SAN DIEGO – Authorities said a 63-year-old man suspected of drunken driving crashed his pickup truck into a neighbor's house, leaving a gaping hole and revealing a small marijuana farm inside. San Diego police got a search warrant after the Sunday afternoon crash and confiscated more than 20 pot plants from the house.
Police Sgt. David Jennings said no one was inside the house, and neighbors told officers the residents were gone on a ski trip.
No one was injured in the crash.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Man pleads guilty to growing marijuana
A Hillsborough man has admitted to growing more than 50 marijuana plants he later harvested and packaged for sale, authorities said.
Nicholas Tafaro, 30, appeared before Superior Court Judge Edward Coleman Friday and pleaded guilty to first-degree maintaining a marijuana production facility, first-degree possessing more than 50 marijuana plants with intent to manufacture and distribute and third-degree possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne Forrest said.
Assistant Prosecutor Robert Pollock handled the case for the state, and Gabriel Lependorf represented Tafaro.
Members of the New Jersey National Guard discovered the plants during a flyover of the property on Millstone River Road on Aug. 28, Forrest said.
During a search, members of the prosecutor's Organized Crime and Narcotics Task Force and local police found 51 plants, ranging from 2 feet to 5 feet tall, Forrest said. They also found 2 pounds of harvested marijuana and seized items used for growing the drug indoors, including high-powered lighting systems and chemical fertilizers, Forrest said.
Tafaro admitted that he had the plants, which he grew and harvested with the intent to distribute, Forrest said. He also admitted that he had a "grow room" in the attic that he used until the plants were mature enough to be planted in the yard, Forrest said. Tafaro faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on May 15.
Guilty Pleas in Huntington Marijuana Case
UNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Two men charged with trying to buy 600 pounds of marijuana from an undercover agent pleaded guilty Monday afternoon.
They both pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess and distribute and possession with intent to distribute.
They could spend from 5 to 40 years in prison and both face a possible $2 million fine.
They will be sentenced June 29th.
Back in January, federal agents arrested Eugene Robinson and James Bonnet at a motel on 16h Street in Huntington.
Investigators say the men showed up at the motel with more than quarter of a million dollars in cash.
During a search of Robinson's house, agents say they found nine weapons, including a machine gun and silencers. They also found seven thousand dollars in cash and more marijuana packaged and ready to sell.
Two cited for marijuana possession
An investigation into a 911 hang-up led to two men being cited for marijuana possession on Friday, Fremont Police reported.
Lt. Jeff Elliott said officers went to an apartment building at 824 W. 11th St. because of a hang-up on a 911 call. They determined a child had accidentally dialed the emergency number.
While in the commons area of the building, officers noticed a strong smell of marijuana coming from a different apartment.
After making contact with the residents in that apartment, officers cited Peter Vaughan, 19, and Patrick Tiegs, 24, both of Fremont, for possession of marijuana, less than an ounce, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Lt. Jeff Elliott said officers went to an apartment building at 824 W. 11th St. because of a hang-up on a 911 call. They determined a child had accidentally dialed the emergency number.
While in the commons area of the building, officers noticed a strong smell of marijuana coming from a different apartment.
After making contact with the residents in that apartment, officers cited Peter Vaughan, 19, and Patrick Tiegs, 24, both of Fremont, for possession of marijuana, less than an ounce, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Police: 3 arrests linked to marijuana
A routine traffic stop over the weekend led to the arrest of two College Station friends on misdemeanor marijuana charges after an officer noticed a passenger wasn't wearing a seatbelt.
Officers discovered five marijuana blunts -- pot rolled in cigar paper -- and a metal pipe that smelled like the illegal drug inside the car pulled over in the 2400 block of Texas Avenue.
What tipped the College Station officer off during the 10:45 p.m. Saturday incident was that he noticed the 24-year-old passenger had what appeared to be marijuana on his shirt, according to court documents that detail how the man then directed police to his stash in his front pants pocket.
