AFOL Drug dealer?!

[JopieK]

I just read this remarkable Dutch news article:

"Groningen. A drug dealer has discovered a very unusual method of payment. If his junkies have no money for drugs, he also accepts Lego."

http://www.telegraaf...met_Lego__.html

Translated: Drugs paid with Lego

AMSTERDAM -

Groningen A drug dealer has discovered a very unusual method of payment. If his junkies have no money for drugs, he also accepts Lego.

Last Thursday, during a hearing at the court in Groningen a 34-year-old addict and repeated drug offender admitted that he stole expensive Lego sets from toy stores to trade for drugs with his drug dealer. The boxes range up to 200 euros.

According to the lawyer of the Lego thief, the idea behind the trade is not so strange: "Lego is very popular and one can easily sell a stolen set. If children have had the first brick, the parents 'hang' because the children are totally hooked.

The Public Prosecutor demands a prison sentence of 265 days of which 180 days conditionally against the toy thief.

JK: Not sure why I also see a BanBao set in the picture, those aren't that expensive and popular in Holland I think ;)

[Alfadas]

I am considering to become a drugs dealer, free LEGO's . No, drugs are bad, but when I read this article, dealing is tempting.

[Gryphon Ink]

I like how he compares Lego addiction to drug addiction. But seriously, this is kind of disturbing. AFOLs use the secondary market a lot. It's not nice to think that the Helm's Deep set you just got a great deal on might have been stolen and could be funding drug dealers.

[caperberry]

Well that's terrible but highly amusing. I wonder if the dealer is an AFOL needing his own 'fix' or just resells. Either way, it's the innocent bricks I feel sorry for!

[kermit]

I think its important to disassociate lego from this idiot. He is not an afol drug dealer he is a drug dealer period.

Edited August 2, 2013 by kermit

[lightningtiger]

What's the old saying........crime doesn't pay......or is that play ?

[caperberry]

What is most interesting to me about the report is the lawyer's quote. Google Translate was understandably unable to convey the finer nuances of his words so I asked a Dutch friend.

Original:

,,Lego is erg in trek en raakt men wel kwijt. Als kinderen eenmaal het eerste blokje hebben gehad, dan hangen de ouders.’’

Friend's translation:

"People are always looking for Lego. It is easy to resell. Once kids have handled their first brick, the parents are screwed."

What a disturbing defence... it seems to hint that parents themselves are pushing the 'drug' of LEGO onto their kids and are a vital link in the chain. The parallels are interesting, I'm sure we've all referred to our 'habit', but how bizarre and sick to tie the two things together.

I think its important to disassociate lego from this idiot. He is not an afol drug dealer he is a drug dealer period.

That would be nice but I fear this is just the kind of news story that will run and run. Childhood innocence meets adult depravity, all wrapped up in a 'funny' eye-catching headline... I suspect we've not heard the last of this story, but I hope we have.

[JopieK]

@caperberry, It is a trash newspaper like the sun or so, so you must take it lightly what is written there ;) I thought it was a curious article, that's why I shared it ;)

[caperberry]

I did wonder that, thanks. Yes I've no doubt it's a dumb, isolated incident from a trash rag but there's plenty more trash rags and tweet journos happy for a catchy media savvy quote.

The longer I think about it the more it disturbs me...maybe I'll go for a nice walk in the sunshine and flowers!

[eurotrash]

We should organize a Rehabilitation center for all those Bricks caught up in this terrible scheme. Someplace where they can become clean and hopefully, one day, be integrated back into the community (or the spares to be sorted bucket)

[Rook]

Got to say I think I would totally trade drugs for Lego too. XD

[Jared]

Well... alright then...

[andibandit]

Its problably easier to quit drugs than lego :-)

[FuzzyBallz]

This is nothing new, and why I dont use ebay or craigslist anymore. Stolen goods.

[Hrw-Amen]

When I opened this thread i thought I was going to see a MOC one of those containers that sick people (Like me.) use to keep their pills so they know what to take each day and what time of day to take it. It would be a good idea and would look a lot better than what I have now.

But on a more serious note, drugs are bad if you become addicted to them, best to give them a miss altogether and not encourage people to steal LEGO (Or anything else for that matter!) just to fund a dumb and dangerous habit.

[jluck]

It began on a dark night, a shadowy character emerged from the alley. "Hey kid", he hissed, "I heard your looking for a good time". The child nods, stepping closer. The dealer smiles, knowing he's found a foothold. "Have you ever experimented with LEGO?" The child shudders, stepping back. "My mom told me to stay away from those things" he whimpers. "Your mom is trying to take away your fun! Do you always do what she tells you? Why it's only one little brick." comes the response. Naively, the child reaches out, never to be the same. First, it's Duplo, but before long that isn't enough! Soon he is experimenting with Star Wars, Architecture, and *gasp* Technic! It's a sad journey that spirals towards AFOL-ness, a sad journey indeed.

