What's the point?

[onearmedbandit]

Just got in and turned the TV on before and I caught the end of cops with cameras. I watched a search warrant executed, with force, on a small flat in relation to cannabis dealing. There was at least 4 officers involved, and of course the extra TV crew. They found 'reefer' ready to be rolled into cigarettes, and a couple blocks of resin, roughly each the size of a cigarette packet or bigger. The sleeping occupant was arrested and charged with possession and intent to supply.

At the end of the show they bring you up to date on the charges. The offender received a 100 pound fine. Yep, all that cost, paperwork, man hours, damage to the door at the flat, cell time, court time, and they netted 100 lousy pounds.

Tell me. What is the point? What message is the justice system sending (yes I know it's the UK but similar happens here in NZ) when so much effort and money is used to bust and arrest these criminals, then the courts hand down a worthless fine.

I don't want to debate anything related to marijuana here in regards to it's legal status or it's effects. I just want to know why.

[Gremlin]

bet the cops ask themselves the same question...

[EJK]

Justice shall not be weighed upon the scale of money.






Btw, it's TV. Can be a set up?

[onearmedbandit]

Justice shall not be weighed upon the scale of money.


What exactly is the point then? What was gained by this arrest? A guy lost his stash and 100 pounds? Do you think he isn't going to just go and score again after he walks out of the cells?



Btw, it's TV. Can be a set up?

Yes, thanks. What gave it away was that I was watching it on my TV. But that aside, this happens quite often. Even here in NZ.

[EJK]

What exactly is the point then? What was gained by this arrest? A guy lost his stash and 100 pounds? Do you think he isn't going to just go and score again after he walks out of the cells?




Yes, thanks. What gave it away was that I was watching it on my TV. But that aside, this happens quite often. Even here in NZ.

I rest my case.

[Headbanger]

If it were in NZ I'd say the point is after 20 years, 120 convictions, and millions of dollars spent, the offender might stab someone to death and finally get some decent jail time.....

and the world is a better place (a better place)

For you
(for you)

and Meeeeeee
(and meeeeeee)



Can you feel it?

[Headbanger]

wait, The point is,breaking the law will not be tolerated,expect a visit from the cops.

[Berries]

I don't want to debate anything related to marijuana here in regards to it's legal status or it's effects. I just want to know why.
May be the judges are commenting on the legal system in the only way they can, being sick of all the time wasted on people who are wasted and little danger to anybody. All that Police time and what is the benefit to the community ? None. The community want the burglars caught.

[Grubber]

I certainly get your point. It's not the time wasted that is the problem, it is the outcome after all the time spent getting these toe rags into jail (or not in this case).
If they handed out a year or 2 in the slammer it might make a difference (or it might not). I think if you were guaranteed a good spell behind bars then you may think twice about the small crimes like this.
The hard drugs should have you end up locked away indefinitely. No prob's re offending then eh!:Punk:

[Usarka]

The moral of the story is that don't have enough on you to constitute supply - buy small, visit your local gang on a more regular basis.

[mashman]

Pointless from the view that there's ALWAYS someone else to fill those now vacant shoes... All that time and effort planning the raid and for what? Even if it was a haul of E, all you'd really be stopping is some hard out Disco dancin, you'll have hardly dented the supply chain, yet after 40 years and much legislation, a slap on the wrist with a wet bus ticket seems to be the go WTF!!! Did they mention if it was a first offence?

[avgas]

Possession is a mark against his record.
He will not be able to go to certain countries, and should he re-offend for any reason at all, have a guess what they are going to check first.

Think of it like a warning at your job, first warning is a 'telling off' - don't do this again. But it builds the pretension up, second one they will stand you down......3rd one they fire you.
Even if the first was the worst.

[onearmedbandit]

Possession is a mark against his record.
He will not be able to go to certain countries, and should he re-offend for any reason at all, have a guess what they are going to check first.

Think of it like a warning at your job, first warning is a 'telling off' - don't do this again. But it builds the pretension up, second one they will stand you down......3rd one they fire you.
Even if the first was the worst.

Lucky I got diversion all those years ago then. Although I did notice in court the amount I was charged with was far less then what I got caught with.

[avgas]

Lucky I got diversion all those years ago then. Although I did notice in court the amount I was charged with was far less then what I got caught with.
Yeah even if you did, if you didn't re-offend within 7 years it most likely would have got wiped.
Unless you were dealing the shit - then your fucked.

[onearmedbandit]

Yeah even if you did, if you didn't re-offend within 7 years it most likely would have got wiped.
Unless you were dealing the shit - then your fucked.

Oh I'm a very good boy now. I no longer put myself into a situation where stupidity could get me busted for smoking a little bud.

