Texas outdoor marijuana grow operation busted by smartphone app

Discussion in 'Member Contributions and Social Media Forum' started by Midnight Garden, Aug 6, 2013.

  1. Midnight Garden

    Midnight Garden Excommunicated

    http://www.tokeofthetown.com/2013/07/texas_outdoor_marijuana_grow_operation_busted_by_s.php


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    A $125,000 marijuana grow south of Houston has been uprooted thanks to a tip from an anonymous narc citizen who used an app created by the sheriff's department that allows people to send in photos as well as coordinates to crimes - or things that citizens perceive to be crimes.


    All of the plants have been destroyed, but thankfully nobody has been arrested. We think the senseless destruction of such a healthy, natural and domestic garden should be punishment enough and the cops should hopefully just let the case die (they won't, but a marijuana writer can dream can't he?).


    The phone app is part of the "If You See Something, Say Something" public awareness campaign started by the Department of Homeland Security in 2010 that basically asks citizens to spy on one another. It was the first of it's kind when it was put into operation in 2011. The program also has a 1-800 tipline and website, iWatchHarrisCounty.com.


    And while our colleagues at our Voice Media sister blog, The Houston Press (which broke the story), seem to think this new app is a neato new way for government to be "ahead of the curve," we think it's a sign of how lazy our police force has become and how nosy people are about other people's business.


    This grow bust is a prime example of that. It's just a few marijuana plants growing in a forest, and yet someone felt compelled to report it via the app. The really sad part is that this Johnny-do-gooder likely already had the app installed on his phone and probably uses it to play civilian vigilante more than just this one time.
     
  2. ResinRubber

    ResinRubber Civilly disobedient/Mod

    Sounds like a further overreach similar to socialist regimes using citizenry to report on one another. The next step is when they prosecute folks for NOT reporting.
     
  3. Hank Chinaski

    Hank Chinaski Ruminating

    Isn't there some precedent for that kind of thing somewhere, like where a person can be prosecuted for not trying to stop a crime in progress? I swear I've heard of that somewhere.


    Here in Japan, anyone caught for not stopping a drunk driver (passengers in the car, for example, or the bar where the person was drinking at) can be arrested or heavily fined or something like that. I don't know the specifics, but it's enough to strike fear into the hearts of people.


    :danger:
     
  4. Psycho D

    Psycho D LEE VAN SPLEEF

    This program has been in place for 20+ years in various parts of the country.


    I have a picture of myself defacing a billboard with the "See something, say something" mantra, fresh out of high school early 90's. It specifically referred to grow operations...maybe the article just meant cell apps..IDK.
     
  5. Midnight Garden

    Midnight Garden Excommunicated

    It's used for snitching in general. There are videos and pics on the internet of cops doing fucked up shit and being "reported" by the program.
     
  6. JuggaloKing420

    JuggaloKing420 Just clownin around

    Yea...There's been a jump in their activity lately.
     

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