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Coffeeshop Owner Broke Cannabis Laws

High Times

Thursday 25 Mar 2010

The owner of Checkpoint, a Dutch coffeeshop in the town of Terneuzen, was fined 10 million euros ($13.3 million) and sentenced to 16 weeks in prison when a court decided that his business broke drug laws.

While cannabis is tolerated in the Netherlands, it is technically illegal and coffeeshops are not supposed to have more than 500 grams (18oz) on their grounds at any given time. Checkpoint was known for serving as many as 3,000 people in a day and, on more than one occasion, police found 440 pounds of pot in the coffeeshop.

The court also found owner Meddie Willemsen and his staff guilty of exporting drugs and membership in a criminal organization. Willemsen was released as he served the time in jail before the trial.

According to the BBC, prosecutors asked the court to fine Willemsen 28 million euros. However, the court levied the 10 million euro fine as it felt the town of Terneuzen was also to blame. The town put up road signs directing traffic to Checkpoint and even built a parking lot by the shop to reduce traffic.

A court statement read: "Checkpoint could not have expanded as much as it did without collaboration from the municipality of Terneuzen."

http://hightimes.com/news/mike_hughes/6315

 

 

 

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