Raids Shut Down 14 Sellers of Medical Pot

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SAN DIEGO – Local and federal investigators shut down 14 medical marijuana dispensaries and arrested 30 people after an undercover operation allegedly found widespread violation of the state's medicinal pot law by storefront sellers.

The actions, announced Thursday, amount to one of the most aggressive law enforcement steps yet to thwart what has become rampant growth in California cities of storefront operations purporting to legally sell medical marijuana to qualifying patients.

California, which first passed its medical marijuana law in 1996, is one of 13 states that permits use to treat pain and illness if recommended by a physician. The state laws remain in conflict with federal law making possession, sale and cultivation of marijuana illegal.

San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said charges had yet to be filed against most of those arrested. Two of those arrested face federal drug charges, U.S. Attorney Karen Hewitt said. Others were arrested for violation of state law.

The district attorney asserted that medical pot sellers who advertised openly in local publications and on the Internet were flouting state requirements that they be set up as cooperatives or collectives and in fact were for-profit sellers of marijuana for recreational use. One of the businesses had recorded $700,000 in marijuana income in six months, Dumanis said, and six guns and $70,000 cash were seized in the raids.

"It appears these so-called marijuana dispensaries are nothing more than for-profit storefront drug dealing operations run by drug dealers hiding behind the state's medical marijuana law," Dumanis said.

She and San Diego Police Chief William Lansdowne said their undercover investigation found that none of the medical marijuana stores they examined was run legally.

The police chief said investigators estimate 40 to 50 such sellers were doing business in the city and more in the surrounding county. Their visibility in San Diego is far smaller than in some other areas of the state, such as Los Angeles, where ads in local publications and on the Internet suggest there are hundreds. Dumanis said she wanted San Diego to avoid the problems Los Angeles has with widespread public marijuana sales.

Americans for Safe Access, which advocates medical marijuana use, blasted Dumanis as "a notorious opponent of medical marijuana" bent on thwarting California law.

Dumanis said none of the sellers was found to have sold to individuals lacking a proper physician's recommendation. She said the sellers had violated requirements for structuring and operating as collectives or cooperatives as laid out in law.

Source: Raids shut down 14 sellers of medical pot - USATODAY.com
 
This not for profit crap is so bogus. There is no such thing as not for profit unless there is no paid employees and things are given away for free. KNow of any not for profit businesses? No because there is no such thing.
 
California law clearly states all medical Marijuana collectives must operate as non-profit, period... profit means what is left over after paying all of the bills, employee wages, rent, utilities, security, supplies, etc... what they are saying is these people are making profit, which is against state law... these are all true facts... sad but true...
 
Can I ask WHY these "RAIDS" were explained by law enforcement as legal (or Justified) under California law ??? ;)Just curious in Humboldt County...based upon undercover testimony I would look at credibility issues)
 
I think it has something to do with the fact that most of them have no business license or seller's permits, they are clearly operating for profit, not following proper guidelines by serving patients without recommendations, the list goes on... they rush to get involved, get too excited and don't do their homework... it's a vicious cycle that is not going to end until we have total regulation... everyone stay on your toes and be careful and follow guidelines so they don't get you next!
 
This was all the work of the Lying Self serving anti MMJ Dyke D.A. Bonnie Dum-anus.

She and her thugs have clearly violated CA Law.

The enormous waste of our tax dollars to conduct this massive PARA-MILITARY style Raid, the assist DA was quoted as "we would have raided more if we had the resources.'

Good Job D.A. Dum-anus. Send the sales back to the streets/black market and to the Killing Mexican Cartels which must have you on retainer.

Ironically the one person who is facing Federal charges ran one of the most by the book collectives.

Good Luck in your battles to all those facing charges.
 
there are definitely many of them doing proper business within guidelines as well, it's the people who don't, that screw it up for everyone else... i truly look forward to regulation once and for all, very soon... this is just getting way out of control... yes there will be more casualties of this war, but i do see the light at the end of the tunnel, don't you?
 
yes there will be more casualties of this war, but i do see the light at the end of the tunnel, don't you?

You're right, there is light and it's getting brighter everyday. I don't know how old these dispensaries are but setting up shop in one of THE hottest counties in the state might not be the best business decision legal or black market. There has been one problem after another from smoke shops to challenging state laws and wasting tax player dollars. Regardless, it's still sad that we send people to jail over a plant. Someday MJ will get the respect it deserves.
 
exactly why i dedicated my life to this mission almost 20 years ago...
shouldn't be much longer now, just have to remain focused and determined until we win...
Regardless, it's still sad that we send people to jail over a plant. Someday MJ will get the respect it deserves.
 
She said the sellers had violated requirements for structuring and operating as collectives or cooperatives as laid out in law.
So to understand this correctly, we would have to put everything in a bank style safe, and get the supply from a federally approved grower???The chances of finding one of those is like being struck by lightning thirteen times in the same storm. Can't we do better than this? How bout State protected growsites? Also, non-profit organizations are suppose to keep putting all their "profit" into their organization, to grow and expand. Any remaining capital, should then in turn be donated to other organizations. i.e. NORML, Cure for Cancer etc etc...
 
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