Pubdate: Wed, 29 Jun 2011
Source: Dominion Post, The (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2011 The Dominion Post
Contact:  http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2550
Author: Jessica Tasman-Jones
Cited: The Daktory http://www.thedaktory.org.nz
Bookmark: http://mapinc.org/topic/Dispensaries

'DAKTORY' CANNABIS CLUB OWNER JAILED

The man behind New Zealand's first cannabis club, The Daktory, was 
today jailed for eight months after appearing in the Auckland District Court.

Dakta Green, who ran the west Auckland club where cannabis could be 
bought and sold freely for more than 30 months, was found guilty on 
three cannabis related charges earlier this year.

The 61-year-old was sentenced to eight months for possession and 
supplying cannabis and three months for permitting his premises, The 
Daktory, to be used for commission of a crime.

The sentences will be served concurrentl,y meaning Green will serve 
eight months.

Green objected to the sentence, but Judge Phil Gittos said the law 
"must be upheld" and said the sentence was much more lenient than the 
four years the Crown had sought.

About 30 Daktory supporters protested outside the court before 
Green's appearance and their chants could be heard inside the 
courtroom throughout his sentencing.

Green was charged following police raids on The Daktory in January 
2010 after he'd detailed nationwide cannabis-club expansion plans to the media.

Green closed the doors of The Daktory to its 2000-plus members last 
month following his convictions.

The New Lynn warehouse would, however, continue to be used as a 
centre of activism for marijuana law reform.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom