A prominent Denver couple active in the restaurant and political communities is at the center of what could be a precedent setting medical marijuana case after police raided a suburban business park and confiscated hundreds of marijuana plants.
Scott Durrah and Wanda James own the popular Eight Rivers restaurants, and she's a political activist that worked on Obama's Colorado finance committee. They say that not only is the pot legit, it is all being grown for their medical marijuana dispensary business.
The confusing laws regarding grow operations leave both police and growers in a legal limbo.
Police say this north Denver bust is the biggest medical marijuana grow operation they have seen.
"We went inside, we found 536 plants in difference stages of growth," said a police spokesman. "We found marijuana plants everywhere."
The north metro drug task force recently raided the facility in a north suburban business park after neighboring businesses complained.
"It was making customers sick and it was something they reported to police because they weren't sure what it was," police say.
Owners Wanda James and Scott Durrah are movers and shakers on the political and restaurant scenes in Denver.
"Our lease clearly states we are growing marijuana there, it wasn't a secret from anybody," said James "The owner knows, the developer knew."
They say their dispensary and grow operation are legit and there was no need for a raid.
"We're pioneers and we put ourselves out there as well," says Durrah. "We knew the attention would come to us whether we liked it or not."
They have a book they call their bible. It has copies of medical marijuana card for every person they claim are patients.
But investigators say they're still trying to verify the list of patients pointing out this is an area where they've seen abuse in other cases.
"It's the same license being passed around and there is evidence they're selling these licenses to the caregiver so the caregiver feels legitimate."
"we had no clue that this island skunk would grow this tall and high," explained Durrah at the warehouse during the police raid.
Police say driving the possible abuse at grow operations - money.
"To make a profit in this business, to be responsible, you have to grow your own because the costs are way too high to purchase it from it from growers to make a difference," says Durrah.
Police say dispensaries sell medical marijuana for 320 to 420 dollars an ounce.
They say that's driving up the black market price - and higher prices drive up crime.
Police say they are seeing robberies, burglaries and assaults as a direct result of the economics of pot dispensaries.
"The problem we have with a large scale grow like this operation, it impacts the neighbors, it impacts the neighborhoods," say police.
But Durrah and James insist their marijuana business is legit - and it's time law enforcement recognizes that.
"We are only doing what the law provided and why should was as an industry as those who are running it correctly be punished without facts, without a trial?"
With raids on grow operations on the rise all sides agree - the state has to come up with laws and regulations that clarify things.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 Magazine - Cannabis Culture News & Reviews
Source: KDVR-TV
Author: Julie Hayden
Copyright: 2010 KDVR-TV
Scott Durrah and Wanda James own the popular Eight Rivers restaurants, and she's a political activist that worked on Obama's Colorado finance committee. They say that not only is the pot legit, it is all being grown for their medical marijuana dispensary business.
The confusing laws regarding grow operations leave both police and growers in a legal limbo.
Police say this north Denver bust is the biggest medical marijuana grow operation they have seen.
"We went inside, we found 536 plants in difference stages of growth," said a police spokesman. "We found marijuana plants everywhere."
The north metro drug task force recently raided the facility in a north suburban business park after neighboring businesses complained.
"It was making customers sick and it was something they reported to police because they weren't sure what it was," police say.
Owners Wanda James and Scott Durrah are movers and shakers on the political and restaurant scenes in Denver.
"Our lease clearly states we are growing marijuana there, it wasn't a secret from anybody," said James "The owner knows, the developer knew."
They say their dispensary and grow operation are legit and there was no need for a raid.
"We're pioneers and we put ourselves out there as well," says Durrah. "We knew the attention would come to us whether we liked it or not."
They have a book they call their bible. It has copies of medical marijuana card for every person they claim are patients.
But investigators say they're still trying to verify the list of patients pointing out this is an area where they've seen abuse in other cases.
"It's the same license being passed around and there is evidence they're selling these licenses to the caregiver so the caregiver feels legitimate."
"we had no clue that this island skunk would grow this tall and high," explained Durrah at the warehouse during the police raid.
Police say driving the possible abuse at grow operations - money.
"To make a profit in this business, to be responsible, you have to grow your own because the costs are way too high to purchase it from it from growers to make a difference," says Durrah.
Police say dispensaries sell medical marijuana for 320 to 420 dollars an ounce.
They say that's driving up the black market price - and higher prices drive up crime.
Police say they are seeing robberies, burglaries and assaults as a direct result of the economics of pot dispensaries.
"The problem we have with a large scale grow like this operation, it impacts the neighbors, it impacts the neighborhoods," say police.
But Durrah and James insist their marijuana business is legit - and it's time law enforcement recognizes that.
"We are only doing what the law provided and why should was as an industry as those who are running it correctly be punished without facts, without a trial?"
With raids on grow operations on the rise all sides agree - the state has to come up with laws and regulations that clarify things.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 Magazine - Cannabis Culture News & Reviews
Source: KDVR-TV
Author: Julie Hayden
Copyright: 2010 KDVR-TV
