Drugs Module Flashcards
What must evidential transcripts of intercepted communications be?
They must be verbatim copy’s of the recorded version of the conversation.
Albeit when presented in Court they will be played in a manner that extra or inadmissible information is not disclosed
What is wilful blindness in relation to Importation?
When someone has their suspicions aroused as to the chance that their actions make them involved in the importation of a controlled drug BUT they deliberately refrain from making further enquires or confirming their suspicion in order to remain ignorant.
If that is proved the law presumes knowledge on the part of the accused and the fault lies in the deliberate failure to inquire when the accused knows there is reason for inquiry.
What does S.29 MODA say about proving usable quantity?
Section 29 states that is is not necessary for the Prosecution to prove the fact of usable quantity, unless the defendant raises the issue
What must the Prosecution consider when establishing if a controlled drug is of a usable quantity?
Whether or not the quantity of drug is usable depends on more than just the size or weight, the nature of the drug and the condition in which it is found are also relevant
What is a ‘Tracking Device”
Any device that may be used to help ascertain, by electronic or other means, either or both of the following:
-The location of a person or thing
-Whether a thing has been opened, tampered with or otherwise dealt with
What is the presumptive weight for possession for supply for controlled drugs not listed in Schedule 5 MODA ?
56 grams
List four examples of a Class A Controlled Drug?
Methamphetamine
Cocaine
LSD
Heroin
What Cannabis preparations are considered Class B controlled drugs?
Cannabis oil & hashish
What are the grounds for withholding intercepted communications?
-The information is likely to prejudice the maintenance of law, including the prevention, investigation and detection of offences
-Disclosure of the information is likely to endanger the safety of any person or people
-Disclosure of the information is likely to prejudice the security or defence of NZ
-Disclosure of personal and private information
-Disclosure of privileged information
What was held in R v Collister?
Circumstantial evidence from which and offenders intent can be inferred can include:
-Their words and actions before, during and after the event
-The surrounding circumstances
-The nature of the act itself
When is the offence of Importation under Section 6 (1)(a) complete?
The offence of importation does not end when the drugs cross the border, the process of importation continues while the goods are in transit, and only concludes when the goods have reached their final destination and are available to the consignee (R v Hancox)
List the three sentencing categories for Cannabis Cultivation
Category 1: Growing of small number of plants for personal use without any sale to another party occurring or being intended
Category 2: Small-scale cultivation for a commercial purpose
Category 3: large scale commercial cultivation with a considerable degree of sophistication and organisation
What does Section 2 MODA 1975 say about potential possession?
Potential possession includes circumstances where a controlled drug is subject to a persons control but is physically in the custody of another”
At what point does someone become criminally liable for importation?
Criminal liability arises as soon as the drugs cross the NZ border, and an importer may be convicted under section 6 (1)(a) MODA 1975 even if the drugs are intercepted by customs and never reach the intended address
Who and why are charges commonly laid under S.12A
(Equipment & Precursors)
Charges under S.12A (1) are commonly laid against business who knowingly supply equipment for cultivating cannabis or against ‘pseudo shoppers’ who acquire quantities of pseudoehpedrine to supply meth cooks
Charges under S.12A (2) are commonly laid against people in possession of such items that intend to use them themselves for such purposes
What activities are key within the first 24 hours of any telephone investigation?
Have the TSP (telecommunication service provider) trap the text messages for all relevant phone numbers. This ensures the data is stored and allows time to apply for production orders under S.6 S&S Act 2012
What are the conditions for issuing a SDW?
There are reasonable grounds:
- To suspect that an offence has, is or will be committed in respect of which they may apply for a warrant to enter a premise for the purpose of obtaining evidential material of the suspected offence
AND
- To believe that the use of a surveillance device will obtain information that is evidential material of the offence
Where are the powers to conduct searches of people, places and vehicles relating to controlled delivery’s under S.12 MUODA 1978 found?
Section 81 of the S&S Act 2012 details the powers available to conduct searches of people, places and vehicles for controlled delivery’s
What was held in R v Maginnis?
“Supply involves more than the mere transfer of physical control, it includes enabling the recipient to apply the thing to purposes for which he desires”
Define ‘Distributing’
To supply drugs to multiple people
List the section and elements for Drug Dealing:
(Supplies, Administer or Offers to Supply or Administer to persons under 18 years)
Drug Dealing (Supplies, Administer or Offers to Supply or Administer to persons under 18 years)
-Section 6 (1)(d) MODA 1975
-Supply (or) administer (or) offer to supply (or) offer to administer
-Any Class C controlled Drug
-To any person under 18 years of age
Define ‘Controlled Drug’
Any substance, preparation, article or mixture specified or described in schedules 1-3 of this Act and any controlled drug analogue
What safety considerations must you make when you have made an unplanned entry into a Clan Lab?
-Leave the area immediately
-Never touch, handle, move, disconnect or operate anything.
-Never touch, taste or smell chemicals
-Do not shut off water supply to house/dwelling
-Do not smoke in or near Clan Lab
-Do not use radio or cellphone or tools that cause friction
-Do not re-enter premises
What was held in R v Hancox?
Importation involved active conduct. It does not cease as the aircraft or vessel enters NZ territorial limits.
The process of importation exists from the time the goods enter NZ until they reach their immediate destination or have ceased to be under the control of the appropriate authorities and have become available to the consignee or addressee.
What was held in R v Brown regarding the actual making of the offer?
