First, let me point out in advance that this is a question about the law and law enforcement. It is not another pot-smoker thread.
Okay, that having been said, I’d like to draw your attention to http://www.we-deliver.tv/ . They claim to be able to deliver marijuana via the U.S. postal service.
Here is their explanation as to how they can get away with this. It was obviously composed after a healthy sampling of their own product.
Briefly explained, the package is dressed up as the remains of a deceased relative from The Netherlands. They claim that U.S. Postal Service is prohibited by law from disturbing any package marked as human remains.
As usual, my questions are numerous:
Are these guys for real?
Is the Postal Service really prohibited by law from opening a package that they suspect contains a drug shipment but which is marked as human remains?
If this operation actually does exist, what options are open to the states and to the federal government to enforce the laws against this sort of thing? For example, can they hand the package over to a U.S. Marshal, who would then walk it to your door and ask you to open it in his presence?
1). This web site smells like manmeat. To be sure, you could always give these guys your name and address and see if they send you the free joint they promise.
2). I have read stories of drugs being found in coffins and urns being shipped from South America, so there is no law against customs agents searching human remains. I doubt the USPS is any different. If it were a law, I can imagine the sheer volume of illegal material coming into the country under this guise.
3). No idea.
The website is pure bull. It’s a scam to hype some forthcoming move or CD or some such rubbish.
There is no such regulation that prohibits the USPO from opening packages marked as human remains. It even appears that intrastate shipping of human remains via the mail is prohibited. I recently heard of this from page by The Journal of Irreproducible Results which has some amusing experiments in what you can get away with mailing:
“Molar tooth. Mailed in clear plastic box. Made a nice rattling sound. Repackaged in padded mailer by unknown individual; the postage and address had been transferred to the outside of the new packaging. A handwritten note in a woman’s writing inside read, “Please be advised that human remains may not be transported through the mail, but we assumed this to be of sentimental value, and made an exception in your case.” Days to delivery, 14.”
I used the search engine of the USPO website, it can search the entire text of federal regulations that apply to the Post Office, and the word “commenticius” got no hits. They made it all up.
After further research, I discovered it is legal to ship cremated human remains through the US Postal Service. There are regulations that require the ashes to be in a sealed container, and the contents plainly marked on the outside of the package. But there’s no mention of any regulations beyond that, not in the USC or CFR (which is pretty much ALL the regulations that could possibly apply). There’s no such thing as a “commenticius clause in the U.S. Postal Inspection Code.” There isn’t even any such thing as the U.S. Postal Inspection Code. There is a US Postal Inspection Service, but there is no US Postal Inspection CODE. The relevant laws are all in the USC or CFR.
“According to eV, January will see the premiere of “We Deliver,” a mini-webseries of ten live-action episodes about “the exploits of a high-tech marijuana delivery service in New York.” Planned guest appearances by Rosie Perez and Sarita Choudhury should offer a little spice (and publicity!).”
Well, that settles that, mostly. Thanks for your help, Chas.E and xizor.
I also found this bitchin’ nug, which apparently was a semi-real dope delivery service planned for Amsterdam, which unfortunately met with opposition from local dealers… and the law. Dudes, check the books before announcing plans for an IPO, eh?