I'm a Smoker not a Dealer! :(

loubella

I'm a 36 year old woman, working as a business professional in Cork. Like many in our country, I like to unwind with a joint before going to bed each evening and have done so for many years. My problem is regarding what I believe to be harassment and victimization experienced at the hands of the gardai a couple of days ago, and also a year and a half ago.

A year and a half ago my apartment was raided by the guards based on a false information source. My partner and I had never in our lives been in trouble with the guards, so naturally it was a very traumatic experience for both us and particularly our daughter, to find my apartment ripped apart and crawling with the DS. They claimed they had been watching my partner and I for weeks, and witnessed a constant flow of people coming in and out of our flat. Apart from a handful of close friends, nobody visits my home, so I knew that they were lying. They were intimidating and personally insulting and took away a nodge of cannabis and our mobiles for analysis. We knew that we had nothing to worry about and sure enough a few days later, the head of the D.S., arrived back in an almost sheepish manner, admitting he now knew we weren't dealers. My partner was understandably angry that they had put us all through such a frightening ordeal for nothing, but kept his calm and asked them were they regularly in the habit of acting on false information without doing proper research. We decided to put the incident behind us and moved on with our lives. Neither of us were charged with personal possession.

Fast forward to two days ago and I arrive home from work absolutely stunned to find my house swarming with the D.S. for a second time. I am so grateful that my daughter, now 14, was spared from facing a very frightening ordeal again (and this time she would have been alone) by choosing to visit friends instead. My partner wasn't present as he now lives in the Germany for work purposes. The apartment door was bashed in and the place was completely ransacked. They had a warrant and said they had received a report that I was dealing from my home and was hiding drugs. Inconceivably, once more they had acted on completely false information with zero evidence. Shocked and upset I reminded them they had done exactly the same thing to us over a year ago and had come back admitting they were wrong. However, they denied having ever been here before. I asked them how they could justify wasting much needed resources, valuable time, and hard-earned taxpayers money for a second time to confirm that I was nothing more than a working professional who likes to partake in the occasional joint? How on earth had they received permission from a judge/peace commissioner to act not once but twice on false information? I offered them my phone and laptop to take away for analysis but this time they refused. This time they took away a nodge of cannabis and also a weighing scales that I use to weigh the quarter of hash I buy every few weeks.

I assure you I am not a dealer. I work hard in my job and in my spare time enjoy designing websites and working on an online ecommerce business that I'm in the process of setting up. Hardly the characteristics of a typical drug dealer I would imagine. Another point worth mentioning -- I suffer with sever social anxiety disorder...so apart from a handful of close friends and some good neighbours I do not mix with people. This is verifiable by my doctor who is currently treating me for this debilitating disorder. This is why I know the D.S. did not do their homework yet again and simply acted on a whim. My brother contacted the guards after the raid to find out what is the typical process for deciding to raid a house. He was told that once they receive information on someone dealing they typically stake out the property for a few weeks. I assure you if they had of done that this is what they would have found:

They would have learned that due to the disorder, I rarely allow friends into my home and I certainly do not allow strangers to visit. I worked out that in a period of say eight weeks prior to the raid I had perhaps six visitors to my house. These were mainly some close neighbours calling in for a chat (women in their 50s and 60s) and a couple of female friends. My good neighbours, all of whom are of good character, are willing to verify that I lead a very quiet life, with very few to no visitors. I go to work, come home, and apart form doing shopping for the week tend to lock myself away from the world. It would be pretty much impossible to operate as a drug dealer with a condition like this.

Do you think I can take this to the ombudsman because I am determined to get to the bottom of this. Does the fact I am a smoker and was found with a tiny piece of cannabis mean they can treat me like a hardened criminal, and that I am not entitled to any support in investigating the source from which it came from and the evidence gathered? Sorry for being so longwinded but there was a lot to be said Thank you.

b_mac

You smoke cannabis and have a 14 year old daughter?

Shouldn't have been the DS paying you a visit, should have been social services.

loubella

loubella wrote: »

I like to unwind with a joint before going to bed each evening and have done so for many years.
so you have illegal substances in your home.


also a weighing scales that I use to weigh the quarter of hash I buy every few weeks.

as does every dealer in the country.

Another point worth mentioning -- I suffer with sever social anxiety disorder...

maybe you should lay of the smoke, you know it cause paranoia and anxiety right?


Do you think I can take this to the ombudsman

yes you can complain, but you were found to have illegal substances in your home, you havent a leg to stand on.

at the end of the day, just because YOU dont think theres anything wrong with smoking joints, so far society hasnt agreed with you and possession of cannabis is an offence.
so even though you dont feel that you are a 'hardened' criminal, you are still a criminal under the eyes of the law if you are convicted of an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

im sure Gardai have searched many dealers homes and only found small amounts of drugs. does that mean they dont deal? doubtful, just means they have it somewhere else.
( not that im calling you a dealer OP, am merely making a point)

jeepers101

Ah come on people.

OP, I can sympathise with what you're going through. Our house was mistakenly raided before and it was an horrific experience. We were treated like animals by the Gardai. They were extremely rude and condescending. They found nothing of course but insisted on taking our kitchen scales with them. We didn't lodge any complaint at the time and I seriously regret not doing so. I don't know where you stand legally but would strongly advise you to seek legal advice and make some noise to ensure it doesn't happen again.

To the other posters here, smoking cannabis in the privacy of your own home (14 year old daughter or not) is absolutely no reason to have your house raided and does not in any way excuse the Gardai from doing so. Some need to dismount their high horses.

jeepers101

jeepers101 wrote: »

Ah come on people.

OP, I can sympathise with what you're going through. Our house was mistakenly raided before and it was an horrific experience. We were treated like animals by the Gardai. They were extremely rude and condescending. They found nothing of course but insisted on taking our kitchen scales with them. We didn't lodge any complaint at the time and I seriously regret not doing so. I don't know where you stand legally but would strongly advise you to seek legal advice and make some noise to ensure it doesn't happen again.

To the other posters here, smoking cannabis in the privacy of your own home (14 year old daughter or not) is absolutely no reason to have your house raided and does not in any way excuse the Gardai from doing so. Some need to dismount their high horses.

if your house is mistakenly raided, then yes you should make a complaint, however if you have illegal sbstances in your home then you really cant complain if you get searched.

Pro Hoc Vice

jeepers101 wrote: »

Ah come on people.

OP, I can sympathise with what you're going through. Our house was mistakenly raided before and it was an horrific experience. We were treated like animals by the Gardai. They were extremely rude and condescending. They found nothing of course but insisted on taking our kitchen scales with them. We didn't lodge any complaint at the time and I seriously regret not doing so. I don't know where you stand legally but would strongly advise you to seek legal advice and make some noise to ensure it doesn't happen again.

To the other posters here, smoking cannabis in the privacy of your own home (14 year old daughter or not) is absolutely no reason to have your house raided and does not in any way excuse the Gardai from doing so. Some need to dismount their high horses.

I wonder sometimes how some people on boards actually manage to get on to their high horses.

Moghead

b_mac wrote: »

You smoke cannabis and have a 14 year old daughter?

Shouldn't have been the DS paying you a visit, should have been social services.

Get off your high horse. Do you think a parent who has an occasional beer or glass of wine should have the social services calling on them? Do you have any kids? If so I presume you don't imbibe anything stronger than coffee?

OP what happened to you was totally over the top from the guards. There seems to be way more heroin addicts around Cork over the last few years but instead of tackling this the guards would rather raid your house and ensure that nobody can buy a pint in Cork after 2am.

Femme_Fatale

b_mac wrote: »

You smoke cannabis and have a 14 year old daughter?

Shouldn't have been the DS paying you a visit, should have been social services.

Nah it shouldn't.

john.han

Surprised people are being so harsh. If the Gardai are acting on false and or malicious information without proper investigation then there is a very serious case to answer and a complaint to the ombudsman would be a first step. Your right to private enjoyment of your home is a constitutionally protected right so it is a very serious matter if this is being breached unlawfully.

I would ask the OP though where they source the cannabis? Does a dealer come to your home? If a suspected dealer is visiting you this would obviously be noted by Gardai acting on information.

In addition to this you continue to subject your child to possible intrusions by the Gardai by continuing to smoke cannabis so surely this has entered your thought process. You also mention an anxiety disorder, have you spoke to your Doctor/Psychiatrist about the drug use? I'm no expert but I'm sure they would be strongly recommending you stop.

moc moc a moc

bubblypop wrote: »

at the end of the day, just because YOU dont think theres anything wrong with smoking joints, so far society hasnt agreed with you and possession of cannabis is an offence

Not one that warrants what has happened to the OP. The treatment of the perpetrator must fit the crime. We don't jail people for jaywalking, as such a minor crime does not warrant such a punishment. By the same token, having a small quantity of a controlled substance for personal use does not justify OP having her home staked out and ransacked twice.

