What's your opinion on undecover gardaÃ* at music festivals?

Snowstandards · 07-09-2015 01:26PM #1

I can understand that they are there for a reason, but I also feel that how they conduct themselves isn't very good. Garda get a lot of stick, sometimes they deserve, sometimes they don't. In relation to festivals, do you think its right for an undercover to act like they're out of their biscuit to fool the unsuspecting festival goer into talking about what drugs they have done or brought with them?

I think that if they really want to cut down on drug use, then tighter searches should be conducted when each patron enters the festival. I think its disgraceful that they are allowed to knock about like anyone else, give them a faux sense of security then write them up for whatever related of fence occurs.

If they literally confiscate the drugs and leave it at that, then I have no issues personally (unless this person is genuinely there to deal and is in possession of a large amount).

What's your opinion?

Edit: Just to clarify, it didn't happen to me but I've seen it happens around me.

Mr.Crinklewood · 07-09-2015 01:27PM

Surely that's entrapment?

The Backwards Man · 07-09-2015 01:31PM

How much they get on you?

seamus · 07-09-2015 01:33PM

Mr.Crinklewood wrote: »

Surely that's entrapment?

Entrapment is when you encourage someone to commit a crime that they weren't going to commit and then arrest them for it.

The Gardai at these things have no interest in speaking to someone out of their heads. They're looking for distributors.

They go around looking like junkies, wait for someone to offer to sell them pills and then arrest them. No entrapment there.

bodice ripper · 07-09-2015 01:36PM

Watched an undercover step around a group of 40 something nordies doing coke to bust a teenager with a tic tac sized piece of hash. Scum.

The gards shouldnt be available for private hire.

strelok · 07-09-2015 01:38PM

seamus wrote: »

They go around looking like junkies, wait for someone to offer to sell them pills and then arrest them. No entrapment there.

ah here, they keep a sharp eye out for lads and lasses rolling spliffs for themselves and their friends too. junkie patrol they are certainly not.

Kimbot · 07-09-2015 01:38PM

Yup its fair game what they are doing and it should be happening alot more.

As for suggestions of better checks going into festivals, do you know any security man/woman that would be willing to stick their fingers in someones ass to look for drugs?

Cee-Jay-Cee · 07-09-2015 01:39PM

OP they couldn't care less what you or other stoners have taken, they want to know where you got it from! It's not entrapment, it's enforcing the law.

enricoh · 07-09-2015 01:42PM

Shooting fish in a barrell, just like speed vans in a 50kph zone. But hey they can say busts are up 5% or whatever - n that's all that matters

SEPT 23 1989 · 07-09-2015 01:43PM

Fake ID paranoid stoners easy pickings

biko · 07-09-2015 01:43PM

I suppose this is related to something someone read in the paper?

Tbh, I'd prefer a bit more lax search at the entrance with regards to drugs.
That way you're not pissing off the many visitors that don't have drugs and want to get inside fast.
Dope fiends usually make themselves known inside and can be picked up by gardai there.

King George VI · 07-09-2015 01:43PM

Snowstandards wrote: »

I think its disgraceful that they are allowed to knock about like anyone else, give them a faux sense of security then write them up for whatever related of fence occurs.

You're right. How dare the Gardai let people think they can break the law on their own by pretending they aren't Gardai. They didn't even goad them into it or entrap them whatsoever.

Scumbag Gardai huh :rolleyes:

Arsemageddon · 07-09-2015 01:49PM

Most people I know who got caught at a festival were being so blatantly obvious that were asking to be caught. A wee bit of cop on goes a long way.

biko · 07-09-2015 01:55PM

Apparently the undercover garda are looking out for your welfare

A senior source told the Herald last night that teams of undercover gardai will be active at the festival and a "zero tolerance" approach will be taken to drug use.
They issued a warning about a powder which has caused a number of festival goers to be hospitalised in the UK.
"While there is particular concern about this powder, there are also dodgy pills out there," they said.

"Local gardai are being helped out by the specialist units who will be working undercover to carry out test purchases in relation to drugs transactions.

http://www.herald.ie/news/undercover-gardai-to-patrol-electric-picnic-amid-fears-over-deadly-drugs-powder-31500805.html

Snowstandards · 07-09-2015 02:01PM

Johnny Carson wrote:

You're right. How dare the Gardai let people think they can break the law on their own by pretending they aren't Gardai. They didn't even goad them into it or entrap them whatsoever.

You're missing the point. I'm talking about when GardaÃ pretend to be a festival goer, then ask someone if they have anything, then sting them regardless. If someone offers to sell, then that's their own stupidity.

El Weirdo · 07-09-2015 02:04PM

"... there are also dodgy pills out there," they said.

