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Bellatrix

Man Who Smuggled Pot with Squid Shipment Sentenced

SANDIEGO NEWS SERVICES | August 30, 2004

SAN DIEGO – A man who drove a trailer-truck loaded with more than 6,700 pounds of marijuana mixed with 30,000 pounds of frozen squid across the Otay Mesa border was sentenced today to 121 months in federal custody.

Bellatrix; That's TEN YEARS ladies and gentlemen. Ten years for driving a truck full of plants and dead fish across an invisible line. How is this NOT cruel and unusual punishment?

A jury on May 28 convicted Roberto Armenta-Orozco, 37, of conspiracy to distribute marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and importation of marijuana.

Defense attorney Mark Adams unsuccessfully argued to U.S. District Judge M. James Lorenz that Armenta-Orozco be given a lesser sentence because of statements he made to authorities after his arrest last year, in which he denied knowing the marijuana was mixed into the squid.

But the judge called the case "bothersome" because of the amount of drugs seized.

"There was an awful lot of drugs involved here," Lorenz said. "I truly don't believe he has accepted responsibility."

Bellatrix; of course, the judge misses the possibility that Roberto hasn't actually done anything WRONG.

Armenta-Orozco's manifest on April 14, 2003, claimed he was transporting frozen squid ultimately destined for South Korea.

A narcotics dog alerted authorities to the presence of a drug in the defendant's trailer, but Armenta-Orozco was unaware it had been detected when he dropped off the trailer at a nearby truck stop, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri Hobson.

Four co-conspirators were arrested at the truck stop as they attempted to switch the packages of marijuana with packages of frozen squid from a second truck, the prosecutor said.

Before trial, the co-conspirators pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, Hobson said.

Armenta-Orozco was taken into custody after a more intensive investigation revealed his involvement, authorities said.

Bellatrix; I wanted to include this story because it was funny, but sad in a familiar way. What did this guy do to get locked up for ten years? Lord knows, South Korea needs marijuana more than any other country on this planet. Hell, he might have done those people some good. Another drug war casualty - always a waste and a shame.

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smoking_joe_lee

Another victim of the war on drugs...The judge found it "bothersome" that the defendant was caught with just over two and a quarted tons of pot. It probably did not help his case when, "Before trial [4] co-conspirators pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute..." It's pretty obvious he did something "wrong" even if it was associating with the four "co-conspirators."

Now if mj were legal, this dude would be in the clear, right? Cigarettes are legal. Suppose he was caught say, entering Canada at Sumas with a couple of tons of cigarettes hiding in his squid. Would the RCMP...

a. Pat him on the back for saving Canadian smokers money.

b. Lock him up.

c. Lock him up and throw away the key.

d. Use the oportunity to have a smoke break.

I'm smoking joe and wonder if the dude had a criminal record...

ps

If there is one country tht needs weed it's probably NORTH KOREA. As much oppression as those people face every day...

Bellatrix

I think your misunderstand what I mean by "wrong" there, joe. When I say wrong I mean "immoral" or "destructive", not illegal. Just because something is illegal doesn't mean it's morally wrong. My point is, this guy wasn't hurting anyone by doing what he was doing.

You seem to be using the word "legal" in the place of "unregulated." Hell joe, someone can get busted for driving wheat or lumber across the border right now. If someone was caught smuggling ciagrettes I doubt that they would serve jail time, and even if they did it wouldn't be ten years.

And every country needs weed, (of course!) but I'll explain why I think South Korea's need is more dire. It's South Korea that is trapped in a cycle of rabid materialism and covert but mailicious media censorship, and therefore the ones in more need of some mind expansion. In my opinion, both countries are repressed but one is living under an illusion of freedom. I'm sure the North Korean people are well aware that they are living in an opressive dictatorship. I would send hemp to the North and sensimilla to the South. It could re-unite the penninsula!