“The making of such an intimation, with the intention that it should be understood as a genuine offer, is an offence”
List the section and elements for Drug Dealing:
Sell/Offer to Sell any Class C controlled Drug to person of or over 18 years of age
Drug Dealing (Sell/Offer to Sell any Class C controlled Drug to person of or over 18 years of age0
-Section 6 (1)(e) MODA 1975
-Sells (or) offers to sell
-Any class C controlled drug
-To any person of or over 18 years of age
What is a tracking device?
There are two main types of tracking devices:
- A device that is used to ascertain the location of a person or thing
- A device that is used to advise if a things has been handled or tampered with
What was held in Saxton v Police?
To import includes ‘to introduce from abroad or to cause to be brought in from a foreign country”
What is a ‘Controlled Delivery’
A controlled delivery is when a consignment of illicit drugs is detected in circumstances that make it possible for the delivery of the goods to be made under the control and surveillance of NZ Customs and NZ Police
Define giving and when the act of giving is complete?
Giving is the handing over, or in some other way, transferring an item to another person.
The act of giving is complete when the recipient accepts possession or where the drug is placed under the control of a willing recipient
Giving can occur without an active transfer of the drugs - for example where a person passively allows someone to help themselves to a cache of drugs (R v Wildbore)
What must the prosecution prove for a charge against S.12 MODA
(Allowing premises or vehicles to be used)
The Crown must prove that the person knowingly permitted any premises, vehicle, aircraft or other mode of conveyance to be used for the purpose of the commission of an offence against MODA
List four examples of a Class B Controlled Drug?
Amphetamine
GHB
MDMA
Cannabis Oil & Hashish
Pseudoephedrine
Ephedrine
Morphine
Opium
What piece of legislation protects CHIS providing information/
S.64 of the Evidence Act 2006 grants privilege to informers that protects their identity and extends to the information that is likely to reveal that identity
What must you do if you make an unplanned entry into a Clan Lab?
Attending staff must not touch, handle, move, disconnect or operate anything.
They must ensure that they:
-Immediately alert all attending staff of clan lab discovery
-Remove persons of interest
-Isolate site and maintain safe perimeter
-Preserve the crime scene
-Contact Duty Inspector or NCO as well as NCLRT
-Seek advice from FENZ about decontamination
-Seek medical advice if necessary
Is it an offence under Section 6 MODA 1975 to supply or give a class C controlled drug to a person over 18 years of age?
No under section 6 it is only an offence if the person has sold or offered to sell the class C controlled drug. If the drug is simply handed over or given then they cannot be charges under Section 6, however they may still be liable under Section 7 MODA
Define ‘Manufacture’
The process of synthesis; combining components or processing raw materials to create a new substance
What was held in Police v Emerali?
‘Possessing a narcotic does not extend to some minute and useless residue of the substance’
What must you consider when identifying a suitable observation point (OP)
First try and identify any staff or ‘friendlies’ that live in the vicinity of the target address.
Consider:
-Camera OP requirements vs intercept requirements
-Whether SDW is needed to carry out the activities
-The staff having to occupy the OP
List the section, elements and punishment for Conspiring to Deal with Controlled Drugs
Conspiring to Deal with Controlled Drugs
Section 6(2A) MODA 1975
-Conspires
-With any person
-To commit an offence against subsection 6(1) of MODA
Punishment:
Class A -14yrs
Class B -12yrs
Class C -7yrs
What must the Crown prove for a charge of ‘offering to supply or administer’
-The communication of an offer to supply or administer a controlled drug (actus reus)
-An intention that the other person believes the offer to be genuine (mens rea)
What was held in R v Donald
That supply includes the distribution of jointly owned property between its co-owners
What does Section 29 MODA say about a defence of mistaken nature of a drug?
Section 29 states that it is not a defence that the defendant did not know the substance in question was the particular controlled drug.
For example if the defendant supplied cocaine believing it to be heroin they would still be liable for supplying cocaine.
In what circumstances must you apply for a Surveillance Device Warrant
When you wish to:
-Use a interception device to intercept private communications
-Use a tracking device other than for the purposes of ascertaining if an object has been opened, tampered with or otherwise dealt with AND the installation of the tracking device does not require trespass of goods or land
-observation of private activity within a private premises and any recording of that observation by means of a visual surveillance device
-The use of a visual surveillance device to observe and or record private activity within the curtilage of a private premise, unless it is for less than 3 hours within any 24hr period and for a total of no more than 8hrs
The legislation for dealing with people who are believed to be internally concealing drugs is outlined in S.13A MUODA 1978.
Who does this provision apply to?
People who you have reasonable grounds to believe are concealing a Class A or Class B controlled drug and are NOT under arrest.
The power to deal with people who you have reasonable grounds to believe are concealing a Class A, B or C controlled drug and ARE under arrest comes from S.23 S&S Act 2012
What was held in R v Forrest & Forrest?
The Crown must produce the best possible evidence in the circumstances to prove the victims age
What are the time limits for filing charging documents for offences against MODA?
- S.289(a) States you may file charging documents at any time for offences of: dealing, cultivating, aiding offences against corresponding law in other countries
- S.28(b) states that you have up to four years from the time the offence was committed to lay charging documents for all other offences
Define why a drug is considered a class A controlled drug?
A class A controlled drug is any drug listed in schedule 1 of MODA 1975.
Class A controlled drugs are those drugs considered to pose a very high risk of harm to individuals and society
Define ‘Importation’
The Customs & Excise Act 2018 defines importation as:
‘The arrival of goods in New Zealand in any matter whether lawfully or unlawfully, from a point outside New Zealand’