The New Zealand police in 2016 caught a 63-year-old Whanganui man, Mr Ronald Gray cultivating cannabis at two of his properties where he legally grew and sold flowers, primarily tulips.
During the search warrants Police located 92 cannabis plants and 354 grams of dried cannabis.
A Police Asset Recovery Unit investigation into the proceeds of the cultivation and sale of cannabis by Mr Gray led to the forfeiture of his Whanganui properties under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009.
The collective value of the two forfeited properties was $1,575,000.
As well as the forfeiture of his properties, Mr Gray was also sentenced in November 2018 to seven months and one week home detention on one charge of cultivating cannabis.
If our current government get their way businesses will be able to legally cultivate and sell cannabis and the police will no longer be able to take land and other property off cannabis growers under the criminal proceeds recovery act of 2009.
Ex-PM Helen Clarke thinks that convicted criminals like Mr Gray should be allowed to use their expertise to legally grow cannabis once the new law is passed.
What I want to know is how changing the law and turning criminals into legal businessmen will make one iota of difference.
“New Zealand Police, including the Asset Recovery Units, will target criminals involved in crime, including the sale of controlled drugs.
The aim is to continue to dismantle and disrupt criminal enterprises benefitting from the profits earned through crime, preventing the harm caused in the community from their criminal activities.” says Detective Senior Sergeant Brent Murray from the Asset Recovery Unit.
This has been one of the largest forfeitures in the Whanganui region.[…]
Press Release: New Zealand Police
Turning Criminal enterprises into legal enterprises will INCREASE not reduce the harm to the community. Slapping a legal sticker on Gang grown and distributed cannabis is like peeing on someone and telling them it is raining.