OP is clearly not disputing that she has broken a (relatively minor) law - only that she has been dealt with unfairly (which is true). It's quite amazing that some people here seem to be dismissing the complaint due to the tiny legal infraction of a nodge of hash - the gardaí are supposed to work for us, the public, and I for one don't want my tax money wasted on this kind of nonsense when there are genuine scumbags out there that need precious police time and attention.

GerardKeating

infosys wrote: »

I wonder sometimes how some people on boards actually manage to get on to their high horses.

Practice, many many years of practice.:p

moc moc a moc

moc moc a moc wrote: »

Not one that warrants what has happened to the OP. The treatment of the perpetrator must fit the crime. We don't jail people for jaywalking, as such a minor crime does not warrant such a punishment. By the same token, having a small quantity of a controlled substance for personal use does not justify OP having her home staked out and ransacked twice.

OP is clearly not disputing that she has broken the law - only that she has been dealt with unfairly (which is true). The gardaí are supposed to work for us, the public. I don't want my tax money wasted on this kind of nonsense when there are genuine scumbags out there that need the attention.

well thats not neccesarily true, you or me have no idea what the gardai did in this intance.

if you dont want gardai wasting their time on drugs, then you should lobby your local td to legalise cannabis. as it stands, its illegal to have possession of it.

there are plenty of people in this country that seem to think tickets being cancelled is corruption.
do you think that there should be a sliding scale of illegality that Gardai should deal with?

if you think traffic offences are below drug offences, should people who commit drug offences be allowed to get away with it while someone who speeds gets a fine?

do you think burglary is worse than traffic offences?
what about shoplifting? is that lower on the scale?

if something is illegal, then its illegal.

Gardai do not make the laws.
They merely enforce them.

No Pants

Absolutely complain OP. Who do these Gardai think they are, searching your house twice and finding illegal substances.

i wonder did the OP inform the Gardai what dealer she did actually buy her small amount of cannabis for personal use from?

as in the DEALER she dealt with in order to have her small joint in the evening that doesnt harm anyone??

No Pants

moc moc a moc wrote: »

We don't jail people for jaywalking, as such a minor crime does not warrant such a punishment.

Not correct. We don't jail people for jaywalking because it's not a crime.

Pro Hoc Vice

No Pants wrote: »

Not correct. We don't jail people for jaywalking because it's not a crime.

Crossing a road within a certain distance of a crossing is an offence.

Rules for Pedestrians
46. (1) A pedestrian shall exercise care and take all reasonable precautions in order to avoid causing danger or inconvenience to traffic and other pedestrians.

(2) A pedestrian facing a traffic light lamp which shows a red light shall not proceed beyond that light.

(3) A pedestrian about to cross a roadway at a place where traffic sign number RPC 003 or RPC 004 [pedestrian lights] has been provided shall do so only when a lamp of the facing pedestrian lights is lit and emits a constant green light.

(4) Subject to sub-article (5), save when crossing the roadway, a pedestrian shall use a footway if one is provided, and if one is not provided, shall keep as near as possible to the right edge of the roadway.

(5) At a road junction where traffic is controlled either by traffic lights or by a member of the Garda Síochána, a pedestrian shall cross the roadway only when traffic going in the direction in which the pedestrian intends to cross is permitted (by the lights or the member) to proceed.

(6) Within a pedestrian crossing complex [traffic sign number RPC 002] a pedestrian shall only cross the roadway at the location of traffic sign number RPC 001 [pedestrian crossing].

(7) On a roadway on which a traffic sign number RPC 001 [pedestrian crossing] has been provided, a pedestrian shall not cross the roadway within 15 metres of the crossing, except by the crossing.

(8) For the purposes of this article, each carriageway of a dual carriageway shall be deemed to be a separate roadway, and where there is a traffic refuge on a roadway the portion of the roadway on each side of the refuge shall be deemed to be a separate roadway.

