The media doesn’t typically even go out to a lot of these busts, especially smaller media like ourselves, because there isn’t much point in the time/expense. We receive the photos and info from the MSP or OIJ and write the story sitting at our desk.

That said, when information provided by the OIJ doesn’t add up or make sense, we do our best to confront them on it, either for the initial story or (more commonly, because there is some competition to be the ‘first’ to get the story out in the Internet era of publishing) for a follow up story.

The other room with the plants in vegetative stage would have had clones, and the biggest plants in that room would have been maybe 12 inches at most before they were transfered to the flower room- I say this because if they were grown biggerin the vegetative room (1st stage), then they would outgrow the ceiling of the flower room that is pictured. Nothing makes sense from the photos and what was written. There is no way 15 kilos could be produced in a room the size of the flowering room. This story is completely inflated. Inflated to screw 2 foreign young adults. The pictures tell this story. It is obviously bullshit. So I do not think your words can be justified, just as the words of the article can not be. The photo evidence does not support what is said.

I don’t blame the author of this article. I know the media would not even be allowed near the set-up, they have to stay off the property site. The photos come from OIJ and are provided by OIJ, just as the data of the plants are. Tim feel free to chime in if I am wrong on how this process works between the media and OIJ. The media is kept off the premises, and at a distance. These kids were growing a bunch of small scraggly plants and in a small shed like room.

“En total, la Policía ubicó aproximadamente 15 kilos entre ramas y picadura de marihuana y 141 matas de esta droga, en un tamaño entre 20 y 50 centímetros de alto”. This says that they confiscated stalks and leaves for a total of 15 kilos. Stalks and leaves. These are trumped up charges!!! As previously one light can only produce a pound of pot, and these sorry looking plants were not capable of producing more than about 1/4 oz each of dried bud.

Sadly, society is taught they can trust the police. It is not the case with this office in Santa Cruz. They are corrupt as can be, and this article is just another example to show that corruption. They have an obvios agenda. Nothing makes sense. NOTHING! A story perpetrated like this shows you exactly what is wrong with the drug war. It corrupts cops!

I think your anger is misdirected Ken. And think about the consequences of a few 20 something year olds who are in a foreign country. They are being railroaded into being kingpins…when this was a grow that was of obvious personal use. I say that as an expert on the subject matter, who also has intimite knowledge of the OIJ office of Santa Cruz!

However, even in the most egregious case I personally know, the fellow who did five years in prison, he was not in business. He was just splitting up shit and having a good time among friends while working a day job.

Here we have a couple that is in the business, and in a foreign country. Well, is being in the business bad? You know, it kind of is. Since anyone can grow a few plants and keep themselves supplied, those who go into the business are a different and oilier breed. Think of alcohol. It’s one thing to drink, another to run a legal neighborhood tavern, a third to run a legal drink-till-you-puke place, and a fourth to operate a bootleg cantina. The further you move along this continuum, the more the qualms. It’s the same with pot.

And in a foreign country? This suggests disrespect to me, even an arrogant belittling of the host country, as if gringos are empowered by their gringo-ness to operate an illegal business. It’s just oily.

I agreed below with deportation, but frankly would like to see worse. Since they’re young, maybe this couple have time yet to see the light and become decent contributing members of whatever society they are in. Jail seems too harsh. But if there were a way, I’d say fine them for every dime they made and deport their selfish asses. It’s not right what they did. It’s wrong.

And Mr. Nonsense, I don’t agree with a tax either. Come on, grow up and think for yourself. Taxing pot is rhetoric and bullshit. It might win the political battles, but it’s not the right thing to do. I mean, you don’t allow kidneys to be sold simply because you can tax the sale, do you? An alcohol tax (probably lower than it is) may be justified because if its social costs, but not a pot tax. You either make the case on its merits or you shut the fuck up. Enticing people with the promise of a tax is disgusting.

And, I don’t know where you come from, but I am personally sick to death of people separating marijuana from other drugs, like cocaine and yes alcohol. It’s not like potheads are cool while crackheads still ought to go to jail. It’s more complicated that this. Yes, there are different physiological effects of different drugs, but a lot of the differences are actually social, cultural, and class. That the middle class now smokes pot doesn’t influence me one iota to favor it. Worse, some drugs probably ought to be illegal.

Drug policy is a lot more complicated than legalizing and taxing pot–and I assure you that a couple illegal gringo pot growers and sellers in Costa Rica are not role models. I mean, what’s next , to defend Pablo Escobar’s rape and murder of teenage girls because he was heroically selling cocaine, which probably shouldn’t be illegal either?