With a fine, and not been arrested, does he have a polic record?
How does that impact him as an Auslander??
Any ideas?
My mate was given a fine for possession of a small amout of drugs... naughty boy.
It depends on what it was? Dagga, marijuana, grass? I am not quite sure how this stuff is viewed here when it comes to possesion. Definitely it is not like in Holland with coffee shop where it is more relaxed. Many times I smelled from faraway this type of things people smoke here in Switzerland and it didn't cause much awe from the locals who smoke incredible amounts of cigarettes in any event, thus it might not disturb them at all. Not that I smoke this stuff myself, just I tried once or twice in my life before... It sounds to me like just being given fine is not gonna put your friend on the record. It is like getting the fine for not having a valid train ticket. It might be just reminder it is not allowed to use it here. It might differ from canton to canton or federal law though. But I think there are also disputes that this type of things should be legalised in Switzerland.
Think it was a little harder than weed...
As he was not arrested I doubt he will have a criminal record.
You are right, the fine will be a stark reminder to him not to do such things or get caught!! He has not received his fine yet but he says it will be based off his salary... ouch!!
The story has changed somewhat. In the initial post it read like there was an 'on the spot' fine. Now we have a different situation where it sounds very much like this is going before the equivilent of a magistrate. As this is not a civil matter then there will be a criminal record.
He was told it was a fine and that it would get posted to him... he was not taken to prison or anything like that though.
so you think he will have a record??
"my mate"
No need to be taken to prison to have a criminal record.
Yes. They know everything naughty you do.
Now is your mate EU or not? What type of permit does he have and how long has he had it?
he is EU citizen, and has been here for a year,,, not sure what permit he is on..
so he's unlikely to be chucked out for a gram or two of charlie or a couple of Es
If you travel by train without a valid ticket and get caught you do not pay the fine on the spot. They usually send you a fine via post or request to pay it at the Bahnhof. Only you might get on the recoord of debt collectors if you do not sort it out upon third or fourth notice to pay the outstanding fine...
Maybe it doesn't draw similar analogy because drug possesion might be seen as less petty crime, however if they said ''fine'', I would relax a bit unless your friend is a notorious drug dealer and commited serious felony, which I doubt?
I'm wondering though - are all fines for possession/consumation based on salary? Is that not a step up from the "normal" fines?
Happy damn, next time I must carry my salary slip with just in case I get caught for one reason or the other so to make the fine givers smile they ears
So I guess this is the Code of Hamurabi brought to the modern age
by the way,sorry,I haven't been in the loop as far as drug use but,
what is Dagga?
I heard it from a modern interpretation of Macbeth set in the hood once-
"is that a Dagga i see befo me"
Shakespearean ''Dagga'' means dagger or knife used by knights.... In South African region or Malawi... Daga or Dagga (correct me if I mispelled it in Afrikaans) means ''grass'', ''gandja'', ''marijuana'', ''weed'' and others
BTW: I am not an expert but it also made me curious how many different names this drug has all over the world
what do you think the likelihood of him getting kicked out of Switzerland is?
I can tell you one thing every thing which goes "on fine" is on records in Switzerland. I was once fined for Drinking and Driving here long time ago (which I had forgotten too) which was .01% over the limit -paid on site but when I got my C permit - I had a lot of hastles sorting it out..
Everyone can get an extract of their criminal record. So your mate can ask for his record and know for sure. That is simpler than debating it here.
The analogy with ticketless travel is inappropriate. Such a traveler has cheated a merchant. The merchant can forgive, or demand compensation, which if not received can be a reason for the merchant to complain to the police.
Drug possession and consumption is a criminal offense. The law requires the police to hunt and prosecute such offenses.
Maybe it is not the same analogy, it's just to speculate whether such offenses go on criminal record or can just be justified by paying the fine without harming the name any further. I agree it is better to get the extract from police criminal record and to have a clear mind.
my neighbour is a policeman, i asked him, he thinks your mate will have a criminal record. doesn't matter if he went to prison or not.