I feel bad for this young entrepreneur, not

1/25/2011 2:47:30 PM

^ Aren't you in law school? These people are your bread and butter son!

1/25/2011 3:45:04 PM

I'm seriously curious how this marijuana thing works. I think most of us get how cocaine/heroin work from movies, intuition, and documentaries and stuff, but can you apply that same framework to marijuana? Is there a single framework for marijuana? Or does it change based on time, place, people, and personalities?

Are there marijuana kingpins in Raleigh? Money is involved so surely there would be some foolishness like robberies (and a bit of violence to go along with them), but are there turf wars over marijuana sales territories? How will a 26 lb. loss of marijuana affect the black market economy in Raleigh (and surrounding areas)?

According to the Internet, 26 lbs. or marijuana is 11,793.4016 grams. Also, according to the Internet, people use approximately .5 grams of marijuana in a marijuana cigarette. So, assuming every last piece of that 26 lbs. was used and not discarded, this means Raleigh is out 23,586 marijuana cigarettes. Is that a major loss to marijuana users? Surely, something like a weather disaster would affect marijuana supply a thousand times more than that--what happens then? Has a researcher ever been able to observe an increase in sales of other drugs, like alcohol, when marijuana supply declines?

I don't use drugs, but I am fascinated by this topic.

1/25/2011 4:28:23 PM

1/25/2011 4:29:08 PM

Quote :

"According to the Internet, 26 lbs. or marijuana is 11,793.4016 grams. Also, according to the Internet, people use approximately .5 grams of marijuana in a marijuana cigarette. So, assuming every last piece of that 26 lbs. was used and not discarded, this means Raleigh is out 23,586 marijuana cigarettes. Is that a major loss to marijuana users? Surely, something like a weather disaster would affect marijuana supply a thousand times more than that--what happens then? Has a researcher ever been able to observe an increase in sales of other drugs, like alcohol, when marijuana supply declines?"

If by "marijuana cigarette", you mean a joint, then maybe we can do some math. I think that maybe 3 joints will do an individual in for the night. So if you take more wile assumptions, you can find the people-months this would supply.

Say potheads smoke 3 times a week, 3 joints each time, leading to 4.5 grams for a single person-week, or 18 grams for a person-month.

11,793.4016 grams / (18 grams) = 655 person-months

Or 55 people-years. I find myself split, but I don't think it's a major amount. I think it's enough to create a shortage in some distribution networks if people are fairly tied to a dealer, because if you always have to be introduced in order to make a new sale, then the market would be slow to re-organize. Otherwise, 700 people in Raleigh not getting their pot for a month in Raleigh shouldn't show up on the radar, not with 400,000 in total population

1/25/2011 4:34:44 PM

^^I'm saying...a quarter of the people in this thread have already implicated themselves by pretending that they know how marijuana distribution works. So they should explain it...if there is some right interpretation to be explained.

Criminal fringe of TWW, tell me how it works.

^Interesting!

[Edited on January 25, 2011 at 4:37 PM. Reason : ]

1/25/2011 4:35:00 PM

4.5 grams is a lot for a week if you have anything to do

1/25/2011 4:36:31 PM

i don't think anyone has implicated themselves by speculating about the logistics of this guy's operation

1/25/2011 4:36:33 PM

here's how marijuana distribution works:

- Person A buys a quantity of marijuana at a certain price
- Person A sells the marijuana at a higher price, often in lower quantity increments
- Person A profits

[Edited on January 25, 2011 at 4:38 PM. Reason : its pretty complicated]

1/25/2011 4:37:18 PM

Non pot smokers have no business even attempting to unravel the economics behind this situation.

Quote :

"3 joints will do an individual in for the night"

Quote :

"potheads smoke 3 times a week"

Quote :

"person-months"

1/25/2011 4:38:24 PM

Quote :

"i don't think anyone has implicated themselves by speculating about the logistics of this guy's operation"

Exactly. It's like if we were talking about how someone should embezzle money if they were the coach for a dance team.

1/25/2011 4:39:34 PM

I'm not saying that anybody has implicated themselves as being a marijuana dealer. But some people are doing more than speculating by asserting that they know, for a fact, that other people's speculations are wrong.

My curiosity really only boils down to one facet: Are there marijuana kingpins in Raleigh? Do we have individual marijuana players, distributors, or organizers making millions of dollars a year off marijuana in Raleigh?

[Edited on January 25, 2011 at 4:52 PM. Reason : ?]

1/25/2011 4:51:39 PM

No. Its mainly otherwise successful people that push dope as another stream of income.

1/25/2011 4:52:59 PM

Most people who want to make serious money off selling drugs are going to sell something a lot more profitable than marijuana

Hypothetically if I buy an ounce of marijuana for $350 and sell eight 1/8 bags for $60 each, I would theoretically make $480, or $130 profit

Hypothetically if I buy a 1/4 ounce of cocaine for $350, mix it with crushed up isotol or other cut to double its weight to a half ounce, and sell the cut grams at $50 each, I would theoretically make $700, or $350 profit

[Edited on January 25, 2011 at 4:56 PM. Reason : I prefer buying 24 12 ounce Coors Light cans for $16.99 and selling each can for $1.50]

1/25/2011 4:54:51 PM

I prefer having a grown up job. Sure it's not as exciting, but the risk of prison and/or mouth rape is much lower.

1/25/2011 5:02:51 PM

^^If you've got the guts to go international, I would like to buy 6 bottles of Newcastle--I'll pay top dollar for your troubles.

Also, I'm looking to cop, like, 8 grams of Marlboro Milds.

1/25/2011 5:08:36 PM

This thread will result in PMs for some and maybe even a visit for one.

1/25/2011 6:05:32 PM

MONEYBAGS

1/25/2011 7:08:42 PM

Pat Dabney?

1/25/2011 8:18:26 PM

I think gunzz needs a reboot. he's stuck in a pat dabney loop.

1/25/2011 8:19:28 PM

1/25/2011 8:20:43 PM

Quote :

"I'm quite positive that you can indeed get the primo quality weed in North Carolina"

1/25/2011 10:13:47 PM

Quote :

"I prefer having a grown up job. Sure it's not as exciting, but the risk of prison and/or mouth rape is much lower."

1/25/2011 10:48:28 PM

the math used above was wrong, so from experience it goes like this...

If you are smoking 5 times a day, 7 days a week you'll go through just under 3.5 grams (eighth of an ounce) a week. Now, that is a lot of weight for most, but going with that you have 8 weeks * 16 ounces * 26lbs = 3,328 weeks worth of pot. Realistically, what this means is that 1000 people may be out of pot for 2weeks and some fraction of that for a little longer. That may not sound like a lot, but what is means is that entire cliques will be jonesing like crazy and those who do have it will be stingy as fuck.

1/25/2011 11:28:51 PM

im sure some other enterprise will realize this is an opportunity to increase market share. It's just not all that much in the grand scheme of things. Like you said its more of a distribution network interruption.

When Food Lion on Avent Ferry loses its alcohol selling priveleges you can still get beer from 1,000 other well marked places.

1/26/2011 1:00:03 AM

how hard is it to 'wire' someone 70,000 dollarbucks without getting noticed?

1/26/2011 1:30:33 AM

depends.

If you're a company its relatively easy.

If you're a person without well established assets it's close to impossible.

1/26/2011 1:47:10 AM

^company or not it's not easy. Any transfer of money over 10k that goes over state lines has to be reported, business or not. Either way the bank is going to notify authorities of the transfer, and will potentially get flagged.

If you're going to do big money deals, carry cash and hope you dont get pulled over or robbed (because carrying over 10k in cash across state lines without reporting it is also a no no)

1/26/2011 3:28:12 AM

why is it illegal to carry 10k or more in cash across state lines? maybe i just like carrying cash on me.

1/26/2011 8:26:08 AM

Are you Mexican?

1/26/2011 9:23:24 AM

Quote :

"why is it illegal to carry 10k or more in cash across state lines? maybe i just like carrying cash on me."

He didn't say it was illegal. He said it was a "no no".

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91555835

1/26/2011 10:27:23 AM

^^^^ No. A CTR (http://www.fincen.gov/forms/files/fin104_ctr.pdf Currency Transfer Report) is required for every (daily aggregate) customer transaction above $10,000. CTRs are submitted to the IRS. State lines have nothing to do with this requirement. Also, banks are required to file a SAR (Suspicious Activity Report.) A SAR is triggered when attempting to "structure" transactions below $10,000 (along with a variety of other triggers, typically a program in bank software), as the idea was suggested below.

These CTR's and SAR's do not halt the transfer, they merely serve as a paper trail for investigations for tax evasion, laundering, and the current best in class - terrorist funding.

[Edited on January 26, 2011 at 5:28 PM. Reason : .]

1/26/2011 5:03:42 PM

if i have my debit card with over 10,000 on it, why wouldnt that be the same?

1/26/2011 5:09:50 PM

8 separate wire transfers:

1. $9,000
2. $9,000
3. $9,000
4. $9,000
5. $9,000
6. $9,000
7. $9,000
8. $7,000

1/26/2011 5:13:09 PM

Yeah because that doesn't raise an eyebrow




The tried and true method is to convert the money to foreign currency and have it earmarked as a "payment for services rendered". This puts the onus on the authorities of the nation(s) who's currency you're dealing with, and they're certainly not going to give two squirts of piss about some weed changing hands in America.

1/26/2011 5:17:03 PM

nice^

1/26/2011 5:25:36 PM

^^^alot of times, structuring like that will draw more attention than just one big transaction.

[Edited on January 26, 2011 at 5:27 PM. Reason : .]

1/26/2011 5:27:16 PM

^^^i'm sure thats fine and dandy for all the pre-9/11 dealers out there

1/26/2011 5:29:53 PM

I love it when Tree realizes he's out of his element and tries to divert attention away from his fallacies.

I deal with the OFAC for a living, my friend. This is the way the world works.

1/26/2011 5:31:44 PM

I don't see why multiple wires each less than $10k would raise any flags

I send plenty of wires myself, although they're all for legitimate business

1/26/2011 5:33:05 PM

They'll all for the same amount and all just under the automatic stop-trigger threshold.

Unless someone is buying a half dozen jet ski's, surely you can see why it would look shady.

1/26/2011 5:37:41 PM

fine do a bunch for $5,286 and $7,109.32 and shit until it adds up

1/26/2011 5:38:16 PM

That might work for a while, but the USD is very fickle. I'd feel much more confident sending 70K over paypal than trying to wire it domestically.

1/26/2011 5:44:34 PM

The BSA and USA PATRIOT Act require banks to report suspicious transactions to the Treasury. A financial institution will file a SAR to avoid potential liability for failure to do so. The scrutiny on transactions has heightened due to terror investigations. In addition to liability, no financial institution desires public stigma for failing to file reports if terrorist financing is linked to that institution.

1/26/2011 5:44:48 PM

Either you work for NACHA or you have a much better grasp of that information than any normal person should.

1/26/2011 5:48:06 PM

Think of it this way. Money laundering is a very easy prosecution compared to narcotics prosecution. Records like CTRs and SARs are required to make it even easier for money laundering prosecution. A money laundering conviction carries potential for 20 years incarceration. Federal, by the way, so structured sentencing applies.

^There are actually a host of legislative acts that apply, but those two are the most significant.

[Edited on January 26, 2011 at 5:58 PM. Reason : .]

1/26/2011 5:57:04 PM

I would bet that the criteria that triggers an alert is defined by a total amount transferred over a short period of time. So, structuring the transfers in smaller amounts is meaningless.

1/26/2011 6:02:29 PM

would it be easier to hide that kind of transaction behind an out of state automobile purchase somehow? inflate the price of a junker astronomically, have a title transfer and everything. no?

1/27/2011 2:30:38 PM

thought you quit

I'm AstralAdvent and i approved this message.

1/27/2011 2:31:17 PM

if you start making my life miserable here, it WILL translate to the real world, I have your band-mates' permission to kick your ass if I should feel the need.

1/27/2011 2:36:24 PM