Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
Port Hueneme police uncovered an illegal marijuana dispensary 10 days before the City Council decided to allow recreational and medicinal marijuana dispensaries.
David Marruffo, 40, of Oxnard, was arrested in connection with selling marijuana out of the smoke shop he owned at 213 E. Channel Islands Blvd. A building nearby posing as a post-traumatic stress counseling service for veterans was allegedly acting as its storage facility, police said.
Noe Ortiz, 40, of Ventura, was also arrested in connection with the scheme, authorities said.
Police said they stumbled upon the alleged storage area at 227 E. Channel Islands Blvd. at 1:37 a.m. Dec. 8. More than 8 pounds of marijuana and more than $2,000 were recovered during the investigation, police said.
Ten days after the discovery, the Port Hueneme City Council adopted an ordinance at its regular Dec. 18 meeting that allows medical and recreational marijuana dispensaries to operate legally in the city.
State law made medicinal and recreational marijuana legal in California but individual cities still have jurisdiction to allow or deny these businesses from operating. In Port Hueneme, a potential owner must get a license from the city.
At the same meeting, the City Council also approved a license for a medical marijuana dispensary. This means there are at least three medical marijuana dispensaries approved to open in the city.
But those three can't start business until early 2018.
Council member Tom Figg called the discovery of the illegal dispensary "totally coincidental," while Police Chief Andrew Salinas chalked it up to normal police work.
A routine patrol of a commercial area led to the discovery and the arrests, Salinas said.
Officers found two men standing in front of the business allegedly being used as the smoke shop's storage area, police said.
As they contacted the men, they noticed the business' door was open, then saw a third man walk out of the building but quickly walk back inside upon seeing the officers, authorities said.
Police investigated further, thinking the business was possibly being burglarized. While still outside, one of the men allegedly yelled at the other to get inside the business and lock the door, police said.
After that, the only man left outside, identified as Ortiz, allegedly became uncooperative with officers, so he was arrested on suspicion of obstructing or delaying a peace officer, police said. He was subsequently searched and found to be in possession of a large amount of cash and a key to the business, authorities said.
Officers opened the business' door, ordered everyone inside to come out, then searched inside, police said. They found a large amount of processed and unprocessed marijuana, concentrated marijuana products and a large amount of packaging materials, police said.
Upon further investigation, they found the property was associated with Marruffo, who owns Channel Islands Smoke Accessories and Apparel, authorities said.
A search warrant was later obtained and conducted at the smoke shop and its alleged storage area. It yielded more marijuana, concentrated marijuana, edible products containing marijuana, several scales and packaging, police said.
A 9 mm semi-automatic handgun was also found inside the storage facility, authorities said.
As a result, Marruffo was arrested on suspicion of possession of marijuana for sale and conspiracy to commit a crime, police said. Ortiz was arrested on suspicion of the same offenses as well as being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and engaging in commercial cannabis activity without a valid certificate, police said.
Both men were booked into Ventura County jail but have since been released after posting bail, authorities said.
Port Hueneme is the first city in Ventura County to allow commercial activity of recreational marijuana. And it's something the city's police chief doesn't take lightly.
"We want to get it right," Salinas said, adding that other area cities are watching to see how the plan rolls out.
As part of the recently adopted ordinance, licenses will not be issued for recreational cannabis dispensaries until June to give law enforcement and the city time to review how things go with the implementation of medical marijuana dispensaries, Figg said.
"The city hasn't had an opportunity to adapt in terms of police staffing and city resources in general," Salinas said.
It's possible the Port Hueneme Police Department could need more traffic officers or there could be security concerns in that area because of an increased call volume, the chief said.
Salinas requested the hiring of a senior records technician due to the increased workload. The request was approved.
Figg said the delay for recreational dispensaries also means the city has time to re-evaluate the effectiveness of the conditions of approval on the businesses.
However, the City Council can vote to suspend the six-month delay for a recreational dispensary, should something come up, Figg said.
