[420 Girl]

POLICE have been patrolling the streets of Nimbin again this weekend, but deny it is part of an ongoing operation to clean up drug dealing in the town. "There was more police than there were people in town on Friday night," one resident who didn't wish to be named said. He said people were stopped and searched and told to 'go home'.

Hemp Embassy president Michael Balderstone said the police were back again on Saturday night. "There was a mini convoy of up to six police cars cruising the deserted main street of Nimbin," he said.

Police have confirmed they were conducting 'high visibility patrols' in the area, but said the operation was in relation to licensing, not drugs. Five people were charged with drinking-related offences.

Nimbin cafe owner Paul Kearns wants to know if police are going to compensate for the loss his business suffered due to last week's raids on the Museum and Hemp Embassy. "When the police came out last Tuesday, my takings were down by about 70 per cent. We only sold three coffees between 11.15am when they arrived and 1.30pm." Mr Kearns said business was still down by about 50 per cent the following day.

"Everyone cleared out of town. It makes it hard to run a business. I had to pay wages on Wednesday but because my cash flow was down, I had to dig into my savings. On Thursday I had to pay suppliers and I couldn't - I had to delay them. "I want to know am I entitled to compensation because I'm out of pocket? I've been working this week for nothing."

Mr Kearns bought Choices Cafe about two years ago and said his premises were strictly drug and alcohol free. "The local community know my shop provides a drug free space and they respect it. Families are flocking to it," he said. He said he intended to contact Superintendent Bruce Lyons at Richmond Local Area Command over the issue of compensation.

Mr Kearns said he had a background in welfare work and believed the police were employing the wrong strategy in Nimbin. "Bruce Lyons is missing the point when he says the community wants to clean up the village. The community wants to get rid of the violence, but the violence is not caused by pot smokers. Have you ever seen an aggressive pot smoker?

"Amphetamines and heroin are the problem. The community wants to get rid of the violence which is caused by hard drugs and alcohol."

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