Comfort Zone Busted in Early Morning Raid

ya think?

All I can say is that I'm glad I wasn't there! This is crazy! I still haven't heard from a few people that I know were there... Not too sure what to expect. The reports say that it went down at 6:30am, but CZ doesn't open til 6 and granted the line up outside would have been pretty big...

dude, it was not routine!!! there were 200 cops in there, with at least 50 swat team members. They ran a HUGE operation, shit was hitting the fan. 90% of the people in there got charged, all the doors were broken down, walls were taken down, pool tables, bathroom stalls couches - nothing was left unturned. they even had to call in paramedics, people were kicked around, strip searched, even molested. what a horrifying experience, and to think it was our first time in the place after hearing about it for so long... what are the odds eh? i should go out and buy a lottery ticket now!

"Church" (where you go Sunday morning) is the least surprising establishment in the city for a raid... but I'm surprised at the number of arrests being reported. 150? How do cops arrest 150 people inside a venue? You'd think that by the time they got to the 50th and remaining 100 would think to ditch their stash, and then what crime are they committing?

Jeez.. nothing like a SWAT team with shotguns to ruin your 6am buzz..

this girl with me said she got felt up, cop was apparently trying to help her stand up and instead of grabbing her elbow he decided to grab her by the waist and up. the reason we needed help getting up was because they tied everyone up within the first 5 minutes of the raid and then relocated us. fortunately for us, the nightmare ended quickly at 8 am when they realized we were a bunch of randoms with no drugs and no records, which was apparently very uncommon. we were shoved out the door quickly at that point.

thank you,

this should of happend a long time ago

I wonder what happened? The CZ, and what goes on in there on a nightly basis, has been an open secret to anyone with an even passing knowledge of the Toronto club scene for years. I figured that the authorities just turned a blind eye because nothing really bad ever happened there (ie. fights, ODs, murders). I'm looking forward to hearing more details, but it certainly seems very random. The early reports about the behaviour of the police are a little troubling as well.

So now the police can go on TV tommorow morning just in time for the Monday morning news and tell everybody in Toronto what a great job they're doing, and tell us about all the people they arested, and all the drugs they confiscated. And the police will tell us how much safer our city streets are now as a result of their fine work.

Meanwhile, the piece of shit who organized the raid will end up with a promotion, which is of course, the only REAL reason this raid took place.

And, of course, I wonder what Adam Vaughan will have to say about this.

What guy who died?

This is disturbing. Why now? Why in such a manner? Was someone not properly paid off? What is the official reasoning? What do the local Municipal, Provincial, Federal representatives say? I too would be curious to hear Adam Vaughns comment on this- I can hardly say I have spent almost anytime at CZ-but if one wanted to design a Safe Streets campaign they could do worse than to allow spaces to exist where people could safely congregate in the morning an through the day rather than wandering the streets intoxicated-

The entire situation is suspect- But I think one thing in particular should be hilighte for review-

Can police get a warrant that allows them to search everyone in a public space? Is that legal? Should it be?

The thought of the entire population of any form of establishment being cuffed, searched, and having their files pulled is rather disturbing. Is this a common practice?

I hope more comes to light on this - and it sounds very much like there should be some kind of review of police behaviour in this case- If nothing like that happens I think the public should cry foul on the Police Review Board-

The National Post article actually kind of disturbs me a little. If you click on that link, you'll still see the headline "Dozen's rounded up in raid on chinatown nightclub" with a large photo of the Silver Dollar Room.

Even though they've been shown they were mistaken with their original story, they decided to keep the existing story up. And instead of offering a retraction, they simply put up a quote by the Silver Dollar's owner making it sound like he's defending a guilty club.

"swat teams came and got everyone on the floor, face on the concrete.."

Now that is a fate I would not wish upon my worst enemy.
*shudder*

Or we could just wait and find out what actually happened instead of immediately believing everything a few people posting on an internet blog say.

Somehow I doubt that most of those allegations are true. Molestation? Honestly?

what were the cops supposed to do? continue ignoring the CZ?

but now that its over, CZ can go back to its original vibe, no doubt with some apprehension and hesitation.

This is what the drug-free part of society wants. this is how their cops react.

I never go but hey, it should be interesting to see the fall-out from this.

There are cameras in the club.

Anyone who got sexually harassed or assaulted by the police should ask CZ for the tapes.

Then, you can file a complaint, or even a lawsuit.

The police had to choose between a few things that weekend.

They either had to handle the shootings, or go after something a lot easier.


Anyone who has lived in this city for 10 years or more would automatically know, that toronto police are COWARDS.

They go after the easiest tasks, they find ways to do their jobs as easy as possible. They never go after the big fish, because they are pussies.

This is why our shootings never decrease, the murders never go down and true crime will always flow the city.

The toronto police work for crime. They sell the drugs they confenscate when they're not on shift and they steal any money they can get.

It was an easy picken, and they knew the club made a lot of money, which they stole from the office/safe as well.

It wasn't about the drugs.

It was a ROBBERY.

Noone is right or wrong here, Comfort Zone is known to be hell and heaven to many and I'm sure while the ones enjoying the vibe and all (like myself, I went back after years and I was dancing to Deko Zee killer beats) it was truly something I ll never forget, however I've also experienced some traumatic times, seeing people passing out, completely out, some have died, as we all know and while we cannot point fingers, having a place open for another 12 hours of partying on Sunday, it is a major temptations to those who have already lost many brain cells. Look, I'm older now, I can see the danger, I'm VERY LUCKY, I m a decent human being, work hard, University education, etc etc, I had the most amazing times at CZ but when i see those kids, completely out of it, almost anorexic, I feel awful, is an ugly truth. I hope this is a wake up call, and if CZ IS TRULY about the music, then let it be that way, the truth is, noone is there completely sober!!! I tried it once and I couldn't even enjoy the music I so much love because I was so scared, I saw some pretty nasty things.
Maybe this was just a big wake up call, maybe someone could have died that day :( Anyways what I DO NOT tolerate is the excessive force the police used on the patrons, treating them like dirt, some girls telling they were molested, I believe it. That is why noone is truly right or wrong, nothing was absolute that morning. You should report if you were mistreated, don't be silent about it even if nothing gets done, do your part. Police are NOT that innnocent we have seen much corrupted officers, ESPECIALLY when drugs are involved.

I have a feeling that the cops were looking for and found alot of drugs.

FUN FACT....Drugs are apart of violence....I am not saying that anyone at CZ was violent...although the bikers and gangsters that contribute to the drug trade are VERY violent...and i am pretty sure the patrons at CZ on a whole were large consumers

I dont think the raid was carried out because the cops dont like Acid Techno.

The cops really know how to pick there fight!! Go after consenting adultes, if it is in after hours clubs or strip clubs!!??? How many 10000 's of $ are spent on these raids ???!!!! Month's of undrecover investigations..... Solve the real crime and let the people who are just having a little bit of fun after long day of work have some fun!!!
Me and are husband love Zone. The best music in town, we 've been going for 2 years. we heard all the stuff about it and promissed we 'll never go... One day, good friend's b- day.. we went. It was not like what we heard!! Yes, it is a bit sketchy, but everyone is friendly, music is fantatic You can never dance the way you dance in Zone anywhere alse. I accully feel safe there. Nobody is agresive or rud or just asshole.
Go to reguler club!!! I'll be hit on by guys and scare my husbend will get hurt if he stands up for me.

Like I sad: PICK YOUR FIFGHTS ,POLICE, LET PEOPLE HAVE FUN AND FIGHT THE REAL CRIME!!!"

@torontonian.

CZ wasn't open illegally. It doesn't serve booze, and can therefore open whenever it wants.

@ dilla

Lets not kid each other....
CZ maybe alowed to open for whatever hours they want because they dont serve booze...
But lets be real....The people attending are not buying orange juice and cereal at that time...
The place is used to drugs

I love the logic that because gun crime exists no other crimes should be enforced.

Oh god.
I could imagine what the meth heads in that club will do with any cash settlement they might get.

Wow, are we still calling cops "pigs"? I haven't done so since grade 9? Yawn.

@ Marie.
Give me a break.
This is not 1998 people need to find something better to do with thier time then OD in a drug den at 7 Am

CL I love your comment as well.

