Dutch authorities clamping down on soft drugs industry

[Puffin13]

Dutch authorities clamping down on soft drugs industry
April 6, 2010

Draft legislation sweeps away the Netherlands’ traditional policy of tolerance, writes ISABEL CONWAY in Amsterdam

MARIJUANA IS the Netherlands’ biggest cash crop behind tomatoes and cucumbers. But a major clampdown on all aspects of the country’s soft drugs industry is looming and could eventually wipe out all but a few of the so-called coffee shops as legislators move to make everyone involved in the supply chain culpable and liable to heavy fines and up to three years in jail.

The draft legislation introduced by Dutch minister of justice Ernst Hirsch Ballin sweeps away the traditional policy of tolerance – which has long infuriated neighbouring countries Belgium and Germany, as well as France – by stating that all preparations “making it possible for illegal marijuana growing will be a criminal offence”.

With elections in June, the proposed changes are seen as an attempt to achieve a lasting legacy for Dutch prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende and the Christian Democratic Appeal party coalition partners, who have waged a battle for zero tolerance, arguing that organised crime is supplying and running many of the 650 soft drugs dens commonly known as coffee shops.

Those who will be targeted under the new law range from equipment suppliers who stock seeds, growing kits and lamps for marijuana cultivation, and often export their goods abroad via the internet, to couriers and even electricians who install the necessary systems for illegal plantations.

The Netherlands decriminalised the consumption and possession of less than 5g of cannabis in 1976. But cultivation remains illegal and, according to police, is effectively in the hands of the criminal underworld.

At its peak, the Netherlands’ network of coffee shops ran to 1,500 cafes, where anyone over 18 could buy up to 5g of marijuana at a time. But 35 years on, increasingly conservative governments are turning back the clock.

A “Canna-pass” will soon be introduced in the southern province of Limburg in a bid to discourage drug tourism. Those wishing to buy cannabis must be registered at a coffee shop, which issues them with a pass allowing them to buy a maximum of 3g of marijuana a day. To prevent customers – especially dealers – from hopping from shop to shop, the outlets will be hooked up to a system which bans them from accepting multiple orders.

Crucially, customers must pay with a Dutch debit card, effectively cutting off tourists, the authorities hope.

In two other southern border areas, councils have vowed to prohibit the sale of cannabis in a bid to cut down on drug tourists, which number some 25,000 a week.

In Amsterdam, famed for its coffee shops, the smoking ban has driven the thick pall of sweet- smelling hashish out into public parks and alleyways.

With figures showing a disturbing growth in use among teenage boys and a corresponding drop in school performance, coffee shops close to schools have been shut down. Coffee shops linked to organised crime and money laundering in the famed red-light district have also disappeared.

In a landmark case last month, a Dutch court fined the Checkpoint marijuana bar in the southern town of Terneuzen near the Belgian border €10 million for overstepping a rarely enforced limit on the amount of soft drugs it could have in stock.

Police raids on two occasions netted 200 kilos of cannabis. Such large quantities of drugs had turned the coffee shop into a criminal organisation, the judges ruled.

Although growing marijuana plants is technically illegal, the public prosecutor’s office traditionally does not take action against those who grow up to five plants.

In theory the coffee shops are supplied by these “home” growers, but supply chains have always been a grey area, with successive justice ministers admitting that what happens “at the back door” of coffee shops is a major problem.

Huge plantations and imported shipments involving some the country’s most notorious crime networks are regularly uncovered. It is also estimated that up to 80 per cent of the ultra-strong homegrown cannabis is trafficked abroad.

According to justice ministry figures, the Dutch marijuana growing industry has a turnover of between €2.5 billion and €5 billion a year.

Last spring Dutch police unveiled a new weapon in their drug crime-fighting arsenal: a specially designed robotic mini helicopter that hovers over fields. It is equipped with odour and video detection, which can trace cunningly disguised cannabis hemp plantations in remote locations.

But police authorities are under increasing pressure to crack down on the mass growing of marijuana. The justice minister says the new legislation will grant them greater powers.

Source

[USbongLord]

sigh....backwards is bad....and they are going backwards fast

[doobydave]

Police raids on two occasions netted 200 kilos of cannabis. Such large quantities of drugs had turned the coffee shop into a criminal organisation, the judges ruled.

It looks like being out of touch is common for judges over there (I think it is a prerequisite in the UK....)

What turned the shop into a criminal organisation was the fact that is has to source it's cannabis from criminals. From day one.
It is irresponsible of the authorities to allow this scenario

[devilswin99]

Does this concern anyone here to a high degree? If in June they decide to reverse their policy on soft drugs, how quickly will all of the coffeeshops close? Is this a real threat, or will they see the billions of euros the country will waive goodbye due to this short-sighted view!

