concerns to the next level, this only in their best interest, I looked for another source of advice. By coincidence I subsequently heard that the owner of this new forum was involved with Naval Intelligence, so the trusty light bulb went off. :dance3:
I no longer have the original PM's, so this is the generalized discussion from my now foggy memory:
New Member (Safetyhit): Hello sir. I was told that you were involved with military intelligence. Is that correct?
C4: Yes, I was involved with Naval Intelligence.
New Member: Ok, thank-you. I could use some help here, for you see there is a man in Pakistan who I believe is looking to utilize a product for the international drug trade that a well-intentioned but naive family member of mine manufactures. I need to have someone investigate this man, can you point me in the right direction?
C4: Not sure what you mean, can you be more specific?
New Member: Well it's complicated and I can't have it get back to the owner that I am doing this, so secrecy is a must. I can supply the emails to anyone who is interested and I think they will tell the story.
C4: I'd contact the FBI or the CIA.
New Member: I did send them an email but thank-you.
Now if that didn't strike Grant as being a bunch of bullshit I don't know what would have. Anyway in the end, and after no meaningful response from the CIA or the FBI, I simply went rouge and confronted the Pakistani man myself. I told him that I knew the regions he spoke of were at one time attractive to tourists, but now they were dangerous Taliban sanctuaries where drugs are routinely trafficked. He became irate, appeared insulted and asked how I could come to such a baseless conclusion. He then forwarded all of my emails to the company owner who was very angry with me for some time after. :rolleyes:
I explained that despite his acting job he never elaborated on any specific usage and the entire scenario had a bad feel to it. I also explained that if he or his affiliates were caught using the bags for such a purpose there could be repercussions here at home. With that they let me slide, figured that maybe there was some degree of risk and eventually all was well.
Had totally forgotten about this until recently, thought some might find it amusing.