Funny how they never mention the whopper bangers that are also going round.

SEPT 23 1989 · 07-09-2015 02:06PM

El Weirdo wrote: »

Funny how they never mention the whopper bangers that are also going round.

that's the kind of news report you want to hear

07-09-2015 02:45PM

Just back from Electric Picnic, I will never go again, overpriced sh1t. Watched cops going around busting young lads for joints.

connundrum · 07-09-2015 03:18PM

I was so surprised to be asked a bunch of times if I was selling pills at EP. Pills?! I don't know why, but I thought pills were gone out of popular demand?

Within the same 2-3 hour period I was asked by 4 or 5 lads if I was actually an undercover po-po. Time to throw the Wranglers out

El Weirdo · 07-09-2015 03:22PM

6541 wrote: »

Just back from Electric Picnic, I will never go again, overpriced sh1t. Watched cops going around busting young lads for joints.

You should have gone into the tents or stood in front of that big stage thing. I hear they had bands and entertainment on.

Fukuyama · 07-09-2015 03:49PM

Guards are damned if they do, damned if the don't.

Remember Sweedish House Mafia? Guards got criticized for being to lax and allowing too much drug use, which ultimately led to deaths.

It's not uncommon for gardaí to roam around Abbey Street looking like pure ****. After a while someone offers them drugs. Bingo. Arrest made and no need for any prep work, surveillance etc... Let the dealers come to you. Sounds like a good strategy.

I say this as someone who would support legalizing virtually all drugs, but I despise drug dealers. Most don't give a crap what they're selling. New forms of MDMA sound nasty.

Boring username · 07-09-2015 04:36PM

What's your opinion on undecover gardaÃ* at music festivals?

I loved their old stuff, but that last album was a bit too hipster for my liking.

Sky King · 07-09-2015 05:00PM

too much drug use, which ultimately led to deaths.

I hate it when I take drugs and a knife magically appears in my hand as a result of the drugs. it's really annoying.

In those situations I figure 'what the hell' then and just go around stabbing people. For the craic like.

Turtyturd · 07-09-2015 05:03PM

Can they truly be undercover?

Herb Powell · 07-09-2015 05:23PM

Fukuyama wrote: »

Guards are damned if they do, damned if the don't.

Remember Sweedish House Mafia? Guards got criticized for being to lax and allowing too much drug use, which ultimately led to deaths.

I think that was the stabbing, rather than the drugs, which caused problems.

suicide_circus · 07-09-2015 06:04PM

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

OP they couldn't care less what you or other stoners have taken, they want to know where you got it from! It's not entrapment, it's enforcing the law.

+1
The OP has the laid back attitude of a "stone man"

Dr Turk Turkelton · 07-09-2015 06:13PM

Turtyturd wrote: »

Can they truly be undercover?

A good test if a randomer asks you if your selling drugs is to ask them to pronounce vehicle. There is no guard in this country who is so deep undercover they could pull this off without saying veh-hick-elll.

nxbyveromdwjpg · 07-09-2015 06:21PM

seamus wrote: »

The Gardai at these things have no interest in speaking to someone out of their heads. They're looking for distributors.

While probably right on the average day, that's definitely not how it is with these undercovers at festivals.

enricoh wrote: »

Shooting fish in a barrell, just like speed vans in a 50kph zone. But hey they can say busts are up 5% or whatever - n that's all that matters

Exactly.

They know well there is a huge amount of people, probably the majority, will have consumed something illegal over the weekend and they can go around picking and choosing who to stop and search. Fish in a barrel is right.
They don't get any dealers of any note this way but it's a handy revenue generator in fines for the court and good news numbers game for the lads.
No real benefit to society.

Fukuyama wrote: »

Remember Sweedish House Mafia? Guards got criticized for being to lax and allowing too much drug use, which ultimately led to deaths.

That was knife!! :rolleyes:

Hans Bricks · 07-09-2015 06:55PM

I usually can't stand anti garda victim complexes, but ive witnessed them at festivals before pathetically veering their heads in and out of tents and camp groups waiting to nab stonerss. It seems more like a log book and revenue exercise than protecting society. It's a bohemian atmosphere at the likes of EP. Heard portlaoise court had around 300 drug charges after EP last year. How many were actually dealing ? Not many I'd say.

5W30 · 07-09-2015 08:22PM

They're useful. Scrotes who think they can do anything while there's no Gardai get shown a lesson.

nxbyveromdwjpg · 07-09-2015 08:57PM

5W30 wrote: »

They're useful. Scrotes who think they can do anything while there's no Gardai get shown a lesson.

If that was the point, it would be much better served by uniform garda instead.

What's your opinion on undecover gardaÃ* at music festivals?

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