Devilswin99

[Sir Niall of Essex-sire]

Does this concern anyone here to a high degree? If in June they decide to reverse their policy on soft drugs, how quickly will all of the coffeeshops close? Is this a real threat, or will they see the billions of euros the country will waive goodbye due to this short-sighted view!

Devilswin99

Dunno, but if they do shit hopefully they ship the bud to the UK for import

Coffeeshops have always been a unstable institute man, look at rules for supply. IMO they won't do it.

[sammysSSH]

If these asshole bastard dickhead politians in the Netherlands get what they want.
By the time Amsterdam closes all its coffeeshops.. hopefully this new thing about California's legalisation ballot vote in November will have taken over.
So I suppose then The Netherlands will see all of its tourists suddenly going to California and they will wonder why.

[ukduffa03]

Every year i hear something along the lines that the coffeeshop's are in trouble every year seems to keep going the same last 7 years have been the same

[sammysSSH]

Every year i hear something along the lines that the coffeeshop's are in trouble every year seems to keep going the same last 7 years have been the same

this times different... the government party that supports the soft drugs policy is falling and may not be elected this year again, which is bad..very bad. But hopefully the dutch citizens will know what to do

[Kingdoc]

The cristians know they are O.U.T on the next voting day.

[AmsterdamnesiA]

By the time Amsterdam closes all its coffeeshops.. hopefully this new thing about California's legalisation ballot vote in November will have taken over.
So I suppose then The Netherlands will see all of its tourists suddenly going to California and they will wonder why.

So-Cal here I come , I was recently given a Weed mag and it is unbelievable how many medical weed stores are open and are selling already. Arnies' gonna be happy with his extra tax income , if only we had decent politicians in the UK

[sammysSSH]

By the time Amsterdam closes all its coffeeshops.. hopefully this new thing about California's legalisation ballot vote in November will have taken over.
So I suppose then The Netherlands will see all of its tourists suddenly going to California and they will wonder why.

So-Cal here I come , I was recently given a Weed mag and it is unbelievable how many medical weed stores are open and are selling already. Arnies' gonna be happy with his extra tax income , if only we had decent politicians in the UK

yeah i know.. the only problem is.. we haven't got any decent politicians here in the UK. Our only hope of legalisation is to vote librel democrats when we have the chance. But it will happen hopefully.. stay positive lol

[mrdcotor]

So I suppose then The Netherlands will see all of its tourists suddenly going to California and they will wonder why.

I will fight for A'dam to stay free but, btw, I think: if America start to legalize, soon lot of countries will emulate for two reasons;
1) usa is since Aslinger the carrier of the prohibitionism flag all over the world. In some nations like Nepal or Cambodia weed was free as water and could be the same now if not for UN pressures. And this pressure was started quite all by usa (Aslinger fought for first a lot among UN to make and keep weed illegal). If usa stop to act like this the reasons to keep things like that will slowly fall.
2)the preminence of usa in the global economical system make the other nations to model after them.
So, Citizens of all the States from Alaska to Texas: most of the Weed destiny is in your hands. Fight like there's no tomorrow

[wayoutwest]

So I suppose then The Netherlands will see all of its tourists suddenly going to California and they will wonder why.

I will fight for A'dam to stay free but, btw, I think: if America start to legalize, soon lot of countries will emulate for two reasons;
1) usa is since Aslinger the carrier of the prohibitionism flag all over the world. In some nations like Nepal or Cambodia weed was free as water and could be the same now if not for UN pressures. And this pressure was started quite all by usa (Aslinger fought for first a lot among UN to make and keep weed illegal). If usa stop to act like this the reasons to keep things like that will slowly fall.
2)the preminence of usa in the global economical system make the other nations to model after them.
So, Citizens of all the States from Alaska to Texas: most of the Weed destiny is in your hands. Fight like there's no tomorrow

Thats a good point. You may have inspired me to write to my congressman.

[Marco]

Please do not take this article for anything resembling what will happen. There is a national election in June here and this is largely political posturing. Also, no major laws are being considered during the caretaker government (the PvdA left the government over Afghanistan in Feb/March).

That being said, in the unlikely event the CDA does win the most seats in Parliament, they could try to make these kinds of changes.

[hippy_man99]

Please do not take this article for anything resembling what will happen. There is a national election in June here and this is largely political posturing. Also, no major laws are being considered during the caretaker government (the PvdA left the government over Afghanistan in Feb/March).

That being said, in the unlikely event the CDA does win the most seats in Parliament, they could try to make these kinds of changes.

too true marco... there's always a lot of posturing when elections are on the line.... but what will probably happen in june is there will be no clear majority with another coalition government having to be formed from 3 different parties....

THe way the system here works leads to little change in laws and policy...lots of checks and disagreements

what I'm really interested in is what happens in Belguim, since their government just collapsed as well.... perhaps we'll have 2 Belgiums soon.....