@marie

Funny how folks are too quick to blame the media for reporting the wrong side of events and yet, others are so quick at painting the police with a single brush stroke.

I'm sure the "first hand" accounts you hear will no doubt be non-partisan and balanced!

A massive, coordinated police raid on a well-known bastion for hard drugs (distributed to and used by underaged patrons) should have been forceful and swift. Things shouldn't come to blows/blood unless patrons resist and more force than necessary (for cooperative suspects) is required.

Sounds to me like it was handled as it should have been handled: storm the place, force everyone into a position that allows police to sort out the good from the bad, take away those breaking the law, and let go the rest.

It sounds like a lot of e-tards on party hour 24 are upset that they had their face to the concrete for half an hour before being let go. A drug raid isn't ever a pretty scene, and if you set yourself up in a place like CoZo there may be a price to pay once in a while.

I'm surprised how many people are defending the club. Yes they were open legally, and yes there is ALWAYS illegal activity going on in the CZ.

But to say there is a quota for cops is ridiculous. To say that they robbed the CZ is ridiculous. To say the cops should look the other way is ridiculous.

We all the CZ's rep. If you go there, you may not being doing lots of drugs or any drugs at all but you should expect the place to be under scrutiny.

For the rest of the e-heads still thinking its 1994, relax. Another venue will open soon enough to dance and dose your life away.

@slugzkea

'As for "CZ is about the music man!!!" what a pile of shit that is...These dj's are not talented Dj's/producers, from Europe..they are just local guys spinning some tunes to trip out to.'

you sir, are an idiot that obviously knows nothing about the scene or electronic music whatsoever. some of the most talented djs/producers in the world have passed through the comfort zone - and the locals that do spin there have telent coming out of their arse - sydney blu - check out beatport.com right now - number 5 track in the world right now - yeah, she's got no talent - you idiot.

First of all, let's tell it like it is: Comfort Zone is a venue for people to continue doing drugs from the night before. Yeah sure, there are people there who are not high, but they are the exception - for gods sake, the place OPENS at 6 a.m. So, enough with the "cops are assholes for arresting a bunch of innocents", etc. - it's crap, and you know it. That is a risk that you assume when you decide to rock hard. Not trying to preach - I like to rock too - but please cut the BS for ht epueposes of discussion.

That said, there seems to be confusion about the cops. THE POLICE ARE DIRTY. THEY TAKE BRIBES TO "LOOK THE OTHER WAY" FROM PLAZES LIKE CZ AND THE OTHER AFTER HOURS BARS. OF COURSE THE COPS KNOW ABOUT CZ AND ALL THE OTHER ONES. THE ONLY REASON THAT THEY DO NOT GET RAIDED IS BECAUSE THE DIRTY LYING SLEAZY PUNK COPS EXTORT MONEY FROM THE BAR OWNERS.

You can sue the police in small claims court. It doesn't cost much to file the claim, and the cops always settle rather than go to court, where they would have to testify. You can only claim up to $10K in small claims court, but you don't need a lawyer and it costs way less. File a claim for injuries sustained as a result of the use of excessive force by the police. CZ is, as far as I know, a legal establishment, so the mere fact that a person was there would not make the person a 'default' criminal, such as a person in an illegal after-hours bar. Consequently, the cops have no justification for the degree of force apparently used.

http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/media...03.17-1300.mp3

Live audio feed of the Police Press Conference

^^^Great post^^^
A raid is never usually a great thing to go through..
Get it together, move on...

Geez.... drugs are everywhere, and they treated Comfort Zone like it was some big meth lab. What happened in this case? Simple.. someone didn't get paid so the cops moved in....

Well looks like all the people just trying to have a good time were being not so nice.

"It is alleged that drugs, which included heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, ketamine and GHB, with a
value of $30,000, were seized, along with $35,000 cash."

That being said..
I sued to go to after hours when i was a wee lad aswell, but hasnt that fad passed???
Like common who listens to Goa Trance anymore?

Yeah, that's another thing. Isn't it a little embarassing that there's an after hours rave club still operating? In 2008? We don't want that getting out. Other cities will make fun of us.

Can you believe they said they found narcotics?!?!?!

The horror!!!!

Listen apetimberlake, chill chill, maybe u should get a job w. the squad team...

For everyone who is upset about this raid there is a wonderful program out there it is called Narcotics Anonymous. Check out the website find a meeting and go to one. If you are one of the lucky ones you will get a life shortly thereafter.

Sunday was Fucked up!definatly Ruined Cz for me

@ slugzkea
Fight what?
A raid on a club for known drug use?

I dont understand.

Secondly, You don't think that the law has any requirement to raid an establishment that after another regional Police dept. investigation shows that drugs purchased there after someone dies?

Try to think through your K-Hole think for a moment

First of all, I don't do k.

Second of all, the club does not sell drugs.

If you knew anything about clubbing, all clubs have drugs.

You can't find them all when you search people, it's like boarder crossing.

The cops can't stop all traffiking, same thing applies to the clubs.

There's something to fight, because the warrant was to bust the club for selling drugs and they found NOTHING.

THE CLUB DOES NOT SELL DRUGS.

so fuck you.

even though comfort zone has a sick music this place is a hell...unfortunately that place ruined a lot of lives. not everyone can handle drugs very well, and we all know that drugs keep that place jumping. some people over do it and some even die. they lose jobs and relationhips. its a fact. I would be really happy if somehow CZ would be a cleaner place. meaning less druggies and fags. period

Wow to wish someone would die along with whomever OD there, wow drugs have cause some major mental disability, watch yourself kid, what u wish to others sooner than later can happen to YOU!!!! How sad is this

slugzkea = Rageaholics Anonymous

It won't happen to be because I'm not a drug abuser.

And i ain't no fucken kid, I defend the club because there's way worst places.

I'm not saying the place was all bright and sunshine, but it definately didn't get what it deserved.

I wouldn't work at any other club, especially the ones in the shooting district for that main reason.

Barely any fights happen there.

Barely anyone leaves on a stretcher there, and there's no stabbings to my memory of the years being there/working there.

Say all you want, my evidence is practical.

CZ will live.

Believe me Rick, I stay in touch with a lot of the DJs who spin at places like Footwork and so on, it's nothing like it was b4...

John, I've been partying since the Zone was called BUZZ and before that. I've attended parties at Footworks and still party, not as often as I used to, but still do. It's up to you and the people your with - positive vibe = good time. You may be right, it might not generally be all as good as in the past. But this is about something different. Places like CZ should remain in operation - there is nothing wrong with it.

The fucking pigs will never receive justice for this pathetic event. Another fucked up situation in this world.

What is this really? The police are idiots and can't resolve all the gun violence in the city so they raid a club full of people just wanting to have a good time and dance? It's a waste of my tax dollars employing over 90 officers to do this. Then more of my tax dollars wasted on charges against 30 people, court hearings and jailing them. REDICULOUS!!!

exuser: people leave twitching on a stretcher everytime there is and Ultimate Fighting match too. We all know the risks when using drugs so that has nothing to do with it. CZ is an amazing, euphoric underground place - it should remain open. I will attend, regardless of people exiting on stretchers. If you can't handle it, shut up and stay home.

People leaving on a stretch every weekend?

Buddy, i work there, every weekend.

The last time some one left on a stretcher was a girl who g'ed out at coat check and smacked her head on the counter.

and before that, it was over a year ago.

So be quiet, stop talking nonsense. Better yet, tell me your name so i'll ban your ass and you'll never be able to party there again.

GG, drugs are illegal, who fuckin cares! So is speeding and not wearing a seat belt. Drugs will be used, there is nothing you or anyone can do about it. You think if the cops close CZ that's gonna change? NO WAY, we will continue to party and CZ should remain in operation.

A lot of drugs are legal as well, for example: the cure for asthma are cortic-steriods.

yeah that's right, steroids. do you know how terrible steriods are? they are worst then any street drug you can imagine.

Do some real research.

I've attended CZ at least 200 times, I've never witnessed any violence, anyone hurt, anyone needing medical care or anything negative whatsoever. It is an amazing place to dance and meet fun people. Long live Comfort Zone.

