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Thursday, April 29, 2010

NZ copy the US 'Operation Pipe Dreams' fiasco


So what the Police are saying by misusing new asset seizure powers sold to the public as aimed at the gangs, is that personal users of marijuana have to go buy it from the gangs rather than grow their own? What brilliant idiots our Police force are, someone should really out cops who smoke the herb and who require clean urine services to side step drug testing to show how deep this hypocrisy runs.

Marijuana use is not even in the same ball park of social damage that tobacco or booze cause yet two years and tens of millions per year are wasted in NZ's war on drugs.

It's nice to see NZ cops are copying idiotic American measures like the infamous 'Operation Pipe Dreams'.

Operation Pipe Dreams was the code-name for a U.S. nationwide investigation in 2003 targeting businesses selling drug paraphernalia, mostly marijuana pipes and bongs, under a little-used statute (Title 21, Chapter 13, Subchapter 1, Part D, Section 863(a)[1]) of the U.S. Code. Due to the reluctance of state law-enforcement agencies to waste resources on the operation, most cases were filed in Iowa and Pennsylvania, taking advantage of the statutes prohibition on the use of "the mails or any other facility of interstate commerce to transport drug paraphernalia."[2]

Hundreds of businesses and homes were raided as a result of Operation Pipe Dreams. Fifty five people were named in indictments and charged with trafficking of illegal drug paraphernalia. While 54 of the 55 individuals charged were sentenced to fines and home detentions, actor Tommy Chong was sentenced September 11, 2003, to 9 months in a federal prison, a fine of $20,000, forfeiture of $103,000, and a year of probation. Chong was charged for his part in financing and promoting Chong Glass Works/Nice Dreams, California based companies started by his son Paris.[3] In a Plea bargain, Chong agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute drug paraphernalia in exchange for non-prosecution of his wife, Shelby, and his son, Paris. Federal Prosecution admitted to being harsher on Chong in retaliation, citing Chong's movies as trivializing "law enforcement efforts to combat drug trafficking and use."[4]

The estimated cost of Operation Pipe Dreams was over $12 Million and included the resources of 2,000 law enforcement officers


This bust is about revenue gathering for the cops now they have these asset seizing powers, if it was about public health they would be shutting down all the KFC in NZ.

7 Comments:

At 29/4/10 3:00 pm, Blogger Will de Cleene said...

Have you checked out the Misuse of Drugs Amendment going through parliament at the moment? That's exactly what the police are going to do.

http://gonzofreakpower.blogspot.com/2010/04/wowsers-to-left-of-me-control-freaks-to.html

It's so much easier doing this than following up burglaries or sexual abuse cases.

 
At 29/4/10 3:03 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

If you don't like it then why not get a referendum to legalise weed.

 
At 29/4/10 6:46 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Makes you wonder what kind of person would join the cops knowing that they have to enforce idiotic fucking laws like these.
Ex-School prefects that were'nt smart enough to get a proper paying job perhaps?
Or maybe people who did'nt have, or cant make friends?
People who were picked on by the cool kids at school maybe?
I mean what kind of fuckwit would enforce these laws & then go home & feel they'd done society a service?

Revenge of the fucking Nerds.

I feel sorry for the police who actually joined the cops to fight crime. You know.. the kind that has victims..

 
At 30/4/10 8:04 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Makes you wonder what kind of person would join the cops knowing that they have to enforce idiotic fucking laws like these.

Whoever they are, they are many steps above your typical moaning anonymous internet commentator.

 
At 30/4/10 9:37 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Its the Police who should be the loudest voice when it comes to cannabis law reform.
Many police feel its bullshit they have to enforce such laws..
Yet they remain silent.
Just following orders from the govt I guess.
Sit.
Stay.
Fetch.
Gooood boy.
Why think when others can think for you -rightly or wrongly-
Sad.

 
At 1/5/10 7:59 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sweet as...
So long as SOG dont have more weed than this guy they're sweeeeeeet..

http://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/article/?id=16961

Love the law.

 
At 30/7/10 1:20 am, Blogger SunflowerPipes.com said...

Legalizing marijuana for medical purposes is the right thing to do. Why is there such a push back against this idea? It is time for citizens to be responsible on this issue. The people smoking glass pipes and rolling cigarettes are not the problem….it is the men with guns and prisons that chase them.
http://www.sunflowerpipes.com

 

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