Dutch Justiceminister wants 400 coffeeshops closed

[cannabinol]

Donner want hard line on softdrugs

 

‘Neighbourhoods in hands weed gangs’

 

By: Ap van den Berg and Ferdi Schooten

 

The Hague/GPD- Justice Minister Donner (CDA) wants to tighten the tolerance policy for softdrugs and bring it in line with European legislation. A confidential report shows he wants ‘a sharp decrease in the number of coffeeshops’. Donner also wants to discourage druguse and homegrowing. It has been confirmed by reliable sources around the minister.

 

If it was up to Donner, he will start a major offensive against illegal hemp plantations. It happens more often that criminal gangs use houses and basements in the poorer neighbourhoods, as it states in not yet published research of criminologist Prof. Dr. Frank Bovenkerk. According to Bovenkerk, the results from his report will be used ‘to reconsider the softdrugs policy critically’.

The criminologist states there are 20 neighbourhoods, spread over the whole off the Netherlands, controlled by weed gangsters.

Around 60 % of the crop is exported to foreign countries. The police usually only manages to catch the growers, mainly mothers on benefits, junks and people in great debts. The gangs, who supply for the necessary equipment, the plants, the utilities and the clipping, always escape from prosecution.

 

The Minister will offer his suggestions to the Parliament on short notice. Because Donner is also the informer for the new government’s formation, his prerogatives will come to order during the formation of the Cabinet.

The PvdA (The CDA’s only coalition partner) does not feel anything for a hard line on softdrugs. This party thinks the police can use its energy way better for catching crooks.

The CDA, however, fears that smoking a joint will sooner lead to a transfer to hard drugs.

 

The number of coffeeshops has already decreased noticeably over the last 5 years. At present, our country counts a little under 800 cannabis outlets (806,nvs) for marihuana and weed?, compared to around 1500 in 1998. The main loss of coffeeshops occurred in the big cities.

But, according to Donner, another 400 coffeeshops will have to be closed within a year, minimum. In fact, Municipalities can decide over the softdrugs policy independently.

By tightening the current policy, Donner wants to force municipalities in to complying.

 

By bringing the Dutch softdrugs policy more in line with the stance of the EU member states, Donner hopes to make good agreements about the smuggling of humans, terrorism protection and asylum policy.

“Some countries, amongst whom France, do not keep themselves to these agreements because of the Dutch softdrugs policy”, said a spokesman.

 

Source: Haarlems Dagblad, 26 Februari 2003.

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[Ferre]

That Bovenkerk is NOT backing up this story with facts, there are no complete neighbourhoods controlled by "weedgangsters" to find in Holland, really, but the sad truth is that the past few Dutch gouvernments have been licking the US's arse more then they have been bussy with their own country, we are getting "sold out" here too.