[SMOKEU]

Yeah even if you did, if you didn't re-offend within 7 years it most likely would have got wiped.


A criminal record will stay with you for life. Even 30 years down the track a routine traffic stop could dredge up a historic minor offence.

[scissorhands]

I'd guess that bust was political. The english person who was fined the 100quid had probably been known to the police for a while, and they thought it would make good television, or they had the cameras ready and waiting with no crims about, but hey, what about 'whats his name' with the hash.....

Once the film crew for the TV show Piha Rescue were looking bored I approached them and asked if they wanted me to throw myself off the rocks. They were dead set keen for some real live action! (many of the rescues are fake)

Check this ongoing story of the 'Waiheke Four' and the massive cost to the state, when activists and protestors use the 'roaring lion' :

http://norml.org.nz/postt8856.html&sid=5d958d69c132026676c1962a5a4a53dd

Its a blow by blow account of a massive bill to the tax payer, probably over $1mill when she's all done and dusted. Many cannabis users, advocates and protesters now stamp their foot in disgust at such an unnecessary situation.

The crazy thing about the waiheke four is that they made the mistake of smoking openly near the beach. This is far worse than smoking at home, which unless your dealing, is of little importance to the police. They have to be seen to be doing their job when a complaint is made...

[Headbanger]

Check this ongoing story of the 'Waiheke Four' and the massive cost to the state, when activists and protestors use the 'roaring lion' :

http://norml.org.nz/postt8856.html&sid=5d958d69c132026676c1962a5a4a53dd

Its a blow by blow account of a massive bill to the tax payer, probably over $1mill when she's all done and dusted. Many cannabis users, advocates and protesters now stamp their foot in disgust at such an unnecessary situation.

The crazy thing about the waiheke four is that they made the mistake of smoking openly near the beach. This is far worse than smoking at home, which unless your dealing, is of little importance to the police. They have to be seen to be doing their job when a complaint is made...

That is disgusting.

I hope the 4 wankers with the bong have to pay the bill.

Nah, Just make all the tax payers who don't support drugs pay it.

sweet bro, Bong on, In public , like a bunch of fuckwit retards.

Might as well shoot up some junk at the winz office.

[avgas]

A criminal record will stay with you for life. Even 30 years down the track a routine traffic stop could dredge up a historic minor offence.
yes/no. Your record is still your record. However internationally you have a 'clean slate' (http://www.fvm.co.nz/criminalrecords.htm)which means you don't have to declare at international borders etc.

As this used to stop A LOT of people going to other countries, and keeping all the violent druggies in NZ lol

Note - they can't pull you over, simply because you have a drug conviction (in your past). They have to suspect that YOU HAVE DRUGS NOW. Likewise for DIC and speeding etc. They can only dredge up details and try to ping them if they suspect you of re offending.

Contrary to your thoughts - the cops can't do what they want, when they want. As seen in central otago - if they get stung, its jail time....even for something minor.

[scissorhands]

That is disgusting.

I hope the 4 wankers with the bong have to pay the bill.

Nah, Just make all the tax payers who don't support drugs pay it.

sweet bro, Bong on, In public , like a bunch of fuckwit retards.

Might as well shoot up some junk at the winz office.

Drinking alcohol in public? Are you being fair? No

[onearmedbandit]

A criminal record will stay with you for life. Even 30 years down the track a routine traffic stop could dredge up a historic minor offence.

If you get diversion (which is an option available for a first offense) then you have no record of that arrest. I've been overseas a few times now, mostly Japan
(very harsh on cannabis there, a friend of mine did time there for giving his Japanese girlfriends brother a joint, and was banned from the country for 5 years) and Australia and never had an issue. Although if I was to get arrested again, then it would be a different story.

[Headbanger]

Drinking alcohol in public? Are you being fair? No


I don't care in the slightest who agrees with whatever laws but if you deliberately break the laws (in public) then you suffer the consequences, time to man up douche bags.

[scissorhands]

I don't care in the slightest who agrees with whatever laws but if you deliberately break the laws (in public) then you suffer the consequences, time to man up douche bags.

What about when laws need changing? Like weekend trading, 6oclock closing, being gay, being black on a bus? Yeah I can see some people here following the letter of the law... Fact is, cannabis laws are largely racist!:yes:

Al Mansell launches a call to arms over the spotting knives, outside Wellington Central Police Station lol



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcAHRvE0Nk0

[scissorhands]

Al Mansell definitely has a sense of humour! lolz


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4YPgdbIEqQ

[T.W.R]

yes/no. Your record is still your record. However internationally you have a 'clean slate' (http://www.fvm.co.nz/criminalrecords.htm)which means you don't have to declare at international borders etc.

