War On Drugs Gone Too Far? CA Officer Kills Innocent Dog During Raid Of Legal Farm And More Weed Chronicles

Singapore Executes Another Person For Marijuana Possession

In just three weeks since Singapore's authorities hung Tangaraju Suppiah, who'd been sentenced to death in 2018 for smuggling more than one kilogram of marijuana, they've executed another citizen for a similar crime.

What happened: On Wednesday, the 37-year-old man, whose name was not shared to protect his family’s privacy was hung after having spent seven years in prison, reported the Associated Press. He was convicted in 2019 for trafficking about 1.5 kilograms of marijuana.

According to activist Kokila Annamalai of the Transformative Justice Collective which is fighting to abolish the death penalty, the man's last try to reopen his case was dismissed by the court Tuesday without a hearing.

“If we don’t come together to stop it, we fear that this killing spree will continue in the weeks and months to come,” Annamalai said, adding that around 60 people are on death row, mostly for drug-related offenses. 

The executions were harshly criticized by various groups and public figures. Suppiah’s case even sparked comments and activism from British mogul Richard Branson. “Singapore is an otherwise wonderful country, so it’s very sad to see some of its policies harking back to colonialism, and even reminiscent of medieval times,” Branson wrote in a blog post at the time. Branson is a member of the Global Commission on Drug Policy.

In 2022, Singapore executed 11 people for drug offenses.

$3.06 Million Worth Of Cannabis Seized By Irish Authorities 

Irish law enforcement officials seized around 142 kilograms (313 pounds) of marijuana recently at a Dublin port. According to the official press release, this amount of “herbal cannabis” was estimated to be worth €2.84 million ($3.06 million).

Cannabis, which is illegal in Ireland was found when Revenue officers stopped and searched a vehicle from France. The seizure led to the arrest of “a man in his 40s”, who is detained at Garda Station in Dublin.

The investigation is still ongoing.

According to the report, this seizure was part of Revenue’s ongoing efforts to stop organized crime groups that are distributing illegal drugs. “If businesses, or members of the public, have any information regarding drug smuggling, they can contact Revenue in confidence on phone number 1800 295 295,” the release reads.

This case comes on the heels of another involving illegal marijuana in Dublin when authorities arrested a man after seizing around 54 kilograms of weed, with an estimated street value of €1.08 million Euros, writes BBC.

This marijuana was found during an intelligence-led joint operation between Irish police and officers from the Revenue Customs Service.

Officer Kills Dog During Raid Of State-Licensed Cannabis Farm

California has been struggling with illegal cannabis farms for a long time, which may have caused the recent scandal – raids of licensed farms and shooting of the dog.

What happened: Cal Fire officer raided the cannabis farm, which was in the process of approval, during which one of them fatally shot the grower's dog, reported Los Angeles Times. The incident sparked outrage from the community, with some locals demanding the resignation of Trinity County Sheriff Tim Saxon.

The short video showing armed soldiers entering the property and shooting the dog has gone viral and attracted national attention.

Trinity County Sheriff’s Department said that the grower did not have the required permit and defended the officer, arguing that the dog attacked him.

What’s more, in late April other cannabis farms with state licenses were raided, supposedly lacking permits. Reports at the time noted that California had issued 345 growers' licenses in the county, which approved less than half (134) of them.

“What I wish for is that we would have a consistent policy throughout the state,” said Trinity County Sheriff Saxon. The current dual licensing system, he added, is “placing many sheriffs in an uncomfortable situation, including myself.”

Photo: Courtesy of Brent Barnett from Pixabay