In the meantime, those wishing to open a recreational pot dispensary can submit applications.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Pot dispensary found in Port Hueneme weeks before it becomes legal
Author: Megan Diskin
Contact: Contact Us | Ventura County Star
Photo Credit: PORT HUENEME POLICE
Website: Ventura - Home
David Marruffo, 40, of Oxnard, was arrested in connection with selling marijuana out of the smoke shop he owned at 213 E. Channel Islands Blvd. A building nearby posing as a post-traumatic stress counseling service for veterans was allegedly acting as its storage facility, police said.
Noe Ortiz, 40, of Ventura, was also arrested in connection with the scheme, authorities said.
Police said they stumbled upon the alleged storage area at 227 E. Channel Islands Blvd. at 1:37 a.m. Dec. 8. More than 8 pounds of marijuana and more than $2,000 were recovered during the investigation, police said.
Ten days after the discovery, the Port Hueneme City Council adopted an ordinance at its regular Dec. 18 meeting that allows medical and recreational marijuana dispensaries to operate legally in the city.
State law made medicinal and recreational marijuana legal in California but individual cities still have jurisdiction to allow or deny these businesses from operating. In Port Hueneme, a potential owner must get a license from the city.
At the same meeting, the City Council also approved a license for a medical marijuana dispensary. This means there are at least three medical marijuana dispensaries approved to open in the city.
But those three can't start business until early 2018.
Council member Tom Figg called the discovery of the illegal dispensary "totally coincidental," while Police Chief Andrew Salinas chalked it up to normal police work.
A routine patrol of a commercial area led to the discovery and the arrests, Salinas said.
Officers found two men standing in front of the business allegedly being used as the smoke shop's storage area, police said.
As they contacted the men, they noticed the business' door was open, then saw a third man walk out of the building but quickly walk back inside upon seeing the officers, authorities said.
Police investigated further, thinking the business was possibly being burglarized. While still outside, one of the men allegedly yelled at the other to get inside the business and lock the door, police said.
After that, the only man left outside, identified as Ortiz, allegedly became uncooperative with officers, so he was arrested on suspicion of obstructing or delaying a peace officer, police said. He was subsequently searched and found to be in possession of a large amount of cash and a key to the business, authorities said.
Officers opened the business' door, ordered everyone inside to come out, then searched inside, police said. They found a large amount of processed and unprocessed marijuana, concentrated marijuana products and a large amount of packaging materials, police said.
Upon further investigation, they found the property was associated with Marruffo, who owns Channel Islands Smoke Accessories and Apparel, authorities said.
A search warrant was later obtained and conducted at the smoke shop and its alleged storage area. It yielded more marijuana, concentrated marijuana, edible products containing marijuana, several scales and packaging, police said.
A 9 mm semi-automatic handgun was also found inside the storage facility, authorities said.
As a result, Marruffo was arrested on suspicion of possession of marijuana for sale and conspiracy to commit a crime, police said. Ortiz was arrested on suspicion of the same offenses as well as being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and engaging in commercial cannabis activity without a valid certificate, police said.
Both men were booked into Ventura County jail but have since been released after posting bail, authorities said.
Port Hueneme is the first city in Ventura County to allow commercial activity of recreational marijuana. And it's something the city's police chief doesn't take lightly.
"We want to get it right," Salinas said, adding that other area cities are watching to see how the plan rolls out.
As part of the recently adopted ordinance, licenses will not be issued for recreational cannabis dispensaries until June to give law enforcement and the city time to review how things go with the implementation of medical marijuana dispensaries, Figg said.
"The city hasn't had an opportunity to adapt in terms of police staffing and city resources in general," Salinas said.
It's possible the Port Hueneme Police Department could need more traffic officers or there could be security concerns in that area because of an increased call volume, the chief said.
Salinas requested the hiring of a senior records technician due to the increased workload. The request was approved.
Figg said the delay for recreational dispensaries also means the city has time to re-evaluate the effectiveness of the conditions of approval on the businesses.
However, the City Council can vote to suspend the six-month delay for a recreational dispensary, should something come up, Figg said.
In the meantime, those wishing to open a recreational pot dispensary can submit applications.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Pot dispensary found in Port Hueneme weeks before it becomes legal
Author: Megan Diskin
Contact: Contact Us | Ventura County Star
Photo Credit: PORT HUENEME POLICE
Website: Ventura - Home