Meanwhile, the 24-year-old driver admitted to authorities that a marijuana cigarette found in the car belonged to him. Records show he has a 2008 marijuana possession conviction.
Both were charged with the Class B misdemeanor of possession of marijuana less than 2 ounces, punishable by up to 180 days behind bars and a $2,000 fine. Both also were charged with not wearing a seatbelt.
The driver posted $2,000 bail Sunday and was released; his friend remained jailed because he had a warrant out of Bexar County for a motion to revoke his probation. It was unclear why he was on probation.
Several hours later in Bryan, an officer responding to a tip that a man might be driving intoxicated came upon a car matching the description parked at Speedy Stop on Texas 21. The man repeatedly told the officer he was getting his driver's license as requested, but appeared to forget each time, police said.
"His thoughts were groggy and he thought that I pulled him over a few minutes ago," the officer wrote in a report, adding that the driver believed he was in College Station.
The Bryan man told the officer that he smoked marijuana earlier in the evening, according to the report, which stated he had several outstanding unpaid court fines, as well as three marijuana possession arrests since 2005.
He remained jailed without bail Sunday evening.
Officers discovered five marijuana blunts -- pot rolled in cigar paper -- and a metal pipe that smelled like the illegal drug inside the car pulled over in the 2400 block of Texas Avenue.
What tipped the College Station officer off during the 10:45 p.m. Saturday incident was that he noticed the 24-year-old passenger had what appeared to be marijuana on his shirt, according to court documents that detail how the man then directed police to his stash in his front pants pocket.
Meanwhile, the 24-year-old driver admitted to authorities that a marijuana cigarette found in the car belonged to him. Records show he has a 2008 marijuana possession conviction.
Both were charged with the Class B misdemeanor of possession of marijuana less than 2 ounces, punishable by up to 180 days behind bars and a $2,000 fine. Both also were charged with not wearing a seatbelt.
The driver posted $2,000 bail Sunday and was released; his friend remained jailed because he had a warrant out of Bexar County for a motion to revoke his probation. It was unclear why he was on probation.
Several hours later in Bryan, an officer responding to a tip that a man might be driving intoxicated came upon a car matching the description parked at Speedy Stop on Texas 21. The man repeatedly told the officer he was getting his driver's license as requested, but appeared to forget each time, police said.
"His thoughts were groggy and he thought that I pulled him over a few minutes ago," the officer wrote in a report, adding that the driver believed he was in College Station.
The Bryan man told the officer that he smoked marijuana earlier in the evening, according to the report, which stated he had several outstanding unpaid court fines, as well as three marijuana possession arrests since 2005.
He remained jailed without bail Sunday evening.
Border Patrol: Men scaled Hidalgo border fence with marijuana bundles
Four men accused of scaling the Hidalgo border fence with several bundles of marijuana will face a judge on Tuesday.
A Border Patrol agent spotted a group of 10 to 15 people climbing over the border wall south of the Old Hidalgo Pumphouse this past Wednesday night.
Federal court records show that the men were seen carrying several bundles and running into a trailer park off Levee Street in Hidalgo.
Border Patorl agents recovered about 390 pounds of marijuana arrested the following four men at the scene under federal drug charges:
Juan Carlos Perez
Ismael Cosme, Jr.
Javier Resendez-Garcia,
Reynato Santana-Vista
Court records show that Perez and Cosme are American citizens from Hidalgo, Texas while Resendez-Garcia and Santana-Vista are Mexican nationals from Reynaosa, Tamaulipas.
The four men remain in custody but are expected to appeared at a bond/detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dorina Ramons in McAllen at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday
A Border Patrol agent spotted a group of 10 to 15 people climbing over the border wall south of the Old Hidalgo Pumphouse this past Wednesday night.
Federal court records show that the men were seen carrying several bundles and running into a trailer park off Levee Street in Hidalgo.
Border Patorl agents recovered about 390 pounds of marijuana arrested the following four men at the scene under federal drug charges:
Juan Carlos Perez
Ismael Cosme, Jr.
