5 ms·

> Police are understaffed I don't buy that. I mean, it could be that the investigation into this criminal racket is understaffed, but the question of whether t

> Police are understaffed I don't buy that. I mean, it could be that the investigation into this criminal racket is understaffed, but the question of whether there are more or less police staff generally probably not that important here. > They make a lot of mistakes in the process, accidentally publishing the identity of key witnesses etc... Understaffing of an investigation + strategic "mistakes" raises some red flags IMHO. > The way it currently works is that Marijuana can be bought legally at a coffeeshop, but it cannot be produced for sale legally. Why has the Netherlands not decriminalized Cannbis-based products entirely? That is is, which political parties are against it, and what are their arguments? > I suspect this broken legal system is bankrolling A nitpick about your English phrasing: I'm sure you mean that current law is conducive to these criminal-industrial operations, not the legal _system_ and not bankrolling. i.e. no jurist is financing these crimes.

strangetortoise 5y ago
> ... but the question of whether there are more or less police staff generally probably not that important here. What are you talking about? A quick google shows extensive reporting on the lack of police staffing and working pressure. This has been pretty well-reported in NL over the last few years. [0] 2018: https://nos.nl/nieuwsuur/artikel/2245189-personeelstekort-bij-de-politie-in-veel-plaatsen-piept-en-kraakt-het https://nos.nl/nieuwsuur/artikel/2245189-personeelstekort-bi... [1] 2019: https://eenvandaag.avrotros.nl/item/politievakbond-er-is-een-schreeuwend-tekort-aan-blauw-op-straat-en-dat-wordt-alleen-maar-erger/ https://eenvandaag.avrotros.nl/item/politievakbond-er-is-een... [2] 2019: https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2019/12/16/politie-heeft-te-weinig-tijd-en-mankracht-voor-aanpak-georganiseerde-misdaad-a3983996 https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2019/12/16/politie-heeft-te-weinig... [3] 2019: https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/nieuws/nederland/artikel/4936156/politie-amsterdam-femke-halsema-burgemeester-openbaar-ministerie https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/nieuws/nederland/artikel/4936156/po...
ben_w 5y ago
I don’t know what things are like in the Netherlands, but a while ago I realised that the (self-reported) drug use in the UK was sufficient that the UK would literally have to bankrupt itself if it tried to fully enforce its laws. While I take this to be a sign that the laws are wrong, I am more anarchic than the average UK voter. I can’t even compare myself to the average Dutch voter (ik spreek nur een bitje Nederlands, and even that is mostly because of how close it is to an average of English and German).
- rambambram 5y ago
  If by 'nur' you mean 'just', you're talking German. ;)
  - ben_w 5y ago
    Mea culpa, and QED. :)
Out_of_Characte 5y ago
>the question of whether there are more or less police staff generally probably not that important here. The Netherlands consist of 17 million people and there isn't really alot of crime around. Exept the massive drug corporations all gathering in the center of their import and export. Our judicial system is not in shape to handle entire criminal enterprises. >Why has the Netherlands not decriminalized Cannbis-based products entirely? No one really cares. The state likes that it can regulate the shops. Police dont put you behind bars when they find drugs and will ask you if you 'willingly' do away with your stuff. Everyone is reasonably okay with the current arrangement.
- einpoklum 5y ago
  Cannabis can be made legal and still heavily regulated. As for everyone being ok with the current arrangement - the story illustrates how that is not the case: Production and distribution cannot be done legally. What you describe is a way for avoiding public outcry about the whole state of affairs through non-enforcement on consumers. This should really change IMHO.

strangetortoise 5y ago

> ... but the question of whether there are more or less police staff generally probably not that important here. What are you talking about? A quick google shows extensive reporting on the lack of police staffing and working pressure. This has been pretty well-reported in NL over the last few years. [0] 2018: https://nos.nl/nieuwsuur/artikel/2245189-personeelstekort-bij-de-politie-in-veel-plaatsen-piept-en-kraakt-het https://nos.nl/nieuwsuur/artikel/2245189-personeelstekort-bi... [1] 2019: https://eenvandaag.avrotros.nl/item/politievakbond-er-is-een-schreeuwend-tekort-aan-blauw-op-straat-en-dat-wordt-alleen-maar-erger/ https://eenvandaag.avrotros.nl/item/politievakbond-er-is-een... [2] 2019: https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2019/12/16/politie-heeft-te-weinig-tijd-en-mankracht-voor-aanpak-georganiseerde-misdaad-a3983996 https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2019/12/16/politie-heeft-te-weinig... [3] 2019: https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/nieuws/nederland/artikel/4936156/politie-amsterdam-femke-halsema-burgemeester-openbaar-ministerie https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/nieuws/nederland/artikel/4936156/po...

ben_w 5y ago

I don’t know what things are like in the Netherlands, but a while ago I realised that the (self-reported) drug use in the UK was sufficient that the UK would literally have to bankrupt itself if it tried to fully enforce its laws. While I take this to be a sign that the laws are wrong, I am more anarchic than the average UK voter. I can’t even compare myself to the average Dutch voter (ik spreek nur een bitje Nederlands, and even that is mostly because of how close it is to an average of English and German).

rambambram 5y ago
If by 'nur' you mean 'just', you're talking German. ;)
- ben_w 5y ago
  Mea culpa, and QED. :)

Out_of_Characte 5y ago

>the question of whether there are more or less police staff generally probably not that important here. The Netherlands consist of 17 million people and there isn't really alot of crime around. Exept the massive drug corporations all gathering in the center of their import and export. Our judicial system is not in shape to handle entire criminal enterprises. >Why has the Netherlands not decriminalized Cannbis-based products entirely? No one really cares. The state likes that it can regulate the shops. Police dont put you behind bars when they find drugs and will ask you if you 'willingly' do away with your stuff. Everyone is reasonably okay with the current arrangement.

einpoklum 5y ago
Cannabis can be made legal and still heavily regulated. As for everyone being ok with the current arrangement - the story illustrates how that is not the case: Production and distribution cannot be done legally. What you describe is a way for avoiding public outcry about the whole state of affairs through non-enforcement on consumers. This should really change IMHO.