Confessions of a Rotorua drug dealer

[Frazz]

The Daily Post N.Z.

 

18.02.2006

By CHERIE TAYLOR in Rotorua

 

Living the high life - Confessions of a Rotorua drug dealer

 

In a good week Bob can make up to $5000.

 

But for every business transaction he makes, he also risks going to jail.

 

Bob operates a "tinnie" house, selling cannabis to "clients" who include everyone from students to well-to-do business people.

 

He isn't proud of what he does but felt he didn't have many options after losing his job as a mill worker nearly six years ago.

 

Two older siblings talked Bob into his current trade, operating a tinnie house from the Rotorua home he shares with his wife and kids.

 

At least two of his former workmates have followed him into the illegal drug trade.

 

 

"It's not a business you tell too many people you are involved in," he said.

 

Sitting at his kitchen window Bob scrutinises people as they walk through the gate of the modest home.

 

The house looks no different to other homes in the same street.

 

But share his space and you soon lose count of the people who come to the back door to hand over a green bill in exchange for a small piece of tinfoil containing the illegal drug cannabis.

 

He admits business is booming despite recent drug busts in the area scaring off a few clients.

 

"I don't know what all the fuss is about though. It's just a herb made by God.

 

"Dak [cannabis] is nothing compared to the evils of alcohol and they have legalised that. You just chill out after a smoke [whereas] people get aggressive when they are drunk."

 

Growing up on whanau land in the Central North Island, Bob said cannabis was a normal part of life during his formative years and by the time he was 16 he was hooked and smoking daily.

 

"Dad smoked it. It was just a social thing that everyone did."

 

He never thought he would end up selling it to support his family but life's circumstances pushed his hand after he lost his $1800 weekly pay packet.

 

He not only lost his weekly income - his car and furniture had to go too.

 

"Look, I never aspired to be a drug dealer. I thought I would always make an honest living but when you are down and out desperation leads to desperate measures for survival. I was backed into a corner," he said.

 

Six years down the track Bob has several regular customers and makes an average $3000 a week.

 

He said he made $5000 in the 24 hours leading up to the Big Day Out in Auckland recently.

 

"You wouldn't believe it. As soon as we sat down there would be someone else at the door."

 

However, he won't divulge how much he had to spend to make that amount or how many tinnies he could roll out of a $300 ounce.

 

Business operates by "word of mouth" and clients come from all walks of life. The youngest is about 17 and the oldest in their late 60s.

 

"You'd be surprised. There are professional people, business owners, people you'd never dream were smokers, who buy and buy regularly."

 

Bob doesn't like selling to teenagers but says people can't bury their heads in the sand and deny they are smoking drugs.

 

"My own kids smoke. I'm not proud of that but at least I know they aren't getting into harder drugs like P. I feel sad to see my own kids doing it but who am I to judge them?"

 

Each week he travels out of town to pick up ounces of the illegal drug, supplying a friend he used to work with enough to keep a tinnie house in Taupo open as well. When the indoor-grown drug supply dwindles, he buys "bush weed" from another guy he used to work with.

 

"It's horrible when you run out. The look on people's faces when you tell them you have run out is amazing. It's like you have cut out their heart."

 

Bob has been busted twice - he says he feels a bit like the guys on Dukes of Hazzard when transporting his supplies.

 

"It's just like during prohibition. People were boot-leggers and got arrested and jailed. Sooner or later the same thing will happen with marijuana and people will be able to buy it anywhere," he said.

 

# Bob's name has been changed.

 

 

Original article can be found here :http://www.dailypost.co.nz/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3673169&thesection=localnews&thesubsection=&thesecondsubsection=

[SukonmiSkunk]

Bob operates a "tinnie" house, selling cannabis to "clients" who include everyone from students to well-to-do business people.

 

"It's horrible when you run out. The look on people's faces when you tell them you have run out is amazing. It's like you have cut out their heart."

 

 

---------------------------------------------------

its so true.... when I tell mates, thats all there is... the look is priceless... ::

"aww man how long till the next one"

 

All hail bob... :bow ... if it wasnt for "tinnie" sales men I wouldnt bother growing boats :thumbsup

[Pa-uul]

I don't like when they say he was "hooked" but it's not a bad article, overall. The good thing about it is that it is not too politically charged or biased. To me it's an article likely to encourage the reader to think "well, why don't we just legalize it then, just like alcohol?", which sounds appropriate to me.

 

I'm surprised that New Zealand is not a world leader in marijuana law reform by now. It only has a population of 4 million. I recall that the current labour Prime Minister there, Helen Clark said that she favoured marijuana decriminalization before becoming Prime Minister. I believe she's tried it. I also saw one of the smaller parties, I think maybe family first or some such, saying that there must be "no change in the marijuana laws" recently, on TV for the last election in which labour again narrowly won. This guy said this with a frown as he disfavoured marijuana decriminalization.

 

There is a rotten little core of prohibitionists over there, such as these people who devised a nasty little test which is often quoted as one of the "proofs" of marijuana causing schizophrenia where people merely answered questions to determine if they had schizophrenia; there was no medical diagnoses, just 12 or so questions asking things like: "do you think people are watching you?" and they found that people who smoked marijuana were more likely to answer yes. And this is considered as proof and quoted in the Times in London!? Come on, that's a bodgy job if ever I've seen one, of course marijuana people will answer "yes" to questions like this. People are after us, after all. ::

 

They're a small country and could boost the population and help stop the brain-drain with the incentive of marijuana legalization. They're idiots. But then again they all are in this country too.

Edited February 20, 2006 by Pa-uul

[Aquaponix]

When Helen was asked if she ever smoked pot her actual reply was - "I was at university in the 60's"

 

Good PM 1st politician I ever have liked but pot laws are still the same though it's hard to get jailed for it you must show a specific greed to your methods or a long track record.

 

Fingers crossed our activists are very prominent and our greens always have MP's.

[Gush]

It would make a good place to grow -Rotorua, not much need for odour control :smoke

[WantDaChronic]

i honestly dont get the point of that story, like is he trying to give the police more evidence against him or what?

[Aquaponix]

The whole point behind the story was $$.

 

$$ for the reporter as people read these stories

 

$$ for the dealer for giving his story

 

Wonder if he paid tax on the story payment rofl!

[Frazz]

There was more to the story, it went on to blame 40% of mental admissions on cannabis use

 

It was Shocking!!

 

but i didnt want to post that as i think we've been beaten over the head with that old story too much

:smoke

[Buddy]

Geeeeez...$5000 a week :reallyexcited:

Makes me want to fire up the the lights and start eating three meals a day again ::

[mull]

Geez you're a cracker Buddy