Of course, Rick, drugs are illegal. You tell me that that today's CZ Sunday crew are concealing what they do? It's out in the open for everyone to see. Finally the cops are doing something to stop street level drug trading! That's why they have a DRUG SQUAD. And about murders being committed... That's a different dept. Same with speeding... They have other cops for that!!!!

They only bust illegal drugs because they can't tax them.

Anyone can over-dose on pharmasudicals just as easily and as horribly as street drugs.

It's all about the mooolah, which the cops got anyways. They robbed CZ's safe and instead of finding drugs, they found money.

So in the long run, they earned some easy cash that day, beating up people and groping women.

exuser you're an idiot and very ignorant to say that any patron or staff of CZ is not normal or sane. It shows who the truly insane one is here - you are buddy

@ Rick
Someone choking at Duff's on a chicken wing is a little differnt then a 40 year old man choking on his own vomit due to drug use and then being dragged to some demented "G'ed out room".

Rick, be honest with yourself. Would you like your younger brother party at CZ till 6pm after being up all night! What if he was the one who died? How would your mother feel about that? How would you be able to cope with all this going on? You people should wake up! It's not about some rich family being the focus of reasoning for this raid. It's about morality! I've been to 488 since it was the Buzz! The place has always been a dark and dirty breeding ground for sketch! I would not want my kids going to do or see what I did there! I truly do regret it! After the party - Go home and sleep! Recreational drugs should be used in moderation... Not in the excessive manner they are done there!

apetimberlake: Nobody forced the 40 year old man to take G. Why is the fact that he took G the CZ's fault - he would gave taken G weather CZ was around or not? If he was at home alone vomiting on his puke he would have died. If anything he was saved by the staff at CZ

GG drugs are not necessarily done in excess there, that is your assumption and you are sterotyping. Many do it in moderation and enjoy the music and dance. I hear what you are saying, that losing a family member would give a different prospective. I just believe CZ has absolutely nothing to do with the problem of people dieing from drug use - it will happen somewhere anyways. I've also attended 488 since BUZZ and as you may see it as a dark and dirty place, my experiences have always been positive, bright, loving, happy and friendly there at CZ.

Sane people do not work in that environment. A sane person may walk in there as a patron, but no sane person would expose themselves to that type of degradation for a living. I know a lot of people who have worked there over the years. I have a very intimate knowledge of this particular establishment and the fact that it has been allowed to stay operation to this point is appalling. If the death of this poor young man is what starts the public outcry to have this dump shut down for good so be it, but it needs to be done one way or another.

i started going to comfort zone in 1998. that was my first time.i recently went back for new years eve of 2008. it was fucking amazing. i felt like iwas 19 again.when i went back i was 29. i have so many good memories from that place. friendly people. amazing music. dance for 15 hours straight. this guy who died. the whole reason why they had this stupid raid. you can purchase ghb anywhere. and anyone who mixes drugs or does to much is taking a risk. no one is shoving ghb down anyones throat. people make there own choices. u cant blame a club for someones death. because they are gona get the drugs in or outside of the club. over the years i have known many people that i used to hang out with to od and shit and die. i feel so sorry for them but its there own fault. just as long as you monitor your drug use and do it properly u can get fucked up and have a good time. this idiot who left some comment about how he used to go there a long time ago. now he is older and has a university education go fuck yourself k u fucking idiot. and all this happened because of this dumb bitch and her brother dieing. allbecause of her. comfort zone will still live. will never die. and i will still go back. fuck you all who think diff.

Rick, You have to understand, it is a HEAT SCORE! (to put in layman's terms) My issue is that it should have never been taken for granted! When you party there till late, the last concern is how many drugs you do. You just want to prolong the high. That's where the problem starts! That's how CZ promotes excessive drug use! Plain and simple! Go the fuck home. Sleep... Live another day! To party another day!

I need to keep it together?

You didn't lose your job because of some spoiled brat.

I have been going to CZ for about two years. Love that place and I always will. Do you think this is the only place you can abtain a controlled substance? What about the bust on Queen East last week? The Guvernment? Drugs can easily be obtained in and outside the clubs. The raid sunday will not stop anything that has been going on. One club closes and two open up with same access to the same shit. To the family that lost their son, yes, that was very tragic. How much fucking GHB did he consume? What about the old guy who began to vomit? I was there, I saw him sitting on the chair passing out. People tend to consume drugs and they have no fucking idea what to expect. People mix shit without knowing the effects. I have gone to CZ and stayed completely sober several times. There are much worse consumables than what was uncovered at CZ.

My goodness! Look at all the spelling and grammatical errors on so many of these posts.

Seems the drug users are all quite dumb - and those smart enough to NOt do drugs are quite, uh,....smart! Makes sense, eh? makes me wonder what these people do for a living? bet they aren't brain surgeons or pilots. Likely working (IF they are working at all...) at places where they are paid by cheque that can be directly taken to a Money-Mart. Prove me wrong.

You all don't get it. Slugzea, the Comfort Zone or anyone of its staff has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE DEATH OF SOME KID. Weather he purchased the drugs there or not, he would have abused drugs and died. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CZ.

Of course i can get a job somewhere else, but what i worked so hard for and fought for was taken away so quickly for the wrong reasons.

It was my favorite job, if you lost your favorite job because of some spoiled moron you would feel the same way I would.

In the long run, I didn't lose my job, because the club didn't get shut down. It's being repaired as we speak, I just lost a few pay cheques that's all.

so HAH! ha, ha, ha...CZ lives.

CZ is a place to get high nothing more, has been for a long time. Leann you are suffering from Euphoric Recollection. That means you are only remembering the good stuff that happened when you were "dancing for fifteen hours straight." The fact that you are thirty years old and attack a dead boy and his family because you are concerned about the loss of an environment shows how truly sick you are. There is a place call the Center for Addiction and Mental Health quite close to CZ, you should check it out.

Actually, that occured to me as well. The hardcore (ahem!) CZ supporters seem a little inept at basic English writing skills.

Coincidence?

yessss bflo. thankyou . people make there own choices. what do you guys not understand. its anyones own fault to consume to much drugs . doing drugs is like a game. there are rules. and if you dont go by the rules you pay. and sometimes it causes death. but we all know this. so people stop blaming this shit on cz. and get a fucking life....

exuser: don't tell me or anyone else why we go to CZ - it is not about getting high stupid. You don't know why we go you ignorant fuck! Just stay home and don't come near the place and shut the fuck up. Why do you care if there is a place where druggies can go and kill themselves (since that's what you think is happening there)? You should be happy.

Sorry GG I won't be thinking of you, trust me

hey apetimberlake you haven't said much but "whats the matter with this guy". And you were quickly burned on every other stupid comment you made, so why don't you get off here - no one cares what ur saying

Rick.
You burned me?
By saying its "my" right to sit around like an idiot and get wasted in a dump.
Fuck off.

Har har har I'm quite aware where CAMH is since I work and live in the area, you fucking moron.

Why don't you stick to the topic and stop being so bias.

excuser you know what the funny thing is.i finished high school. i went to college.and i just turned 29.im not 30. pls there are people that go there that are well over 40 years old. i dont even do drugs. haha you fucking idiot. why dont you go back to the dumb where your mother had you. let me guess your mother fucked her brother and that s where you came from.i wasnt even there yesterday havnt been there since new years. you idiots who keep on blaming this shit on the club your fools. get a fucking life . that place is wicked. and oh well some guy died his own fucking fault. that stupid bitch ruined it for hundereds of people. if people cant do drugs properly dont do them at all. its there own faults . exscuser hun. let me guess your dick is small. and your fucking ugly. so there for you need to make stupid comments. why dont you go and shove your small dick up your ass. you fucking loser. or go fuck your mom im sure you like to keep it in the family

tripper hun does this look like a fucking english class you u fucking idiot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

excuser hun no one cares what you think. you loser. go get your small dick extended and maybe you can get some pussy. or better yet get a broom handle and shove it up your ass you fag. people dont just go there to do drugs ive gone there many times and just drink. get a life. people go there for the music#1. friendly people. no one cares hun. i have no remorse for people who abuse and do to much drugs there just stupid. oh well. cant wait for comfort zone to reopen. gona be just as good as it was befor. and if it doesnt open there it will come where else. comfort zone will always live excuser , tripper timberlake go fuck yourself. k

People pay me for my opinion, and you get paid to do what exactly?