As this used to stop A LOT of people going to other countries, and keeping all the violent druggies in NZ lol



:niceone: true though even that can be bent within the time frame :yes:

A mate got convicted of possession many years ago and within a couple of years of that happening his old man retired & decided to shout the whole family a holiday to Thailand....plenty of hoops were jumped through to get allowance to travel there :yes: All happened because a couple of associates had gone to Amsterdam and posted a couple of blocks of hash to the flat :facepalm: customs intercepted & the police followed it up by doing a raid and found a couple pipes, bong & a tinnie :laugh:

About the same era in time friends at Renuga got raided, but the cops used a search warrent on suspected stolen electrical goods as an excuse for the raid :yes: stupid thing was though for the next 2wks they'd sit down the road in a unmarked car till the early hours of the morning watching the house :wacko: Had them pointed out & shown the warrent notice which had pride of place in the toilet after arriving there from a rained out punakaiki rally at which point col said F#@* them and proceeded to crank up the bong :facepalm:

[Headbanger]

What about when laws need changing?

Work within the system,start a group,write letters,stand for parliament.:yes:

lmfao.

I don't entirely disagree with you,but standing your bong on a picnic table in a public place is just stupidity, and when your that keen on attracting attention,no use crying about it later.

[avgas]

posted a couple of blocks of hash to the flat :facepalm: customs intercepted & the police followed it up by doing a raid and found a couple pipes, bong & a tinnie
Fools







You send it FEDEX and call is "Product Samples"

[scissorhands]

Work within the system,start a group,write letters,stand for parliament.:yes:

lmfao.

I don't entirely disagree with you,but standing your bong on a picnic table in a public place is just stupidity, and when your that keen on attracting attention,no use crying about it later.

Maybe they were 'manning up' against something they believe to be wrong. Maybe they are heroes? Maybe one day they will stop the arrest of teenagers, kids of yours and your neighbours, from prosecution and a record preventing them from moving forward in life?

Kids normally grow out of cannabis culture, then only smoke intermittently at parties, but strangely a criminal record may keep them on the stuff:yes:............

[avgas]

I don't entirely disagree with you,but standing your bong on a picnic table in a public place is just stupidity, and when your that keen on attracting attention,no use crying about it later.
I completely agree with the bug-eyed, street-fighting, growler... riding person says.
Some people are just asking for attention.

[scissorhands]

Check out the smile on the cops face from the tour to Invercargill


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st1FEsOT6AM

[T.W.R]

Fools







You send it FEDEX and call is "Product Samples"

They were a couple of cocks from the onset :yes: actually think they did it purposely to cause trouble :yes:
Didn't help matters though as the other guy in the flat at the time was a prospect for the Devil's Henchmen so the flat was all ready known to the cops :facepalm:

[Headbanger]

Maybe they were 'manning up' against something they believe to be wrong. Maybe they are heroes? Maybe one day they will stop the arrest of teenagers, kids of yours and your neighbours, from prosecution and a record preventing them from moving forward in life?

Kids normally grow out of cannabis culture, then only smoke intermittently at parties, but strangely a criminal record may keep them on the stuff:yes:............

hero's?

I would have failed as a parent if my kids look up to a couple tossers with a bong at a picnic spot as hero's.

And if my kids done that shit they would get a thick ear, a boot up the arse, and whatever the cops hand out. Stupidity deserves to be rewarded.

Buzz Aldrins a hero, and you don't see him showing off his bong to mums and dads.

fuck no, Buzz walks on the moon and punches hippies.

[scissorhands]

Buzz Aldrins a hero, and you don't see him showing off his bong to mums and dads.

fuck no, Buzz walks on the moon and punches hippies.

From Wiki: Aldrin has been married three times: to Joan Archer, with whom he had three children, James, Janice, and Andrew, to Beverly Zile, and to his current wife, Lois Driggs Cannon, whom he married on Valentine's Day, 1988. His battles against depression and alcoholism have been documented, most recently in Magnificent Desolation.[24][25] Aldrin is an active supporter of the Republican Party, headlining fundraisers for GOP members of Congress.[26]

Violent alcoholic philanderers are your hero's?

yeah real good role model that guy....

[imdying]

Doesn't surprise me... after the initial glow wore off, all he would have been left with was a life in which he had no way of ever beating that high.

Surely it's all down hill after walking on the moon, I mean, WTF are you gonna top that with?!? No wonder he gave that wanker a smack in the chops.

[Headbanger]

Violent alcoholic philanderers are your hero's?



Mostly.

But if that was all he had ever accomplished (and at a picnic spot) then no.

When your pot smokers have done something worthy then get back to me.