Supreme Court Seed story doubted

Press, 8 March 1978, Page 4

Supreme Court Seed story doubted

A long-haired youth wearing a three-quarter-length fur coat who had books about drugs in his luggage said in the Supreme Court yesterday that he was not surprised when he was subjected to a strip search by Customs when he arrived at Christchurch Airport on a flight from Melbourne. The jury took two hours to find Glen Adrian McGregor, aged 20, a fish splitter, guilty on a charge of importing cannabis seeds into New Zealand on October 13. Mr Justice Casey remanded McGregor in custody to March 10 for sentence.

Mr G. K. Panckhurst appeared for the Crown and Mr E. Parsons for McGregor, who pleaded not guilty.

Mr Panckhurst said that McGregor arrived at Christchurch Airport on the evening of October 13. As a result of material a Customs officer found in McGregor’s case he was subjected to a personal search and about 900 cannabis seeds were found in the lining of his fur coat.

In explanation, McGregor said that the seeds must have fallen out of his pockets into the lining when he was carrying marijuana in Australia. The police took possession of the coat and seeds.

Later, in a written statement made to a detective, McGregor altered his explanation and said that he had removed the seeds from “deals” of cannabis in Australia and put them in a jar. He put the seeds in his coat and forgot they were there. He had not worn the coat for about a month before leaving Australia. Patrick James Barker, a Customs officer, said that when he searched McGregor’s luggage he found publications dealing with the use and cultivation of drugs, and paraphernalia used for smoking cannabis. There were four cannabis seeds in the bottom of the case. With McGregor’s consent he was searched. Witness

put his hand into a split in the lining of the fur coat and found the 900 cannabis seeds. When McGregor said that the seeds must have fallen into the lining from his pockets the inside of the pockets were examined, and were found intact. To Mr Parsons witness said that McGregor had presented him with a blank declaration form, and had been out of the country for some time. It was not automatic that a person such as McGregor would be searched. McGregor was wearing a

silver necklace with a replica of a spoon and another drug symbol. In evidence McGregor said that he had smoked cannabis nearly every night of the week during his nine months he was in Australia. He always removed the seeds before smoking the leaf. Smoking cannabis gave him a feeling like intoxication, he said, only better. However it made him absent-minded. When he returned to New Zealand he was not aware that the seeds were in the coat. He did not knowingly bring the seeds into New Zealand.