PucaMama

loubella wrote: »

I'm a 36 year old woman, working as a business professional in Cork. Like many in our country, I like to unwind with a joint before going to bed each evening and have done so for many years. My problem is regarding what I believe to be harassment and victimization experienced at the hands of the gardai a couple of days ago, and also a year and a half ago.

A year and a half ago my apartment was raided by the guards based on a false information source. My partner and I had never in our lives been in trouble with the guards, so naturally it was a very traumatic experience for both us and particularly our daughter, to find my apartment ripped apart and crawling with the DS. They claimed they had been watching my partner and I for weeks, and witnessed a constant flow of people coming in and out of our flat. Apart from a handful of close friends, nobody visits my home, so I knew that they were lying. They were intimidating and personally insulting and took away a nodge of cannabis and our mobiles for analysis. We knew that we had nothing to worry about and sure enough a few days later, the head of the D.S., arrived back in an almost sheepish manner, admitting he now knew we weren't dealers. My partner was understandably angry that they had put us all through such a frightening ordeal for nothing, but kept his calm and asked them were they regularly in the habit of acting on false information without doing proper research. We decided to put the incident behind us and moved on with our lives. Neither of us were charged with personal possession.

Fast forward to two days ago and I arrive home from work absolutely stunned to find my house swarming with the D.S. for a second time. I am so grateful that my daughter, now 14, was spared from facing a very frightening ordeal again (and this time she would have been alone) by choosing to visit friends instead. My partner wasn't present as he now lives in the Germany for work purposes. The apartment door was bashed in and the place was completely ransacked. They had a warrant and said they had received a report that I was dealing from my home and was hiding drugs. Inconceivably, once more they had acted on completely false information with zero evidence. Shocked and upset I reminded them they had done exactly the same thing to us over a year ago and had come back admitting they were wrong. However, they denied having ever been here before. I asked them how they could justify wasting much needed resources, valuable time, and hard-earned taxpayers money for a second time to confirm that I was nothing more than a working professional who likes to partake in the occasional joint? How on earth had they received permission from a judge/peace commissioner to act not once but twice on false information? I offered them my phone and laptop to take away for analysis but this time they refused. This time they took away a nodge of cannabis and also a weighing scales that I use to weigh the quarter of hash I buy every few weeks.

I assure you I am not a dealer. I work hard in my job and in my spare time enjoy designing websites and working on an online ecommerce business that I'm in the process of setting up. Hardly the characteristics of a typical drug dealer I would imagine. Another point worth mentioning -- I suffer with sever social anxiety disorder...so apart from a handful of close friends and some good neighbours I do not mix with people. This is verifiable by my doctor who is currently treating me for this debilitating disorder. This is why I know the D.S. did not do their homework yet again and simply acted on a whim. My brother contacted the guards after the raid to find out what is the typical process for deciding to raid a house. He was told that once they receive information on someone dealing they typically stake out the property for a few weeks. I assure you if they had of done that this is what they would have found:

They would have learned that due to the disorder, I rarely allow friends into my home and I certainly do not allow strangers to visit. I worked out that in a period of say eight weeks prior to the raid I had perhaps six visitors to my house. These were mainly some close neighbours calling in for a chat (women in their 50s and 60s) and a couple of female friends. My good neighbours, all of whom are of good character, are willing to verify that I lead a very quiet life, with very few to no visitors. I go to work, come home, and apart form doing shopping for the week tend to lock myself away from the world. It would be pretty much impossible to operate as a drug dealer with a condition like this.

Do you think I can take this to the ombudsman because I am determined to get to the bottom of this. Does the fact I am a smoker and was found with a tiny piece of cannabis mean they can treat me like a hardened criminal, and that I am not entitled to any support in investigating the source from which it came from and the evidence gathered? Sorry for being so longwinded but there was a lot to be said Thank you.

you have an illegal substance in your house. the DS take it. what do you expect to happen? they knock your door and say please?

pugsnotdrugs13

b_mac wrote: »

You smoke cannabis and have a 14 year old daughter?

Shouldn't have been the DS paying you a visit, should have been social services.

Is this a parenting thread?

Mikros

Possession of any amount of cannabis is illegal under the Misuse of Drugs Act in this country. Whether you agree or disagree it doesn't change that fact. The basis of your complaint is that you want to be left alone by the guards to continue breaking the law because you are only breaking it a "little" bit. If you don't want your house being raided for illegal drugs, perhaps stop keeping and doing illegal drugs in your house. Until such time as the law changes what exactly are you expecting? That's not a judgement on you OP, or on the right or wrong of cannabis, just the facts.

finix

b_mac wrote: »

You smoke cannabis and have a 14 year old daughter?

Shouldn't have been the DS paying you a visit, should have been social services.

Do you have children ? Do you drink ? Bleedin Holy Joes ! Do as I say but not what I do ! I meet your type at the school gates all the time and stumbling up the road or out of a taxi at closing time ! Give us a break FFS !

SamAK

b_mac wrote: »

You smoke cannabis and have a 14 year old daughter?

Shouldn't have been the DS paying you a visit, should have been social services.

Quite possibly the most narrow minded and ill thought out piece of drivel I have ever seen posted on boards.

Jumboman

john.han wrote: »

Surprised people are being so harsh. If the Gardai are acting on false and or malicious information without proper investigation then there is a very serious case to answer and a complaint to the ombudsman would be a first step. Your right to private enjoyment of your home is a constitutionally protected right so it is a very serious matter if this is being breached unlawfully.

I would ask the OP though where they source the cannabis? Does a dealer come to your home? If a suspected dealer is visiting you this would obviously be noted by Gardai acting on information.

In addition to this you continue to subject your child to possible intrusions by the Gardai by continuing to smoke cannabis so surely this has entered your thought process. You also mention an anxiety disorder, have you spoke to your Doctor/Psychiatrist about the drug use? I'm no expert but I'm sure they would be strongly recommending you stop.

Doctors give out drugs all the time so I dont see how they could be against cannabis if it is actually helping her.

SamAK

If this descends into a legalization argument i'd respectfully request that a mod save us all the bleeding hassle of going round in circles all night and just lock the thread!

Jumboman

Jumboman wrote: »

Doctors give out drugs all the time so I dont see how they could be against cannabis if it is actually helping her.

maybe because cannabis has been shown to cause anxiety?
and doctors cant actually prescribe cannabis in this country?

partyatmygaff

They've raided and confiscated controlled substances from your house twice and you haven't been charged with possession?

Complain if you want but I don't see the Ombudsan being too sympathetic.

Jumboman

bubblypop wrote: »

maybe because cannabis has been shown to cause anxiety?
and doctors cant actually prescribe cannabis in this country?

Medical cannabis is supposed to be available Ireland soon.

The sooner they take this drug out of the hands of scumbags the better.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/medicinal-cannabis-available-here-in-the-next-year-28942034.html

THE legal use of cannabis in medicines is to be introduced next year.

The Irish Independent has learned that the Department of Health is bringing in legislation to legalise medicinal cannabis.

Jumboman

Jumboman wrote: »

Medical cannabis is supposed to be available Ireland soon.

The sooner they take this drug out of the hands of scumbags the better.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/medicinal-cannabis-available-here-in-the-next-year-28942034.html

yea but its not yet.

its still illegal.

pablo128

In the average house or apartment there are numerous places to hide your quarter. I suggest getting creative where you leave it.

Hammered hippie

I agree with you.
Drink causes more harm than smoking would ever do.
BUT...they are de Gardaí...and not sentient beings.
THis is Ireland..still a failed fascist catholic state ...still divided along petty political lines since 1924..still half fascist.
Politicians here are hostages of the big Pharma, their own (ex) coke dealers and public catholic opinion. So they keep cannabis illegal out of fear of their own job and lives. Clientelism is rife...also towards drug dealers that blackmail politicians who fear their (ex) coke habits will be exposed. That is why cannabis is still illegal and that is why you are sacrificed for the sake of some ****twats that dare call themselves politicians.....
Oh ..I forgot the vintners who also do not want people to wean off the alcohol.
Ireland is a backwards sad failed state...as many states are....

Bepolite

There's a not feeding the troll and muchies joke in here somewhere.

Hammered hippie

The sick tunnelvision dogged loyal slavelike focus of some of the drones here in this thread on what has been declared legal or illegal is laughable, scary and deeply disturbing.
More than a 100 years ago it was declared illegal by the rulers then that Irish people own any land.....would you have followed that sick kind of legislation with the same spineless thoughtless mindnumbing doggish loyalty........
People please do realize that most of the laws in this 'country' are just rules put in place to help big businesses or political movements to keep their power over you.