are you kidding me. anyguy i ever meet at film is well into there 30s. your talking like im some old gramma to old to party im fucking 29 just turned. hun maybe you are fucking ugly. have no friends,no life, and a small cock. so maybe now your a fag. that only takes it up the ass. nothing u can say will ever make me think that im to old to be at a bar like that . your just talking nonsence. hun its ok if you have no life and a small dick. that doesnt mean other people dont want to have fun and party and have a life. its ok hun that you have and no life i would be upset about stuff to . its ok u can cry on my shoulder boo hoo cry me a river justing timberlake

When you work with people everyday who are dying from their dependency issues you earn a right to an opinion. As far as too old, you should be old enough to realize that that lifestyle is no good at 29 years old or "well into your thirties." If you do not there is a cognitive problem. Reality is a bitch, but CZ should be shut down for good and the rantings of the lunatics on this blog testify to the level of sickness the average patron of this establishment is suffering from. Thank you for the testimonial.

exuser: because you work with addicts, you are also providing a biased opinion here. The patrons of CZ are not neccesarily addicts with dependancy issues - you know that. And CZ does not contribute to the problem of addiction whatsoever. Go to Parkdale and Driftwood (to name a couple of places) and you will see what contributes to addiction. CZ is a place for music and dance for peoples of a scene which also includes drinking and the use of other substances - MOST OF THE TIME RESPONSIBLY

The fact is: Slugzea, the Comfort Zone or anyone of its staff has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE DEATH OF SOME KID. Weather he purchased the drugs there or not, he would have abused drugs and died. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CZ.

I have to agree with excuser. My example above...I went to staff to get help for a man I didn't know and I was encouraged to give him more drugs rather than seek him medical help. While not all staff that work there are bad,there were and I am sure still are a few that are NOT on the up and up. To say that there are NEVER any OD's is a blatant lie as I KNOW for a fact as I am good freinds with some one who used to be security there that they happen alot. ALot more than people are admitting there and until management and staff do something to change the reputation of CZ from a "place to get Messed up" to a place to here amazing dj's Like Miss Blu people should not be surprised or upset when they go qand get busted. It's time to openb your eyes people and wake up. I now live on the opposite end of the country and when I mention CZ to people here, people who have NEVER been to CZ they know it as place to get really really high. Not as a club that has killer beats. SO lie to yourselves if you wish but even other provinces know of CZ's lousy reputation!!!!

if u know of any bars/club that is drug free, please let me know.

exuser: I'm not denying that drugs are used there. That's the point - the point is we should have places like this. It's good that CZ warned the patrons when cops were there by putting up the lights, its a good thing they have a G-out room - these things help. If women were abused while G'd out that's a different story - those are disgusting fuckers, which by the way you will find in every circle in life. Do you not believe that one could drink responsibly? Are you aware that their is rampant, open drug use at a heavy metal concert at Air Canada Centre? The point is you will not stop this, drug use will go on. And like CZ there are other after hours and normal clubs where these acttivites take place. If anything CZ was the most responsible, because it was aware.

The g-out room is not good. Warning the dealers and users is not good. When someone is g-ing out they need medical attention, not a dark room and a bump. What planet are you on? FYI, I don't believe in drinking either. Alcohol does way more damage then good, just like illicit drugs. As far as the ACC thing, try comparing apples to apples. CZ is same place same people every weekend something can easily be done. Yes, people are going to use drugs at clubs, but CZ has taken it to a different level that is not acceptable. That is why it should be shut down for good.

Angel and exuser you are obviously ignorant to reality. The reality is DRUGS ARE BEING USED AT CLUBS - WAKE THE FUCK UP! The other clubs hide knowing this fact while at CZ it is open and accepted. Hence, when you use drugs at a club which is pretending to be blind to it, it puts the patrons in danger, while using drugs in a place like CZ where it is known makes for a safer environment. The people know how to handle the situation, THEY ARE AWARE instead of trying to pretend its not happening. I've frequented CZ for over 10 years going back to the true rave days when the place was known as BUZZ. I have only witnessed RESPONSIBLE DRUG USE, loving, caring people, a positive environment with 0 (ZERO) deaths or health incidents. That's why its been open this long - it is a safe place, it is open and we are all aware, making it safer. You are making up stories saying drugs are sold like at a flea market and saying we are doing lines off dirty tables. THAT IS BS - spread your bullshit rumours somewhere else. I know whats going on I see it every week.

after going through this ordeal on my first ever night out to comfort zone, a lot of thought, a lot of reading and a lot of researching - this is my conclusion, CZ is the Hell and the police (not everyone but most) were the devils. it's a dog eat dog world, and we got caught in the middle.

The Police realizes they did something wrong, otherwise they wouldn't have dragged out the family in their press conference, (i.e. look at other criminal investigation and their press conferences, there's so many holes in their version of the story). It was too much force, when most of the patrons didn't even have any drugs or records they could impose a charge on. 150 people in there were treated like criminals even before they were searched and processed; even criminals have rights (innocent until proven guilty in a court of law in front of your peers and a judge).

The club is obviously fcked as well if and as they facilitated drugs for a decade, there police were obviously in on it if it went on that long. there's an underlying message after all has been said and done a/ the police will and did get away with brutality towards regular people b/ they still can't and ultimately won't close down the club. So what was the point?

I am shaken and angry, but i don't know where to point my finger! sure you can accuse me for walking into a place which was fully licensed for after hours dancing and I guess it doesn't even matter that i am fulltime working professional in the financial district, university educated, pay my taxes, have no previous run in with the law and wasn't under the influence of anything legal or illegal.

In all fairness, I was probably treated better than everyone else in there but what i saw the police doing in there broke my trust in the system and has scarred me beyond repair. My guy friends who were also not in possession, nor did they have any previous record were kicked around, and my girlfriend was felt up by a cop. If it wasn't for a good cop who processed me, i would have faced the same brutality.

This is the most fucked up and neutral account of what really happened in there Sunday morning.

Bunch of fucking losers at all raves and especially to all the fucking left wingers who hate the police and were at the club that morning - none of you bleeding heart assholes obviously have kids or careers otherwise you wouldn't have the time to stay up all night and get high till noon the next day. "The cops did this and the cops did did that", blah, blah, blah. I think they should let you do whatever the hell you want in your precious little club and hopefully you freeloading useless shitheads will all end up on a slab in the morgue. Hey, take all the drugs you want! (PS: Go kill yourself you snivelling little prick who blames the victims mom for all this...people like you are exactly the problem with Toronto today)

"tripper hun does this look like a fucking english class you u fucking idiot!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

No. It looks more like Special Ed.

howie i am an investment banker for a huge bank in downtown Toronto and i was in there randomly. You can't make a judgment call on everyone in there, believe me if we were all druggies and drug dealers than out of 200 people in there only 33 wouldn't be charged; not to mention half the charges were possession and immigration. These offenses in a court look like babies compared to what goes on in the city, i.e. shooting, rape, gang violence, robbery, corporate crimes etc.

rick i know, i can't believe it myself.. I was thinking of going out to buy a lottery ticket! what are the odds eh? If i wasn't an experience junkie, I'd feel much worse. It definitely opened my eyes, and maybe even scared me into acting a little less dangerously. I won't be going back to CZ, but i hope there will somewhere i can dance in peace without so much drugs or policing.

..... and this is who they hire to help addicts at the CARC. No wonder everyone is still fucked. U suck exuser - get a new job, you can't help an addict - you have no clue.

I don't work for CARC and again your information is bullshit. It is not used as an anesthetic on a regular basis, parts of eastern Europe where it is used is a third world. People can't afford to eat let alone proper medicine. It was experimented with to deter DT's (that's the alcoholic thing you eluded to) but that was 15 years ago and found to be ineffective. Oh ya and as far as the liver thing, true except when you take into consideration that the G you get on the street is not made with good pure chemicals and usually have traces of lead. Dude I know what I am taking about, I am not some government patsy. I model my practice on informed eclecticism with of course my ICADC certification.

That is the problem you see, Rick is you find some obscure information supporting your maladjusted response to life and you hang onto it. I could bring you a pile of scientific research showing G is not good for you, but because you read something that says it is OK, you will hang onto that because it supports what you like to do. Why are you arguing so hard for this place. It closes and that's your scene, go to Black, or Film or whatever the fuck else opens up tomorrow.

