sharps bin evidence?

[Kimmy.R]

Hi. I was wondering if anyone knows if police in QLD can use the contents of a sharps bin as evidence against you? Can they check out whats in the sharps bin themselves (during a raid etc) or do they have to send it away because it's clinical waste? Thanks.

 

[Mr Blonde]

Interesting question, I hope that they aren't going to go through sharps disposal containers and it's the sort of thing I'd like to think they wouldn't use against you but I'm not sure.

 

[the_ketaman]

Im not sure about QLD and disposal bins, but back when the cops were watching my mates and they couldnt get a DNA sample, they followed these kids around until they bought a drink and put the the bottle in a bin then they went through this bin and got fingerprints and DNA from saliva.

So if that is kind of the answer your looking for then yeah, they probably can, but im in NSW.

 

[kingpin007]

I wouldnt want to be the one going through the bin , chance of needle stick injury would be very high, I would assume they would send it to a clinic where precautions would be taken so to answer your question is yes they can test for what drugs in needle and whos dna sample is contained on needle and also fingerprints as someone mentioned above.

If the cops are really after you & know you might have some info that they want then theres alot of tricks up their sleeve.

If this needle bin was on private property & they did not have warrant then no they can not take but again they have alot of ways to get past that , They have to convince the DPP & to then convince a judge to obtain warrant.These days it does not take much effort to get a warrant so they can break into your house and see if your fingerprints/dna if they know you are involved but just need more evidence.

If you really are a bad ass crim then looking over your shoulder will be a part of your life until you end up in jail , quit the crim ways , or your dead.

but to go to the extent of what your asking you must have done other things than just drugs.

 

[Flexistentialist]

Firstly, in Queensland the police don't need a warrant to search anything, they only need "reasonable suspicion". Check out this link for an explanation of Queensland's extreme search laws.

Queensland police can and do go through sharps bins, including emptying them out on the back seats of cars etc. There's no need for them to send it anywhere, unless there's some specific testing being done. I've even heard of someone having hundreds of syringes emptied out, and being left to put them all back into their bins.

Of course ethically the police shouldn't be doing this, because it reduces safe disposal practices. People just dump their fits wherever if police routinely search through sharps bins. I saw the return rate drop to below 30% in a needle exchange in one area where this happened.

If they find drugs inside your sharps bin - including in some cases empty baggies with residue, you can be charged and that can be used in court. I've heard heaps of stories of police threatening to charge people for the residue left in the end of the needle too, but I imagine (or hope) a magistrate would laugh that out of court.

Having said that, I've also heard a few times of police that find used sharps stored in a sharps bin, giving a pat on the back for being responsible.

 

[mushi mushi 88]

I know when I have been in court and listened to some of the other peoples charges before me some of them get charged for having used needles... If they find a drug on you they usually presume it is that drug that has been use in the needle.

 

[Flexistentialist]

^ You're talking about people being charged for failing to dispose of used needles. That's what happens if police find opened needles that are not stored in a sealed, rigid walled, puncture resistant container.

 

[Jabberwocky]

i was lucky enough to escape charges when a chick cop pulled me over and found an old bong under my seat with a needle in it. luckily it the bottle was capped and seal and my sweet talking got me out of that. though i did get charged for something else.

im sure they only reason i got let off is because i have them consent to search my car, not knowing that i'd left that there. she saw my valium box in my dash as well and said "so you get on the meth and come down with the valium and pot hey?" i told her to look on the box for my name because im prescribed valium.

i think another factor in why i didnt get charged was because i was dressed nicely in my work clothes and even showed her my arms as to prove i didn't shoot up.

i denied it being mine and said it must have been someone who borrowed my car but i never gave her any names.

i just woke up so sorry if this doesn't make a great deal of sense