Federal agencies were aggressively prosecuting drug dealers, and Paulie didn't have the resources to bribe his way out of that.
shareThe amount of years guys were looking at, if caught, made turning them into rats way easier.
share[deleted]
he didnt want the feds up his ass
shareIts a plot hole in the movie
shareIt's a hole in your mind
shareIt's not a plot hole. The answer is pretty much given in the movie. The penalties for drugs were much harsher than for most other forms of gangsterism and led to many more guys turning state witness to avoid them, making senior members like Paulie far more vulnerable to lengthy prison sentences than they would otherwise have been. Plus of course, people on drugs tend to be much less reliable so you do not want your guys doing them.
shareThanks for the clarification. I take back my plot hole
shareThe laws in NY were especially harsh and were sponsored by Nelson Rockefeller who was NY Governor during the 1960's. The long sentences associated with a drug bust would make just about anybody rat out their connections. Rockefeller who was a relative of tycoon JD Rockefeller was so celebrated during the 1960's that the TV show Batman made a reference to him by mentioning a Governor Stonefellow.
shareBecause they make your mind into mush, ya hear me?
share