Leann you're a complete cunt. I hope the next time you get gang raped that instead of enjoying it like last time, the big cock you seek leads to your demises as rips well into your internal organs. Cunt!

I understand what you said. Do you understand what I said? If you don't I will dumb it down for you. You should not go to places like that. Don't bother bitching about the cops because you should have known better then being there in the first place.

Is it just me. Or has this Rick joke lost his fucking mind!?! lol

After reading all this I see the view of both sides here. First things first though. As someone that would normally side with the law , the police statement that was made public was flawed. A result of that, is the media taking things a step further by candy coating the 'truth' as they know it. The seized amount ($30,000) seams like a bullshit number. Especially if you divide that number by the amount of charges. Thats an example. Another is that when they rolled out a table with the seized items. Looks to me like they added more to that table as an effort to exploit the establishment and it's patrons. I would also like to highlight the part about drugs laid out on tables like a flea market presentation. Another bullshit call. I can't believe the cops would even say that. Patrons to CZ or any establishment know about plain clothes police, and how they're always around. For dealers to set up shop on a table would be as smart as wearing bright orange coveralls with the word 'dealer' patched on the back. We all know that doesn't happen.

My next point is about education. Anytime you get a prescription filled these days you also get a page with the order to educate yourself with side affects, warnings about mixing with other drugs, ect. My view on illegal drugs is that if your dumb enough to use, without looking up the risks, side affects, ect, then you deserve the shitty outcome. I believe the amount of drug abuse that goes on at Zone is no different the the drug abuse that happens at the other mainstream bars. Add alcohol abuse to the mainstream bar list 'cause Zone doesn't have a liquor license. I'm sure there's a lot more people passing out from drinking too much across the city then people passing out on GHB. So far I'm putting reality into this whole deal. I'm not trying to take sides here. I'm more about shedding light on this the way I see it. I'm proud to say I live a sober lifestyle, and have been like that for a long time.

I have to comment on the statement 'real Dj's are from europe, all others suck.' Unless you live in a room with no connection to the outside world, you should know that every genera of music has an underground scene. Just as there are bands that you have never herd of play on late night talk shows, there are DJ's that play small underground clubs. I know first hand that talent displayed at the zone is first class. These Dj's work there ass off doing what they do and it's a full time job for them. It's a business and yes, they do pay their taxes on there name and/or company. You mainstreamers should know that times have changed. Music is not the same as it was when you were young. House music today sounds different then it did ten years ago. To generalize the electronic music scene as a kids scene is stupid. To put an age limit on a style of music makes me laugh at anyone saying that. There's a lot of mature adults that go to electronic events across the world. It's a billion dollar industry. It's entertainment for millions of music fans everywhere. From the outside it looks like a bunch of people dancing to a beat that sounds like a broken record. For the fans, it's a vacation in it's self. Call it weird, whatever. Every person has there version of weird. There's lots of styles of music that people dance to that I don't like myself. I could talk shit about them. OR, realize that they do what they do 'cause there having fun. The electronic scene in Toronto is here to stay (like it or not). Mocking someone or group has gotten old. If your not involved with the scene then keep your opinions to your self.

It's too bad that the Zone got singled out in all this, when the problem is everywhere. Drugs will find there way into any bar, or club to be used. Even a concert with high security at the ACC can't stop the amount of weed that makes it's way in. Everyone needs to know that stopping drug abuse isn't easy. (like quitting smoking, and heavy drinking). Thats why we have rehab facilities. The best way is not even starting. Too bad for most people their first time is around friends that convince them to partake without knowing the negative results. It's sad to think about the lives ruined, family's broken up, jobs lost, that happen on a daily basis due to abuse. Yes it's the users own fault, but sucks they've had to learn the hard way.

I know a lot about GHB. I've done it for a long time. The problem starts when you don't pace yourself and think it's not working and do more. It was not addictive. I was able to give it up like my McDonalds eating habit. You should know that The emerg room at any hospital is full of alcohol poisoning. Also fatal. I respect my body. I'll admit to doing shit, but it was in moderation. Still bad yes, but at least I knew what I was fucking with and wasn't being foolish. Now I think everything like that is bullshit. I'm a personal trainer now and you couldn't even pay me to do a shot at the bar. I know I feel 100x better then anyone that goes out on a weekend binge. I bet I look a lot healthier too. You have to come to terms here an accept (if you like it or not) people will do as they please. Thats the way it is. One view here is that doing illegal drugs is so fucking bad and made out to be worse then things the law allows (like smoking cigarettes, and drinking alcohol) I Know GHB enough that they use it legally in a lot of countries as a sleep aid. They also use coke some places to freeze skin before stitching wounds. Lots of shit out there will kill you thats legal when you abuse it. I'm not standing up for any drug use. Illegal or not, if your doing something to have fun, then take it easy.

JM,
Unfortunately the so called "victimless crime" (recreational drug use) everyone compares to murder, shootings, gang violence etc has roots in organized crime. Just think the next time you decide to use E, GHB, K, etc that you're padding the pockets of people who are entrenched in the very crimes you purport to despise so much. So please, all of you people that think you're not hurting anyone with your "only out to have a good time" drug use bullshit, you're contributing to a much higher order you don't have a clue about. (JM, I wonder what your employer would think about your after hours involvement in a club where drugs run rampant...)

does this mean, that you can finally walk to breakfast on sunday mornings and not have to worry about stepping on some passed out chink that came outta CZ?

Define a real job there bud? 'Cause I'm sure anything a Dj does as far as talent isn't something you could figure out how to do anytime soon. To them it's a fun job. It's a billion dollar entertainment industry that is at an all time high in popularity. Job security comes to mind. Are you able to say you love your job? Not too many people get that privilege these days. Most people know door staff positions are usually students. Real job or not, the pay is good, and gets them through school. A lot better then flipping burgers, or cleaning toilets. If you hate fat, rich, meat head kids, cookie peddling asians, and toronto then stop crying about it and move. That shits not getting any better.

final word= fraud
buddy how old are you? 30, 35, 40? your defending DJ'ing as a real job? how hard is it to throw a couple turntables together and scratch some vinyl with your greasy fingers. Most DJs are lazy these days anyways, they all use laptops and digital shit, they aint man enough like that old school DJs, especially the ones in Spanish Harlem and Bed-Stuy Brooklyn. Toronto's club scene is done, its a wrap, everything is bait these days, plus you got channels like city tv and CBC trying to dramatize anytime somebody gets roughed up in a club. If you wanna have fun these days, move outta mama's basement, find your own apartment, go buy your own liquor, your own hash, rent a few strippers, and MAKE IT RAIN!

The Truth:
Still waiting for you to define a real job. I don't have to prove myself to anyone. I'm where I wanted to be a long time ago, and I'm happy with my life. Thats worth more to me then any drug could provide. Your comments show your maturity, your lack of knowledge, and lead me to believe your a miserable red neck, racist fuck, that grew up in the sticks. Explains why your so narrow minded. Stop posting bullshit. If you have something to say then contribute. If your coming here to be an childish e-thug, then get back to your strippers and hash.

2 people overdosed after going there, which resulted in an undercover investigation for a couple of months. the raid obviously was planned after sitting back and watching people who dont have a personality needing to ingest crap into their bodies to give them one. what the people in there do is no secret. you get roughed up...not as bad as the other crap you're doing to your body

DJ'ing aint a legit job, its a luxury job, its part of the make-believe club culture, club culture is the mosy overrated thing in the world. How can a DJ be a real job, when you have no health benefits, no steady paycheck. Im not one to question how one makes money, but I get offended when someone comes here acting all righteous and pretending their job is more of an essential service to society than a doctor, as a DJ you can easily be replaced and nobody will miss you, as long as people are drunk or smoking that sticky icky, they wont care who is working the crates, ya know what i mean?

COMFORT ZONE is not comfort zone anymore even thou they still open this weekend after hearing all this things why they don't bust the basement there's drug activity going in there too i'm sorry i love after hours clubs too but if they want to do their job they need to bust all the after hours clubs too i'll sacrifice not going to after hours club just too stay away from SKETCHYNESS good bye ZONE

Yo stop bitching at each other this is all about CZ drug bust not djing shit aite let's get back to topic

Stop shifting the blame of the raid onto the cops; it's honestly so ridiculous.

