Job Discussion Forums

Miyazaki · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 635 Location: My Father's Yacht

Australian and Canadian NOVA teachers arrested for drug offences.

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Sheesh! Not just weed but COCAINE too? Something tells me that they're not going to get their sentences suspended and get deported (as is relatively common if it's just a straight-up marijuana posession charge)...

The question here is... Why? Why do people do such asinine things? Messing with drugs (especially cocaine) is just so mind-blowingly retarded, there are insufficient words to express the level of stupidity involved here. And doing it in Japan to boot.... Where the laws and punishment are brutal and harsh... And where, as a foreigner you already stand out in a crowd.

I hope they enjoy getting the #(&% beaten out of them by sadistic Japanese police and prison guards.

Whatever.

/rant

callmesim · Joined: 27 Oct 2005 Posts: 279 Location: London, UK

Whoops!!!

That can't be good for their future. The teachers, I mean.

Miyazaki · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 635 Location: My Father's Yacht

Jim,

I'm always surprised at this also.

In fact, before I read the whole article, I asked myself if this invovled any Canadians or Australians - and it did!

Whether I'm teaching in Korea, Taiwan or Japan, it always seems to be a Canadians or Australians invovled in these drug busts.

Drug laws are so relaxed in Canada and Australia that these young TEFL'ers seem to think that they can head off to Taipei or Seoul and get away with it like they do back in Vancouver or Melbourne.

furiousmilksheikali · Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 6:32 am Post subject:

I agree, messing with drugs is certainly mind-blowing!

Not sure about advocating police brutality though.

callmesim · Joined: 27 Oct 2005 Posts: 279 Location: London, UK

You know, come to think of it, I agree. The teachers who I know who are all "Yeah, I do pot here" and are all into that side of things, they're mainly Canadians and Australians. That could explain why we have a handful of Australians on death row at the moment for drug trafficking in Asia.

Out of curiosity, is this naming and shaming of a company normal in Japan or is it more a case with it being foriengers involved?

ripslyme · Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 481 Location: Japan

"OMG, 7 foreigners with drugs!" lol - this would barely make the local news back home. Rolling Eyes

Jon Taylor · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 238 Location: Tokyo

Can someone translate the article please ? Confused

shuize · Joined: 04 Sep 2004 Posts: 1270

chirp · Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Posts: 148

Not that I would ever advocate drug use but may I point out two things:

Cocaine is not legal in either Canada or Australia. Being in possession of small amounts of pot is legal in Canada.

Some would argue that not all foreigners, Aussie or otherwise, were actually guilty of the drug offenses they are charged with in Asian countries.

That being said, no matter what their nationality, anyone using drugs in Japan is just stupid. I won't go so far as to say the punishment they will receive here fits the crime though...

Zzonkmiles · Joined: 05 Apr 2003 Posts: 309

Even though this is not NOVA's fault, you can only imagine how angry the execs and PR people there are about this. The NOVA brand is already tarnished enough as is, but now this happens right as they're marketing NOVA Kids lessons and getting contracts to teach lessons in public schools...

Oh well. The teachers screwed up and they're very likely going to end up paying a very steep price for this. And from reading that article, it looks like an American was involved as well--not just Canadians and Aussies.

Way to go, guys. Thanks for making us all look bad. There are so many people out there that use incidents like this to tar all of us with the same negative brush. Bah.

Brooks · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1369 Location: Sagamihara

it should be in the Yomiuri tomorrow.

Here is a brief article from Japan Today

www.japantoday.com/jp/news/397708

chirp · Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Posts: 148

And from Mainichi:
7 NOVA teachers arrested for possessing cannabis, cocaine
Seven foreign teachers working at the NOVA English language conversation school have been arrested on suspicion of violating a law on illegal drugs and the Cannabis Control Law, police said Wednesday.

Police accuse the seven of possessing five bags containing a total of about 1.5 grams of powdered cocaine, and 15 bags containing a total of about 8.2 grams of cannabis, on a street in Tokyo's Roppongi district on Nov. 19 last year.

Investigators said a 32-year-old American teacher who was arrested on the spot on the same day told police another NOVA teacher had made a request for the drugs. The 32-year-old said the drugs were purchased from a street dealer.

Six other suspects later surfaced, including a 35-year-old teacher from Canada who was working at the same classroom in Saitama Prefecture, police said. (Mainichi)

http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20070131p2a00m0na017000c.html

canuck · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 1921 Location: Japan

furiousmilksheikali · Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 12:27 pm Post subject: