Court grants application to close alleged drug premises

[Mulcontent]

Found: Thu May 01 22:46:32 2008 PDT

Webpage: http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/latest_r...

Newshawk: http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/

 

Court grants application to close alleged drug premises -- NimbinFriday, 02 May 2008 03:28pm

 

An application by police to temporarily close two businesses in the Northern NSW township of Nimbin has been successful following an order made in the Lismore Local Court this morning.

 

Richmond Local Area Command Police applied for the temporary closure of the Nimbin Hemp Bar and Nimbin Museum, from midday today (Friday 2 May) to midday Monday (5 May).

 

Police applied for the order, under Section 15C of the Restricted Premises Act (1943), due to evidence of the on-going supply of drugs from within the Cullen Street premises. Police also alleged that the increased crowds anticipated this weekend would heighten the likelihood of increased drug supply and use from the premises.

 

The proprietor of the Nimbin Museum was served with the court order immediately after the hearing at 9.30am today.

 

Operation Mickey was initiated by police from Richmond Local Area Command in March 2008 to investigate the street-level supply of prohibited drugs from the businesses.

 

Search warrants were executed on both premises on 1April during which police seized about 4kg of cannabis and a number of people were arrested on the day and charged with drug offences.

 

The premises will continue to be monitored by police during the weekend activities to ensure compliance with the court orders.

 

Richmond Local Area Commander, Acting Superintendent Steven Clarke, said today's application was based on evidence of the on-going supply of drugs from both premises.

 

"Under the strategic plan for Nimbin we are seeking to eliminate the supply of prohibited drugs," A/Supt Clarke said.

 

"As a result of on-going information we have identified two premises where drugs were being supplied from within those premises and we successfully sought temporary closure orders from the court.

 

"Police continue to receive information about other premises that are operating in a similar fashion and today's granting of the order should serve as a warning that police will use all avenues of the law to target illegal drugs in Nimbin.

 

"Police will act on any information provided, either to local police or to Crime Stoppers on the

 

free-call number 1800 333 000.

 

"Remember callers to Crime Stoppers may be eligible for cash rewards if their information leads to a conviction. Callers can also choose to provide their information anonymously.

 

"We are not trying to close the festival but we do want the activities to take place in a safe environment for everyone.

 

"Police are here to enforce the law, and as long as the possession and supply of these drugs is a crime, we will target them," A/Supt Clarke said.

 

Freakin party poopers

[Radic]

HAHA

the cops lied to we again

they thretned to send 100 cops at 12pm

but

only 6 cops turned up at 1pm to close down the hemp bar and the museum but they could'nt find the doors

600 good ppl gathered round and we filmed it all and shamed them

there ia bout 8 cops on the street fridaynight

booze buss at both ends of town

bak way is clear

check google earth for a clear picture

of cops activitites

600ppl here allready

this is gotta be bigger than ever

imagine if 100,000 ppl turn up

hahahahahahah

[sunnycoaststoner]

yep take the pot off the streets and let the alcohol and harder drugs do their job, you wankers!!!!!! open your eyes and see the reality...you get more trouble in surfers paridise from alcohol abuse and other hard drugs than you would ever get from a mob of stoners in nimbin... other than the trouble that you cause yourselves...prohibition doesn't work..prohibition never will work...prohibition never has worked...medicines, oil, fuel, building materials, cosmetics, material/fabrics, food, etc etc etc can all be made from your dangerous marijuana, do that with the speed and heroin and other substances that you should be controling.

 

spend your ( rather our ) money ( we pay the taxes after all ) on policing the harder drugs that are really wrecking peoples lives or maybe put it to actually serving and protecting the people of Australia from real henious crimes against humanity.

 

LEGALIZE IT.....put an end to this stupidity forever.....END PROHIBITION.....and take the criminal element out of it.....

[Indycar]

Police applied for the order, under Section 15C of the Restricted Premises Act (1943)

 

It'd be interestin' to learn what this legislation entails.

 

[Morgaine]

Damn Damn!

 

Hope everythings going well up there...

 

Radic, please keep us informed of goings on if you can !

Oh, and have a blast hehehe

 

Cheers all,

Morgz

[Mulcontent]

I'm not sure what is going on but as of this morning the Hemp Bar website is gone along with all the sites being hosted by 420 web hosting , including mine

[Rocker]

It seems impossible to get any common sense into the heads of those so opposed to cannabis.

 

I'm sure those who are in Nimbin will have a hell of a good time.

And three cheers to them for flying the flag for us who couldn't make it this year.

[Radic]

no cops in town yet

@ 10am

[Radic]

from the FNQ Zenith performed in the town hall last night

and local band One 4 One at the bush theater

wiched night

bout 1500ppl in town now sat 11am

[Indycar]

Found a bit more to the story...

 

Nimbin's MardiGrass loses hemp bar and museum

 

Ben Dillaway

 

03May08

 

NIMBIN residents yesterday removed the doors to the town's museum in a bid to stop a court order closing the colourful business and the Nimbin Hemp Bar during the town's infamous MardiGrass celebrations this weekend.

 

In Lismore Local Court yesterday, police successfully applied for the order, due to evidence of an ongoing supply of drugs from within the Cullen Street premises.

 

Police alleged that the crowds during MardiGrass, a festival celebrating cannabis, would increase the chance of drug dealing and use from the premises.

 

The museum proprietor was served with the court order immediately after the hearing at 9.30am yesterday. But after hearing the news people removed the museum's doors.

 

"Everyone had hid the doors so I couldn't close it," said the president of the town's Hemp Embassy, Michael Balderstone.

 

"Anyway the police gave me a bit of time and we eventually found the doors hidden and put them back on," he said.

 

"There's 20 keys to the building around town so I don't know if it will stay closed."

 

Mr Balderstone said the forced closures would not affect MardiGrass, with organisers expecting more than 10,000 to fill the northern NSW town over the weekend.

 

"The police are just flexing their muscles," he said.

 

"I think it was below the belt, it's the main tourist attraction in town and it's the biggest weekend of the year.

 

"But MardiGrass will go on around it."

 

Police will monitor the museum and bar during the weekend. Richmond police area's commander, Acting Superintendent Steven Clarke, said yesterday's application was based on evidence of the ongoing supply of drugs from both premises.

 

"Under the strategic plan for Nimbin we are seeking to eliminate the supply of prohibited drugs," he said.

 

Source: www.goldcoast.com.au