The reason why it was raided is because the cops caved to public pressure. Normally, they wouldn't give a shit but because it started to get out of hand, they had to respond. The lesson is - don't rock the fucking boat.

What's your point in defending this drug haven hole in the wall?

I think that from the logic that Rick and his GHBUDDIES are using i should be able to open up a shooting gallery or a crack den.....employ a DJ ...and Charge $10 a head and be left alone by the cops!

"Police used EXCESSIVE force...and I mean EXCESSIVE. From the people I know who were there - their hands were bound, they were made to kneel or lie down on the floor. Guns were pointed in peoples faces. Girls were crying. People were cut and bruised. There are ORDINARY citizens just going there to have a good time and they're treated like shit. I even heard once everyone was "detained", the cops were "Hi-5"-ing each other like they were celebrating a hockey victory. "

THIS WAS A DRUG RAID BIG BOY!!!
WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO DO ...COME IN WITH GLOW STICKS?

apetimberlake: I have no problem with something like that happening in a drug lord's house. Or if a deal was going down.
But there are "ordinary citizens" going to a "legal establishment". Keep those four quoted words in mind.

How would you feel if you went to the local movies, pub, or club, and be treated like that?

X-Hale:
You need to get real.

This kind of raid would not happen at Sushi on bloor.

It happened at CZ because the drug use and sales is out of control.

Like an earlier comment, you cant walk your dog around that place in the morning with out having some drugged out idiot that got "to into the vibe" the night before scaring my chihuahua.

"Next time I read or hear something in the news about a cop being hurt, injured (or perhaps) even killed, I will not feel so sympathetic."

X-FAIL - you're a disgrace. It was a raid and I know for a fact that a tactical unit were on hand to ensure that no one was roughed-up or violated.

Ya'll are so full of shit. If this was some raid on a rexdale "ghetto" crackhouse, would you still decry the cops for "excessive" force? Doubtful. But because this was some downtown after hours place that was "all about the music", you act as if there is some larger conspiracy. There isn't.

POLICE CAVED TO PUBLIC SCRUTINY.

I'm suer a new place will open soon - if not the Crack Zone itself. Just don't be surprised when drug havens are raided, for fucks sake.

Dont hang out in places where you can buy drugs in the open like at CZ and you wont have an issue.

The end.

If i am at Centre street Deli and it is raided i will give you a shout.

Children please it is a dump that needs to go. If you cannot see that then you need to grow up.

Final Word - just because you were able to walk away from that lifestyle easily does not mean that A - everyone can walk away from it easily, and B - it should be condoned. By not raiding the place regularly we are essentially condoning the activities that go on there. That is why CZ needs to be full on raided regularly.

Rick:

I couldn't agree with you more. People are too quick to judge without fully understanding the situation. Perspectives are skewed by the media. They only show one side of the story. It's the ignorant people out there that choose to blatantly believe what is written. A word of advice: Listen to first hand accounts before you pass judgement.

Ignorance is bliss...don't you think?

Exactly X-Hale. And I read your other comments. I can't believe I live in a city policed by liers and criminals. For the police to enter an establishment and detain and search everyone is, in my opinion, criminal. And all the lies, the flea market table bullshit, the amount of drugs and arrests portrayed by the media is all bull. The patrons were treated like animals. Its sick, I almost wish an innocent patron was shot by the police and killed, so that a new family would emerge (like the Fazio family that emerged when their son died from supposedely drugs purchased as the zone). This new family would pressure for an investigation in police brutality - THATS WHAT TOOK PLACE HERE! Not to mention some kind of western film type robbery. Where, ON NO GROUNDS, the clubs door proceeds and cash WAS STOLEN BY THE POLICE (essentially the city of Toronto). The club was destroyed, walls torn - who's gonna pay for this? The shit was barbaric and primitive. Did the Fazio family also pay the police to go and do this, is that why it was allowed? Why was a warrant granted, was the warrant against the club? Or was the warrant for each individual patron in there? I know Comfort Zone DOES NOT SELL DRUGS. Although staff my be dealing, I know CZ is not involved. So how was a warrant issued? I don't get it, was the club the focus of the investigation or the patrons? The whole thing is a BIG SCAM.

exuser:

You say Zone is a dangerous place?

I have been going there for years and in all my time, have never seen, heard of, or experienced one incident of "danger". I have never seen a fight break out. I have never seen anyone being harassed. In fact, I have never seen so many friendly people and smiling faces. And they are all there to enjoy one thing ... the dirtiest, filthiest beats that you will NEVER hear anywhere else.

On the flip side, I have seen countless fights occur in "regular" clubs, so much attitude and cut eye from everyone around. Put a big of alcohol in them and they're a time bomb waiting to pick a fight. Put them behind a wheel and injuries and death are unfortunately inevitable.

Wow back and forth w. the same kind of comments.

There is a war in Iraq where many people are dying daily, yet we worry about an underground club getting raid.

There are so many illegal activities everywhere, sooner or later, places where drugs are openly used, well, may get a little shake up. I believe the Zone will open, back to business, people will still do what they do.

Respect each other, ultimately NOBODY forces ANYONE to take any sort of drugs. People do have will power. How many ppl smoke regular cigarettes, that is one of the # 1 cancer/killer terminal illness.

This argument can go on forever, bottom line is to set an example THRU ACTION, be good to oneself and others, noone is going to listen to any of you if you swear and handle this debate with such hate for each other. Not everyone @ Zone is a low class, brainless, druggie, however some cleaning up needed to be done there. Let's be honest here.

LOL: I couldn't agree with you more. Well said!

X-HALE drugs are not harmless. When a girl g's out and gets raped in the green room is no harm done? When someone is OD-ing and the bouncers course of action is to drag them far enough away so it is "not their problem" is that not dangerous? Please do yourself a favour and pull your head out of you ass.

X-HALE CZ offers a comfortable environment for these things to go on, with no controls in place. If it was a true safe using environment then the rapes and other negative results of using would be minimized, because there would be people there who are trained and supervised properly.

As for the tightrope analogy, we can either offer a net for that tightrope or not. CZ is a no net environment. That is why it has to go.

Because some dumbass kid who barely knows their ass from a hole in the ground chooses to use too many drugs and gets raped or otherwise injured we should just write it off saying well she chose to use. Unfortunate consequence my ass. I hope you never make any bad decisions in your life if that is your way of thinking.

You make an argument to keep this dangerous disease infected place open because you like to dance!

FYI I am very education on the subject, in a traditional manner as well as a non traditional one, so don't even bother with the "feeble mind" bit. In case you have not figured it out I am an advocate for safe using sites, as well as a harm reductionist.

if you like cz see you ther next sunday stand up for the place i'w ll'bee there

To my fellow Torontonian! Dr Rick lost his mind ions ago in this thread! LOL

The Truth:
"DJ'ing aint a legit job, its a luxury job, its part of the make-believe club culture, club culture is the mosy overrated thing in the world. How can a DJ be a real job, when you have no health benefits, no steady paycheck. Im not one to question how one makes money"

You need to shut up and do some research. DJ's develop followers that just love the talent and music they produce. You say no health benefits? Maybe so, but it beats flipping burgers at $8 per hour to gain health benefits. Look at some of the big names? PVD, Armin, Tiesto. Yes, you will probably say something stupid as in "They Suck" PVD gets paid $10,000 per hour to spin! He spun at Guvernment for 3.5 hours and got paid $90 GRAND! DJ-ing is an art, not something you learn over night. If you say that it is easy being a DJ? Try spinning 5 different tracks at once while mixing them on the fly. A "real Job" is a job that is important to you regardless of pay and benefits. It's what you love to do and are successful at. A "real Job" is something that cannot be defined by anyone but yourself.

***applauds guy from Buflo***

^^^Hey Big Boy^^^
How many 35 year old dead beats are there spinning trance in shitholes like CZ compared to someone like PVD....SASHA....etc..

get a grip


Yeah, and I am sure they just popped out of their mothers pooch and had multi-million dollar contracts. You get a grip. Most of the DJ's that were regulars at CZ are also regulars at large clubs and some have albums out. Your so narrow minded...just because SASH and PVD have made it this far in their careers doesnt mean the local guys wont get a break somewhere along the line.

The point of this is ... DRUGS ARE AGAINST THE LAW..POLICE RAIDED THE PLACE FOR ILLEGAL ACTIVITY.....THE END.

NOT EVERYONE THAT STEALS CARS DOES IT OFTEN....OR KILLS SOMEONE WHILE DOING IT...but the police should turn a blind eye top that aswell??

no you stupid m*thaf*cka.. just cos you standin in a parkin lot don't mean you're there stealin cars nor does it mean you should get treated like a criminal for it. so go f*ck yourself.

long live the zone !
Posted by: djb

X2 X2 X2 X2 X2

I completely sympathize with the family of the guy who died. I cannot imagine what they must be going through. But to blame this incident on CZ is fucking stupid. He would have got the drugs from one place or the other. His family must shift the blame away from CZ to their own son?s decision to doing what he did. He was 26 years old?.. not a kid. He should have known how much he can handle. Additionally, he did not even OD at the zone. How can you blame this on CZ? It does not make sense to me.

I have been to CZ tons of times. Friendly people. Great Music. I think it is fucking stupid to blame CZ for this guy?s death when he could not handle his shit and just because he wearing a CZ bracelet. I think it is ignorant for his family to blame CZ.

LONG LIVE ZONE- HOPE THE TECHNO NEVER STOPS

wow to be honest i never saw this coming.....afta the one time when i was in a parking lot headin to Zone with a few friends, the cops pulled up and asked what was going on. We said Zone, (of course they knew where our day was heaidn), and they said be safe......no problems....

I always thought of Canada as a country that understood certain things should be left alone (or at least monitored and dealt with professionally) WRONG!.

Durgs are here to stay. CZ only catered to those that really wanted to do them and party. It all seemed like a safe and 'comfortable' place to do it....each time it was all chill and enjoyable. Although, I am disturbed to hear about Heroin, but really how high in the cloud was my head in such a place.....that I will always love.

What is with the constant reference to paying taxes and going to work all week? These are things a normal contributing member of society should do! You want a fucking cookie or something? It is like working and paying taxes gives you the right to do whatever the hell you want. This is the type of argument a child makes to a parent when they are still living at home and working full time.

There's so much B.S. posted here, it's hard to decide where to start shovelling it. It's time people started to open their eyes about what's really going on at "Church" (that's what it's referred to by it's Sunday morning regulars). I used to be there every weekend, sometimes three times a week. I stopped going because it's a grungy place where anything can happen to you. The real surprise for me was how long it's taken to get raided on a large scale. The cops visited the place several times when I was there. Almost every time, the bouncers came through to warn us that the police were there, so we'd have time to ditch our stashes. Only once did I see anyone actually get arrested there. Go figure. The reason I stopped going there was that the risks outweighed whatever benefits existed in going there. First of all, there was always the risk of being arrested for being there, and for being in possession of drugs. I never met anybody in there that wasn't high on something. The rumour was that the owners paid the cops off, and that's why it didn't get raided. I even heard the head bouncer (at the time I was going) was an ex-cop himself. Whether that's true, I can't say. What I can say is it's unbelievable that so many people are claiming that the Zone was a safe place to go and dance and be high, that no one ever got hurt there. Bullshit. I've seen enough people OD'ing in there. My friend OD'd there. There's a G-out room right in the place where they take people who are G-ing out (overdosing on GHB). I was given drugs by bouncers there, so don't try to tell me the staff is innocent in all this. If they didn't have it, they'd find what I was looking for, or send the guy to you. They got paid off by drug dealers to send them business. When I was going there regularly, it was common knowledge that at least one bouncer was getting paid off by a guy who was getting girls G'd out, and taking them into that G-out room and raping them. That is no word of a lie. The bouncer was standing outside the room making sure nobody was going in there. So cut the crap already. I stopped attending "Church" when I got too disgusted to be there.
I can tell you for a fact that fights have broken out there. A female friend of mine had a gun put to her head in CZ after the guy who did it had beaten her down to the floor. They don't search everybody -- definitely not the people who pay them off. And don't try and tell me they don't get paid off, cuz I've had friends that did they paying. That same guy who put a gun to my friend's head was allowed back into the Zone the next week -- he was one of the dudes paying off the bouncers.
I've been in the G-out room when a guy was so high he was whacking a 10-foot long 2 by 4 off every wall and piece of furniture. Did they tell him to leave? HELL, NO! Nobody looked at him, except out the corner of their eyes, just to make sure they weren't gonna get hit. I knew guys who went there just to knock people out and rob them for their drugs and money. So it's making me sick reading all these comments where people are suggesting that the Comfort Zone is a safe environment to go and live the high life. It just ain't the truth. I've been to tons of afterhours clubs in my life. The Zone was by far the nastiest. It's the kind of place where you don't want anyone to touch you, cuz it's so hot in there even the walls sweat. Someone brushes against you, and their sweat feels like slime sticking to you. The only reason people don't do their drugs right out in the open more often than they do is cuz they're afraid an undercover cop in the place will spot them. But trust me, that's not enough to deter most people once they get high enough. I've seen people snort anything they could put up their noses in that place, and you don't put down your water bottle, cuz you don't know who's gonna slip what into it. My girl that G'd out in the place had someone slip it to her in a glass of Coke. The Zone's nasty enough when the lights are off -- once they come on, you don't wanna see where you've been partying.
Not everyone in the place is bad. There are good people who just go there to have a good time. But those good people are lying to themselves if they wanna deny what really goes on in the place.
In my opinion, the cops had to be getting paid off to turn a blind eye on the place. They've had undercovers in the place for years, they always knew what goes on there. It's not like they're just ignoring that drugs are being sold and taken in mass quantities there. They're ignoring all the other crimes that happen when you have a large volume of people crammed into a small place, who are all really freaking high on really hard drugs.
Oh, and by the way, I think it's funny that the Silver Dollar claims it is a serperate establishment. Come 11 a.m. they open up the stairwell connecting the two places, and once you've been searched, you can go up there. And trust me, if all you're trying to do is hide your drugs, it's not that hard. It's pretty easy to hide a pill. So if you want to drink, you can do that no problem, so long as it's past 11 o'clock. You wonder why people are ODing? Drugs and alcohol can be a lethal combination.
Then you have to consider how many people go there to sell drugs they know are bad drugs, cuz they know they can sell them to someone, make their money, and disappear in the crowds. People pop their pills without thinking about what's really in them. You don't know what you're taking when you buy it in a place like the Zone. But as long as they're open, people will keep going there, buying their drugs and taking them, turning a blind eye at the disgusting truth of what is really going on around them.

Yeah right ....exactly Yeah RIGHT! There has been a small handfull of incidents at CZ/Buzz in the about 10 years its been around. I know because I was there from the beginning. If you consider that dangerous, you must be afraid to leave your own house. I used to work for Canada's Wonderland security department. They report more incidents of robbery, sexual harrasment, fighting etc. in one 4 month season than CZ has had in its entire 10 years. WAKE THE FUCK UP! The place is safe considering....If you're afraid and believe it to be unsafe then don't attend. Everyone who attends knows what they are getting into - STAY HOME, it'll be safer for you.

Allow me to restate the following observation due to typo's;

You can't even take a dump in the CZ, and you're going to call it "safe"?

OMG Rick and slugzkea how can you two possibly still be defending this shit hole? You guys are such losers especially you slugzkea for being proud of being an employee of this place. How much of a douche bag are you for dedicating years of your life to this place? You are such an idiot.

Remember Dr Rick on how GHB is good for you? Superstar winner there! LOL

And we cannot forgot good-old Slug... Janitor of Comfort Zone turned bouncer... Momma must be proud of you! LOL

Kids reading this... These are the lowest of the lowest losers in our beautiful city of TORONTO!

