English teachers nabbed in drug-ring bust (Part 2)

[Josefus]

[quote=“Chewycorns”]I think some Duran Duran lyrics would be useful:

An English teacher gets arrested, gonna do some time
He

[Elegua]

That was Grand Master Flash

[pissedpookie]

@ImaniOU

Again, it might not be morally wrong in your mind, but what you think and what the law is is irrelevant when you’re being thrown in prison. Respect the laws and customs of your host country.

If you work in a kindergarten illegally, even though most of us think it’s silly for the government to control what happens in private schools, arguing this point is not going to prevent them from being able to deport you.

Even if you think (or rather know) that marijuana is not nearly as harmful to your system as alcohol, you still take the risk smoking it when doing so is illegal.

How do you work on making those things which are not harmful legal? I don’t know. But I do know that regardless of your opinion or moral stance on these issues, you should not be surprised if you get into trouble for doing them if there are laws against doing them.

We choose to take risks when we go against the law, whether it’s being in a party where someone’s selling E, teaching illegally, or running a red light. The important thing is to be responsible enough to face the consequences regardless of whether or not you feel it’s wrong. I think quite a few people lack that responsibility.

Ack. You keep saying it, but no one is listening. :s

This issue isn’t about the morality of drugs or if you think drugs are okay or if some are hard or soft. It’s about the fact you CHOSE to live in Taiwan and by doing so, you accepted the TAIWANESE consequences of drug use and sale. It doesn’t fucking matter if the guy was a small time dealer. It doesn’t matter if he had half a fucking gram of marijuana on him. He had it. He will be punished accordingly by Taiwanese law.

Get over it, people. You chose to live here, you chose to accept the risks and responsibilities inherent with living here. Remove mommy’s nipple from mouth and grow up.

[sandman]

Remove mommy’s nipple from mouth

Mom? That’s YOU??? OMG, I’m so embarrassed. I thought you were my wife! Don’t tell Dad! Please!

[Huang_Guang_Chen]

Know shit speak shit . . .erh, not you Sandy.

HG

[fee]

That was Grand Master Flash

Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel, actually.

[shifty]

We all know the drug laws here in Taiwan. If you choose to break them you take your chances.
He got caught he will be punished.

Where is the moral debate here? Are some of you actually trying to say it is not fair or the cops or not credible?! Jesus where do you live?
We all know the deal here with Cops, gansters, racism and such.

You roll the dice you may have to pay.

[anon24369109]

@LittleBuddhaTW

“Socially acceptable behavior”? Maybe to you and some others, but certainly not in this neck of the woods as deemed by the Taiwan governing authorities, and as others have pointed out, that’s their prerogative. THEY say it’s wrong and illegal, therefore unless you want to run the risk of going to jail, getting deported, or, god forbid, getting executed, then just stay away from the stuff. You’re not gonna die if you give up recreational drugs for the few months or years that you’re hanging around Taiwan.

They should be glad this isnt Singapore where you really do get to hang, as this young Aussie is about to find out

smh.com.au/news/world/singap … 60560.html

[Mother_Theresa]

So, whatever happened to them? Anyone know?

[shifty]

@Mother Theresa

So, whatever happened to them? Anyone know?

Still in jail awaiting trial. I read an interveiw with his dad in the local paper from British Columbia.
His dad expressed shock but also said he is a grown man man, he broke the law & he must face the charges it was his choice to do so.

[enzo]

Entertainer “Duncan,” a Hong Kong national, released on bail of 100,000 NT yesterday, says small piece in United Daily News entertainment pages this morning. No word about others involved.

[bob_honest]

Does anybody know a link about how many foreigners are in Taiwan in jail. My wife always mentions a UK guy who would be in jail since 20 years, but that may well be an urban legend. No idea.

[wonder]

@shifty

[quote=“Mother Theresa”]So, whatever happened to them? Anyone know?

Still in jail awaiting trial. I read an interveiw with his dad in the local paper from British Columbia.
His dad expressed shock but also said he is a grown man man, he broke the law & he must face the charges it was his choice to do so.[/quote]

They will probably wait at least three months before any kind of court appearance. The courts are backed up here in Taiwan for in some cases two years. Small island, lots of people. All you have to do is read the local papers and most of the people are coming up on charges that are two years old.

I met a western guy in Thailand who was in the same boat for different charges. They set him free because there was no room in the jails, but they confiscated his passport.

I know in Korea it’s an automatic three months in jail if you’re caught with weed or hash. Then you go to trial or you are deported.

[Chewycorns]

Forand is back in the news again in Canada – looks like the prosecution wants to throw the death penalty on him after all.

@CBC

B.C. man who went to Taiwan to teach English is in jail and facing a possible death sentence after pleading guilty to drug trafficking charges.

Mathieu Forand, of Port Moody, was arrested last August by the Taiwanese Coast Guard after they found cocaine, marijuana and ecstasy pills in hollowed-out English textbooks.

The authorities allege the 28-year-old Forand is the leader of a ring of English teachers smuggling drugs into Taiwan.

Friends have said Forand had been teaching in Taiwan for several years.

They said the prosecution was pushing for the death penalty or 25 years in prison while Forand’s lawyer was arguing for a sentence of 10 to 15 years.

Drug detection methods improving: Mountie

RCMP Cpl. Tom Seaman said he’s not surprised Forand was caught by the Taiwanese.

“Law enforcement around the world is becoming very creative in our efforts and our methods of detecting drug smuggling, and they should think of that,” he said.

“The chances are, they’re going to get caught. And if you get caught smuggling in some countries, the penalties are very severe.”

Ben Glickman, co-owner of Footprints Recruiting, which regularly sends Canadian teachers to Taiwan, said Forand’s arrest should serve as a warning.

He said some North Americans travelling abroad seem to feel they are immune to foreign laws.

“I think the primary thing to me is that it really points to a kind of a cultural arrogance,” he said.

cbc.ca/story/canada/national … 60215.html

[Mr_PBH]

Wow, that majorly sucks.

Can the news be verified in taiwan??

[Old_Gobbo]

Who is “They”?

[JadeEmpirePlaya]

Death Penalty is not going to happen, 10-15 years is likely. Taiwan does not want to put a foreigner to death, the bad press and strain on relations will not be in their best interests.

[Mr_PBH]

@Old Gobbo

Who is “They”?

Could be authorities or friends.

[Chewycorns]

If that is the case, someone should inform this blogger…he makes it sound like Forand is on death row:

patrickmcclarty.blogspot.com/

[Taffy]

It’s a bit of late response, but Bob Honest asked how many furriners were locked up in Taiwan.

The answer is 307, according to this POTS article - nearly all of them, they reckon, for drugs offences.