[kermit]

It began on a dark night, a shadowy character emerged from the alley. "Hey kid", he hissed, "I heard your looking for a good time". The child nods, stepping closer. The dealer smiles, knowing he's found a foothold. "Have you ever experimented with LEGO?" The child shudders, stepping back. "My mom told me to stay away from those things" he whimpers. "Your mom is trying to take away your fun! Do you always do what she tells you? Why it's only one little brick." comes the response. Naively, the child reaches out, never to be the same. First, it's Duplo, but before long that isn't enough! Soon he is experimenting with Star Wars, Architecture, and *gasp* Technic! It's a sad journey that spirals towards AFOL-ness, a sad journey indeed.

very nice .

[The Brick King]

It began on a dark night, a shadowy character emerged from the alley. "Hey kid", he hissed, "I heard your looking for a good time". The child nods, stepping closer. The dealer smiles, knowing he's found a foothold. "Have you ever experimented with LEGO?" The child shudders, stepping back. "My mom told me to stay away from those things" he whimpers. "Your mom is trying to take away your fun! Do you always do what she tells you? Why it's only one little brick." comes the response. Naively, the child reaches out, never to be the same. First, it's Duplo, but before long that isn't enough! Soon he is experimenting with Star Wars, Architecture, and *gasp* Technic! It's a sad journey that spirals towards AFOL-ness, a sad journey indeed.

Oh, so true, so true. That sounds like what happened to me.

[TheLegoDr]

As comical as the above story is, it probably is best to not link the "addiction" of LEGO with the addiction of drugs. As far as I am aware, LEGO don't negatively impact your life or health..unless you step on one.

[FuzzyBallz]

It began on a dark night, a shadowy character emerged from the alley. "Hey kid", he hissed, "I heard your looking for a good time". The child nods, stepping closer. The dealer smiles, knowing he's found a foothold. "Have you ever experimented with LEGO?" The child shudders, stepping back. "My mom told me to stay away from those things" he whimpers. "Your mom is trying to take away your fun! Do you always do what she tells you? Why it's only one little brick." comes the response. Naively, the child reaches out, never to be the same. First, it's Duplo, but before long that isn't enough! Soon he is experimenting with Star Wars, Architecture, and *gasp* Technic! It's a sad journey that spirals towards AFOL-ness, a sad journey indeed.

Nice... I started with pirates, then castle, then star wars, and now I'm a full blown Technicaholic! I mean who buys $200 LEGO sets over and over again!? Oh wait...

[eurotrash]

It began on a dark night, a shadowy character emerged from the alley. "Hey kid", he hissed, "I heard your looking for a good time". The child nods, stepping closer. The dealer smiles, knowing he's found a foothold. "Have you ever experimented with LEGO?" The child shudders, stepping back. "My mom told me to stay away from those things" he whimpers. "Your mom is trying to take away your fun! Do you always do what she tells you? Why it's only one little brick." comes the response. Naively, the child reaches out, never to be the same. First, it's Duplo, but before long that isn't enough! Soon he is experimenting with Star Wars, Architecture, and *gasp* Technic! It's a sad journey that spirals towards AFOL-ness, a sad journey indeed.

LOL... and then I immediately though of

Morpheus: This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue brick - the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red brick- you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes.

[Hey Joe]

That's a funny story.

On a more serious note; we fans often call Lego sellers 'dealers'. People who sell comic books are commonly called dealers. We're really not doing ourselves or our hobby any favors by doing that.

Joe

[LEGO Historian]

Ummmmm.... LEGO collecting can be perilous to a relationship....

I know of 2 men who's wives divorced them at least partly over LEGO (a Dane and an American). Seems that the LEGO collecting got in the way of marital bliss. That's not to say that the marriages weren't already in trouble for other reasons.... but the spouses of these 2 men did not like their husbands collecting/building LEGO.

I also know of several people (mostly men), who have their online orders of LEGO sets/parts shipped to their work address partly because they didn't want their spouses to know that they made these purchases, or made so many purchases. This is more prevalent than you think!

So having a non-AFOL spouse can lead to difficulties on the home front! This is probably more true where there are no children in the family.

Edited August 3, 2013 by LEGO Historian

[caperberry]

As comical as the above story is, it probably is best to not link the "addiction" of LEGO with the addiction of drugs. As far as I am aware, LEGO don't negatively impact your life or health..unless you step on one.

That's precisely why the lawyer's comment disturbed me so much! I feel a lot better now though :)

That's a funny story.

On a more serious note; we fans often call Lego sellers 'dealers'. People who sell comic books are commonly called dealers. We're really not doing ourselves or our hobby any favors by doing that.

Joe

Well, I take your sentiment, but a dealer is anyone that buys and sells any commodity. Just because drug dealers are included in that doesn't mean we should (or could!) disassociate ourselves with the word.

[hachiroku]