I think it ranks somewhere around cum mopper at Remington's.

the people that attend CZ are selfish, narrow-minded, and a detriment to our society. There are soldiers getting killed in Iraq, people homeless because of Katrina, children growing up in broken homes with no parents, yet we are supposed to feel sorry for people that "CHOSE" to attend CZ? The clubbers make no sense, you cant have your cake and eat it too, you want to do drugs, fine its your life, but you want to do drugs in a public place and not be bothered by the law? that makes no sense, if you were doing drugs in your own private home, then maybe you would have a solid argument, but CZ isn't a private home. Also its pretty selfish for people to whine about how they need a place to do drugs and dance to trance/eletronica/techno, etc., its SELFISH people like you that are ruining the city and country, oh so you cant do some ecstasy and dance, BOOO HOOO, poor baby, there are more important things in life that drugs and techno. Spend sundays at your local church, volunteer your time to the community, visit family, go to the gym, do something productive instead of frying your brain cells and accelarting your heart rate.

YO, SOME PEOPLE HERE ARE PISSING ME OFF!
SNORT THE DRUGS, DANCE, CHILL.
IT BOTHERS ME. THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO DO DRUGS TO HAVE FUN.
ONE DUDE SAID SOME CRAZY STUFF ABOUT THE YOUTH WHO DIED.
ALOT OF YOU ARE SOUNDING LIKE 30 YEAR OLDS DISCOVERING COMFORT ZONE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
I'M WORRIED MORE PEOPLE WILL DIE, I DON'T KNOW OF THE POLICE SITUTAION...BUT IF THEY ARE CORRUPT THAT SCARES ME.
ITS ALL COOL. DO YOUR THING, YOU WANNA SNORT DRUGS, DO YOUR THING. COPS CORRUPT? THINGS WILL RISE TO THE SURFACE.
ITS ALL GOOD. TO THAT DUDE THAT DISREPSECTED THE YOUTH WHO DIED, DON'T DO THAT KID...IT'S NOT COOL.
I USED TO HIT UP COMFORT ZONE IN 1998-99.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT GOES DOWN THERE THESE DAYS, IT LOOKS BARREN TO ME. WHAT DAYS IS IT OPEN? DOES IT STILL PLAY JUNGLE/DRUM AND BASS? LET ME KNOW.

Slugs, are you that bald guy who works the cash?

Funny how the bouncers who work inside the front door never saw all those cop cars rolling up??

Let me guess, they had the morning off?

I defend this place for the "few" years i've worked there because there are much worst clubs, and other clubs that are 10x more dangerous than the zone.

If you don't know that of the clubs in this city, then you are the idiot.

In case you haven't read from the start of this blog, I'll review it for you.

- CZ never had one shooting in it's entire history.
- Barely any fights happen there in comparison to other clubs.
- The rumor of people leaving on a stretcher every weekend is false, the last person I saw leave on a stretcher due to something serious was over a year ago.
- You can take a shit there, as long as no one else has took a shit there first (during the event).

So if you really think CZ is that bad, that "dangerous" or that "shitty". well like i said, you're a pussy.

Or a priss. choose one?

CZ stopped calling EMS because it was too much heat you jackass. No shootings, just everything else you can imagine, bravo!! Less fights then other clubs, it is not even a club you moron at least it is not licensed as such, doh! Go into the bathroom and take a shit while the guys from parkdale rob you blind and pay off the doorman. Fuck you Slug obviously you are never going to get it. Go get a job where you are a contributing member of society instead of a parasite.

Mountie if you think that there is no more drugs in this place then in the mainstream clubs, you either A) have never been there, B) are inept to goings on around you, or C) lying, because it is simply not true. CZ has been Toronto's biggest drug den for a long time.

Exuser have you been to the Guverment? It's just spread out over a bigger area but there are lot's of drugs going around in there i can assure you. I was speaking more to the good and bad people...i'm sure there has been some shady things going on in back rooms in licenced clubs with really drunk or drugged girls/guys. I said you can buy drugs there but they aren't set up like a flea-market in there. I wasn't inept to what was going on around me in there that's why nothing bad happened to me. I also met some really nice people in there that seem no different from those I work with everyday that have never been to CZ. There are some lost souls in there that have done too many drugs but there are also lost souls on their 20th drink of the night at 2am at many clubs across the city puking, slurring their speach and passing out in parks if they don't get into a fight first. There is no difference between a drunk or a drug addict, they are both addictions, why treat people who do one different than another? Because the government makes money on one? People are people no matter how they choose to get a buzz so why are some name calling and sayng people who go to CZ are all losers unless they have met ALL of those who go to CZ and one club gets raided and not others.
It's hypocracy and i'm sure alot of nice people went through hell that night for no reason...it'll be jumping again soon with all new people to replace those who leave. It was a waste of time....

I guess I spoke too soon.

I thought I had given up but I'm honestly enraged by the sheer stupidity of some people.

Again, I reiterate - there was no conspiracy nor did the cops wake up one day and think, "hey, it's time we busted up Comfort Zone" nor were they being paid off. You all wish it was as simple as that so you can easily dimiss the fact that you were openly doing illegal drugs in a shit hole.

I don't give a fuck if alcohol is worse that your shitty drugs, so stop with the blame game.

I also don't give a fuck if you're doing GHB,e, coke, crack, whatever, because it's social darwinism plain and simple. Less compitetion for me, I say.

But please, stop whining about getting busted and roughed up for doing illegal shit or NOT doing illegal shit in a joint that enables it FOR FUCKS SAKE.

/end

MY FUN FUR WAS RUINED !!!!
BOOO HOO

this whole situation is disturbing & sad.

All the media is so full of shit with their comments about cz. I have been to cz many times over the past 5 years and NEVER have the staff directed me to someone selling drugs, most times you can't even get any there and there are definitely no ?tables set up like flea markets for you pick out what you want?, how pathetic is that...do you sleep at night with all the lies you tell???? Get your facts str8. The staff is always patting down people entering the club. I have never seen weapons through this club and if there were any they are immediately thrown out.

CZ is one of the clubs I feel the safest out of all in the city. I never thought it would be but it?s true, everyone knows each other and we all go there for one reason and that?s house music and good friends. Us ladies can dance without having some drunk asshole all over us and starting fights with our guy friends.

It's horrible that a 26 year old ADULT lost his life due to an overdose, but really the sad truth is this is what happens when you are not careful of what you?re doing. I know lots of people who have taken too much of a drug b/c they were simply being complete idiots and they learned the hard way by almost passing out but they lived through it, some people continue to do it and some people are more careful. All partiers need to be cautious and RESPONSIBLE for their actions. This boy was definitely old enough to make own choices and really should of known better. I like to know where his friends were? Was he by himself when he died?

gee thanks for the update allah! all this time i didn't know it was for drugs am i ever silly...keep reading it over and over dude you may get it one day.

If all things on the media were true,

Why is the club re-opening tomorrow,

or Saturday by latest?

Because it was all bullshit. That's right.

Say and think all you want negative about the place,

It lives.

and it's re-opening very soon.

Slug, it is not because everything is bullshit, it is because the people responsible for CZ, not the people that you know, but the real people responsible have been at the epicentre of Toronto's drug subculture for over thirty years. When you are at that level one little bust barley makes you miss a stride. That is why it has to happen very regularly in order to make the place less profitable. Just a reminder it is about money not music.

FYI the charges have to be heard before a place gets shut down. That does not happen a week after a raid.

Once again, I work there thus I can say that what the media has released is truly, bullshit.

You are bullshit Slugz, one big steaming pile of bullshit.

You people are so stupid. Get together and file a law suite
They know that you would not do anything alone, but together you can bring them down.

Straight people don't know how to do drugs. Gay people know better not to take to much. Being missey in public is a no no.

hey mr "come on people"....is that the best you can do to add to this discussion?

tell me what the difference is between gay and straight people that relates to the amount of drugs they do please....say something to back that statement up for me i'd love to hear you back that up

like i said b4 ..... LONE LIVE THE ZONE !

LONG LIVE FATTENING THE POCKETS OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T CARE IF YOU LIVE OR DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well kids, the zone opens again this Thursday :) and weekend.
See facebook group "Comfort Zone"
Just be safe, show all these people that it is about the music, be careful, have fun, be loving, be respectful of your bodies :)

Earlier in the day I had an extensive conversation with a staffer at councillor Vaughan's office-

she informs me that they have as of yet received no complaints about this warrant or its execution- and have only heard support from the local residents association- who no doubt have only read the media reports of the 'drug flea market'

I think that people need to call in to express their concern-

also she suggests that those who have been involved directly will receive more results and so those who have been abused in this raid should contact-

Councillor Vaughan's Office

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association

Police Complaints