Switched on Gardener switched off?

[scissorhands]

What a horrible thing to do

[Usarka]

straight from the article:

Police also seized methamphetamine, LSD, ecstasy and firearms

They always get the good shit.

[davereid]

I saw it on the news, I didn't see anything that said they had found SOG shops actually growing dope. If a staff member, even a company director has sold a few grams, thats not necessarily reason to raid every shop nationwide.

I understand police raided the houses of customers, staff and directors and found all sorts of stuff... but a raid on Palmers staff and customers or even the staff of the local bakery or Mitre10 might turn up a grow house and a hot shotgun.

I'm not sure why selling something legal, even if you have clear disdain for the law can be come illegal.

And I'm uncomfortable with the idea that shopping somewhere that sells a legal product, even if it offers free advice on how to use the product illegally actually justifies a raid and search of the premises, and the homes of staff and customers.

[huff3r]

I saw it on the news, I didn't see anything that said they had found SOG shops actually growing dope. If a staff member, even a company director has sold a few grams, thats not necessarily reason to raid every shop nationwide.

I understand police raided the houses of customers, staff and directors and found all sorts of stuff... but a raid on Palmers staff and customers or even the staff of the local bakery or Mitre10 might turn up a grow house and a hot shotgun.

I'm not sure why selling something legal, even if you have clear disdain for the law can be come illegal.

And I'm uncomfortable with the idea that shopping somewhere that sells a legal product, even if it offers free advice on how to use the product illegally actually justifies a raid and search of the premises, and the homes of staff and customers.

Did you not see the bit where they found 250 people breaking the law? 250! Most of them staff and managers, this wasnt a few seperate cases, this was a distribution network!

[scissorhands]

Price of outdoor just went up $40 an oz, big deal.

[Berries]

Bastards. Heard the news, figured it must be SOG, then saw this thread.

I got my kit for growing chillies

Funnily enough I've got a few things from SOG for my chillies (nagas, bhuts, habs etc), and the wife was always a bit sus about the place. Let's face it, who would have an indoor hydroponic wardrobe for lettuce ? The most telling bit was on their website where they sold "salad spinners" for over $1200 !!! Shit, even the Briscoes woman can knock them out for under 10 bucks. Still, will miss them if they close down, they sold bloody good growing medium. And king size Rizzlas

[Swoop]

I think the radio advert went something like that.

Had to chuckle when the radio played that advert again this morning.

The mrs. went in one of the SOG shops for a part of the septic tank drainage system. She was looked at funny when that was "all she wanted"...

[davereid]

Did you not see the bit where they found 250 people breaking the law? 250! Most of them staff and managers, this wasnt a few seperate cases, this was a distribution network!

So what ? They found dope at only 1 SOG shop. Not a very effective distribution network "try another branch we are out of stock" comes to mind.

Lots of doors got kicked in, tooled up police disrupted children and families, possibly causing more trauma to those youngsters than Dads drug of choice ever will.

But it gets even more police state.

Now legitimate shoppers, buying legal products will need photo ID and will be recorded on a register which is for the police to check.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crim...roponics-sales
Auckland field crime manager Detective Inspector Stu Allsopp-Smith said the company's directors and employees were granted bail on the condition that staff maintain records of all customers purchasing equipment at its stores.

They must check every customer's photo identification and record their full name, date of birth, address, contact phone number, and ID serial number.

They must also record descriptions of all purchased items, along with serial numbers or other unique identifications.

Each transaction record should be dated and signed by the employee, and must be made available to police for inspection, Mr Allsopp-Smith said.

"These businesses can continue to operate, but people purchasing legitimately from them will need to produce identification - the obvious inference being that we don't want to in any way frustrate a business from behaving and operating lawfully," he told NZPA.

The last bit is interesting. He acknowledges that the shops are selling legit. products. The offence is selling a product Knowing it will be used for making drugs.

Even if a shop sells products that are useful for growing dope, even if the seller encourages purchasers to grow it, and even if he sincerely wants his customers to grow it, its a long bow to say he knows that how it will be used.

The best bit being, that the shoppers that now have to cough up ID, aren't guilty or even being charged with any crime.

[peasea]

So what ? They found dope at only 1 SOG shop. Not a very effective distribution network "try another branch we are out of stock" comes to mind.

Lots of doors got kicked in, tooled up police disrupted children and families, possibly causing more trauma to those youngsters than Dads drug of choice ever will.

But it gets even more police state.

Now legitimate shoppers, buying legal products will need photo ID and will be recorded on a register which is for the police to check.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crim...roponics-sales
Auckland field crime manager Detective Inspector Stu Allsopp-Smith said the company's directors and employees were granted bail on the condition that staff maintain records of all customers purchasing equipment at its stores.

They must check every customer's photo identification and record their full name, date of birth, address, contact phone number, and ID serial number.

They must also record descriptions of all purchased items, along with serial numbers or other unique identifications.

Each transaction record should be dated and signed by the employee, and must be made available to police for inspection, Mr Allsopp-Smith said.

"These businesses can continue to operate, but people purchasing legitimately from them will need to produce identification - the obvious inference being that we don't want to in any way frustrate a business from behaving and operating lawfully," he told NZPA.

The last bit is interesting. He acknowledges that the shops are selling legit. products. The offence is selling a product Knowing it will be used for making drugs.

Even if a shop sells products that are useful for growing dope, even if the seller encourages purchasers to grow it, and even if he sincerely wants his customers to grow it, its a long bow to say he knows that how it will be used.

The best bit being, that the shoppers that now have to cough up ID, aren't guilty or even being charged with any crime.

Following that sentiment from the cops it might come to pass that if we want to buy some potting mix from Bunnings (or wherever) for the Poinsettia, a 'Growlux' lamp from Lighting Direct for the fish tank and a fan to keep the bedroom cool in the evening from Harvey Norman we're going to have to produce ID?

What a bunch of fuckin' Nazis.

[Indiana_Jones]

But it gets even more police state.

Now legitimate shoppers, buying legal products will need photo ID and will be recorded on a register which is for the police to check.

Funny.......firearm owners like myself have been saying that for a while but no one else seems to give a fuck....

-Indy