rackmup
04-15-2002, 11:11 AM
With the recent information regarding professional pool player, Dennis Hatch and his alleged involvement in a robbery AND the below listed article, taken from the pages of a local newspaper, one has to wonder..."will the sport survive?":
<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>PERUVIAN POOL LORD BUSTED
Cartel 'out of business; moved 40% of all illegal Masters chalk.
By Ken Kingan
Mansfield Newspapers
March 15, 2002
PERU - DEA, FBI and Masters Chalk Secret Security Forces captured the alleged leader of Peru's most violent chalk cartel early Saturday, putting "out of business" the organization believed responsible for smuggling as much as 40 percent of all counterfeit Masters Chalk used in the United State's vast number of pool rooms, bars and recreation centers, U.S. officials said.
Bennie "Blue Powder" Fernandez, 49, was described by a U.S. law enforcement officer as the "CEO" of the cartel, which officials say has "sharked" more than 300,000 pool room owners, retailers of billiard accessories and recreation centers in the United States, Canada and Europe. "Some of this stuff was being used by children for God's sake!" declared one undercover officer close to the investigation.
Besuvio "Fat Fingers" Felipe was the most-wanted chalk trafficker in the United States and Mexico, a man with the legendary status of gangsters such as Al Capone, Sneaky Pete and Dennis Hatch.
He was captured at 1 a.m. in a house in Poopla, 165 miles south of the capital, Defense Secretary Ricky Ricardo and Attorney General Pollo Relleno de la Tomatillo announced. No shots were fired and all suspects surrendered without resistance. One suspect was found in a small bathroom in the back of a warehouse attempting to swallow the evidence. "He ate about three dozen cubes before we got to him" replied one of 50 DEA agents that converged on the warehouse in the small village of Oaxaca de la Poopoo.
The officials also confirmed the death of PePe "LePew" Croissant, the French brother-in-law of Bennie Fernandez. During the raid, Croissant apparently fell into the chalk forming machinery while fleeing arrest and was compressed into several 1"x1"x1" cubes.
The gang used threats of violence to move their product into various pool halls in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada. One victim was beaten soundly 11-0 in a race-to-eleven 9-ball match at College Billiards in San Diego after refusing to use the inferior chalk in December of 2001. "It flaked off and wouldn't give me the draw I needed to win, so I say no and the next thing I know, the guy beats me 11 straight. I never got out of my chair except to rack!" stated Bill Whipple, a 35 year old resident of San Diego, from his hospital bed. Whipple was hospitalized as a precautionary measure.
The counterfeit chalk is easily recognized by it's light blue hue, flakiness and it's inability to remain on the cue tip. It is also irritating to the skin, causes constipation if consumed and "Masters" is mispelled, "MASTERZ."
Officials from Tweeten, the manufacturer of the real Masters Chalk refused comment as an ongoing internal investigation is still in the preliminary stages.<hr></blockquote>
What can I say people? I love my sport but this stuff needs to stop! What's next...intentional loose racks and warped house cues? When will the INSANITY stop?
Regards,
Ken (checking the flakiness of his chalk and awaiting possible constipation)
<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>PERUVIAN POOL LORD BUSTED
Cartel 'out of business; moved 40% of all illegal Masters chalk.
By Ken Kingan
Mansfield Newspapers
March 15, 2002
PERU - DEA, FBI and Masters Chalk Secret Security Forces captured the alleged leader of Peru's most violent chalk cartel early Saturday, putting "out of business" the organization believed responsible for smuggling as much as 40 percent of all counterfeit Masters Chalk used in the United State's vast number of pool rooms, bars and recreation centers, U.S. officials said.
Bennie "Blue Powder" Fernandez, 49, was described by a U.S. law enforcement officer as the "CEO" of the cartel, which officials say has "sharked" more than 300,000 pool room owners, retailers of billiard accessories and recreation centers in the United States, Canada and Europe. "Some of this stuff was being used by children for God's sake!" declared one undercover officer close to the investigation.
Besuvio "Fat Fingers" Felipe was the most-wanted chalk trafficker in the United States and Mexico, a man with the legendary status of gangsters such as Al Capone, Sneaky Pete and Dennis Hatch.
He was captured at 1 a.m. in a house in Poopla, 165 miles south of the capital, Defense Secretary Ricky Ricardo and Attorney General Pollo Relleno de la Tomatillo announced. No shots were fired and all suspects surrendered without resistance. One suspect was found in a small bathroom in the back of a warehouse attempting to swallow the evidence. "He ate about three dozen cubes before we got to him" replied one of 50 DEA agents that converged on the warehouse in the small village of Oaxaca de la Poopoo.
The officials also confirmed the death of PePe "LePew" Croissant, the French brother-in-law of Bennie Fernandez. During the raid, Croissant apparently fell into the chalk forming machinery while fleeing arrest and was compressed into several 1"x1"x1" cubes.
The gang used threats of violence to move their product into various pool halls in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada. One victim was beaten soundly 11-0 in a race-to-eleven 9-ball match at College Billiards in San Diego after refusing to use the inferior chalk in December of 2001. "It flaked off and wouldn't give me the draw I needed to win, so I say no and the next thing I know, the guy beats me 11 straight. I never got out of my chair except to rack!" stated Bill Whipple, a 35 year old resident of San Diego, from his hospital bed. Whipple was hospitalized as a precautionary measure.
The counterfeit chalk is easily recognized by it's light blue hue, flakiness and it's inability to remain on the cue tip. It is also irritating to the skin, causes constipation if consumed and "Masters" is mispelled, "MASTERZ."
Officials from Tweeten, the manufacturer of the real Masters Chalk refused comment as an ongoing internal investigation is still in the preliminary stages.<hr></blockquote>
What can I say people? I love my sport but this stuff needs to stop! What's next...intentional loose racks and warped house cues? When will the INSANITY stop?
Regards,
Ken (checking the flakiness of his chalk and awaiting possible constipation)