Definitions Flashcards
Imports
In relation to any goods, means the arrival of the goods in New Zealand in any manner, whether lawfully or unlawfully, from a point outside New Zealand
Importing process, when does it commence, when does criminal liability arise?
Importation is a process that commences at the point of origin and continues until the drugs have reached their ultimate destination in NZ.
Criminal liability arises as soon as the drugs cross NZ border. Can still be convicted if drugs intercepted by Customs.
Offence does not end at the border, the process of importation continues while the goods are in transit, and concludes when they have reached their final destination.
Anyone who knowingly assists in facilitating the process up until that point may be liable as a party to the importation.
Mens rea of importing drugs, 3 things
Must prove the defendants conduct in some way contributed to the actual importation of the drug, and must prove his guilty knowledge.
Will involve proof that the defendant:
- Knew about the importation
- Knew the imported substance was a controlled drug and
- Intended to cause the importation
Explain wilful blindness
In terms of proving guilty knowledge, proof that the defendant deliberately turned a blind eye to the facts will suffice.
Exports
For the purposes of the Act, the time of exportation is the time when the exporting craft leaves the last Customs place at which that craft calls immediately before proceeding to a point outside New Zealand. In all other respects the elements of exporting a controlled drug correspond to those of importing.
New Zealand
Means the land and waters enclosed by the outer limits of the territorial sea of New Zealand.
The outer limit of the territorial sea is 12 nautical miles from the land mass of New Zealand
Controlled drug
Controlled drug means any substance, preparation, mixture, or article specified or described in Schedule 1, Schedule 2 or Schedule 3 to this Act; and includes any controlled drug analogue.
Controlled drug analogue
means any substance, such as the substances specified or described in Part 7 of Schedule 3, that has a structure substantially similar to that of any controlled drug; but does not include—
(a)
any substance specified or described in Schedule 1 or Schedule 2 or Parts 1 to 6 of Schedule 3; or
(b)
any pharmacy-only medicine or prescription medicine or restricted medicine within the meaning of the Medicines Act 1981; or
(c)
an approved product within the meaning of the Psychoactive Substances Act 2013
So an analogue is any substance with a structure substantially similar to a controlled drug. It has similar dangerous effects but is not listed in the schedules in the Act.
All analogues are Class C
Class A controlled drug
means the controlled drugs specified or described in Schedule 1.
Their misuse poses a very high risk of harm to individuals and to society.
Examples:
- Cocaine
- Heroin
- Meth
- LSD
Class B controlled drug
means the controlled drugs specified or described in Schedule 2
Pose a high risk of harm to individuals and to society
Examples
- Ampthetamine
- Cannabis oil
- GHB
- Fantasy
- Opium
Class C controlled drug
means the controlled drugs specified or described in Schedule 3; and includes any temporary class drug and any controlled drug analogue
Pose a moderate risk
Examples:
- Cannabis plant and seeds
- BZP
- Controlled drug analogues
What is guilty knowledge, explain the defence
A person who innocently possesses something they genuinely believed was not a controlled drug, has a defence.
R v Strawbridge
Useable quantity
In any drug offence, the quantity of drug involved must be measurable and useable.
It is not necessary for the prosecution to prove the fact unless the defendant puts the matter in issue.
Police v Emerali
Producing
Produce includes compound; and production has a corresponding meaning
Means to bring something into being from its raw materials or elements
To compound means to create a whole by mixing or combining two or more elements or parts
Example, separating cannabis resin (oil) from cannabis plant
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the process of synthesis; combining components or processing raw materials to create a new substance
Examples include manufacturing meth from pseudo or heroin from morphine.
Producing vs manufacturing
Producing is changing the nature of the original substance, and manufacturing as creating a different substance from the original materials.
When is the offence of producing or manufacturing complete?
The offence is complete once the prohibited substance is created, whether or not it is in a useable form.
Supply
Supply includes distribute, give or sell.
It means to furnish or provide something that is needed or desired. Includes a broad range of activities designed to effect the transfer of controlled drugs from one person to another.
R v Maginnis
Distribution
Relates to the supply of drugs to multiple people
Supply includes the distribution of jointly owned property between its co-owners
Giving
Involves handing over or in some other way transferring an item to another person.
Giving can occur without an active transfer of the drugs - for example where a person passively permits another to help themselves from a cache of drugs (passive custodian)
Selling
A sale occurs when a quantity or share in a drug is exchanged for some valuable consideration.
Anything of value will suffice
Administering
Administering is distinguished from supplying in that it involves introducing a drug directly into another persons system.
Ie, injecting someone else with heroin
Offering to supply or administer, must prove two elements
This provision prohibits the act of arousing another persons interest in controlled drugs, or of tempting other to use them.
Prosecution must prove two elements:
- The communicating of an offer to supply or administer a controlled drug (actus reus)
- an intention that the other person believes the offer to be genuine
Such an offer may be conveyed in any manner, including by words, writing or gestures.
R v During
R v Brown
To any other person
Prosecution must prove that the drugs were supplied to another person, although it is not necessary to identify that person. ‘Person’ is generally accepted by judicial notice or proved by circumstantial evidence.
Proof of age
For 6(1)(d) charges, Prosecution must prove victims age at time of alleged offending. Generally involves producing the victims birth certificate in conjunction with independent evidence that identifies the victim as the person named in the certificate.
R v Forrest and Forrest
Sells 6(1)(e)
In relation to 6(1)(e), 6(5) states - for the purposes of (e) of subsection (1) of this section, if it is proved that a person has supplied a controlled drug to another person, he shall until the contrary is proved be deemed to have sold that controlled drug to that other person.
It is only a drug dealing offence under Section 6 if Class C drugs are sold or offered for sale to that person. Supply of Class C without sale comes under Section 7.