Javier Resendez-Garcia,
Reynato Santana-Vista
Court records show that Perez and Cosme are American citizens from Hidalgo, Texas while Resendez-Garcia and Santana-Vista are Mexican nationals from Reynaosa, Tamaulipas.
The four men remain in custody but are expected to appeared at a bond/detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dorina Ramons in McAllen at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday
Coast Guard, Mexican Authorities Seize Marijuana Worth $15 Million
The U.S. Coast Guard and the Mexican Navy seized eight tons of marijuana with an estimated street value of $15 million.
The seizure occurred Thursday off the coast of Baja California.
The Coast Guard was chasing a smuggling boat when the marijuana was thrown overboard.
The Mexican Navy arrested at least four people
The seizure occurred Thursday off the coast of Baja California.
The Coast Guard was chasing a smuggling boat when the marijuana was thrown overboard.
The Mexican Navy arrested at least four people
60 pounds of marijuana allegedly seized from storage unit
Two people have been taken into custody and charged with felony drug offenses in connection with 60 pounds of marijuana allegedly seized from a storage unit west of Joplin.
Detectives with the Joplin Police Department’s narcotics unit and agents of the Jasper County Drug Task Force served a search warrant Friday on a storage unit at 678 Central City Road. Lt. Mike Hobson of the Police Department said in a news release Monday that Carla K. Simpson, 34, 1718 S. Sergeant Ave., and Christian O. Friaz, 37, of Galena, Kan., were arrested at the scene.
The Jasper County prosecutor’s office subsequently filed charges against Simpson and Friaz for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
Detectives with the Joplin Police Department’s narcotics unit and agents of the Jasper County Drug Task Force served a search warrant Friday on a storage unit at 678 Central City Road. Lt. Mike Hobson of the Police Department said in a news release Monday that Carla K. Simpson, 34, 1718 S. Sergeant Ave., and Christian O. Friaz, 37, of Galena, Kan., were arrested at the scene.
The Jasper County prosecutor’s office subsequently filed charges against Simpson and Friaz for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
Multi-million dollar marijuana bust
A massive multi-million dollar marijuana bust south of the border.
The US Coast Guard and Mexican Navy intercepted a drug smuggling boat carring 16,000 pounds of pot..valued at $15 million dollars!
A Coast Guard patrol aircraft detected the suspicious vessel and sent an interceptor boat to investigate. The smugglers tried to flee, but the Coast Guard crew was able to stop the vessel and took the 4 suspected smugglers into custody.
The US Coast Guard and Mexican Navy intercepted a drug smuggling boat carring 16,000 pounds of pot..valued at $15 million dollars!
A Coast Guard patrol aircraft detected the suspicious vessel and sent an interceptor boat to investigate. The smugglers tried to flee, but the Coast Guard crew was able to stop the vessel and took the 4 suspected smugglers into custody.
Fire leads to discovery of 'sophisticated' marijuana grow operation
A fire on the Chicago Northwest Side sunday night ended with an arrest after crews extinguished the blaze and discovered a “sophisticated” marijuana grow operation in an apartment.
About 10:30 p.m., crews responded to a working fire in a two-story building in the 6000 block of North Christiana Avenue, Fire Media Affairs Director Larry Langford said.
The fire was in the rear of the building’s first floor, and while crews were checking the building for occupants on the second floor they discovered a “very sophisticated” marijuana grow operation, Langford said.
Police recovered about 130 cannabis plants, about 10 pounds of dried marijuana and various types of paraphernalia used in the illegal growth and production of cannabis, according to a release from police News Affairs.
One person was taken into custody and charges are pending Monday morning, according to the release.
One firefighter was injured when his face was cut by glass, but he was not hospitalized. Langford said the suspect was arrested after the marijuana plants were discovered.
The fire was minor and extinguished quickly, Langford said. The cause remained under investigation Monday morning.
Grand Central Area detectives are investigating.
About 10:30 p.m., crews responded to a working fire in a two-story building in the 6000 block of North Christiana Avenue, Fire Media Affairs Director Larry Langford said.
The fire was in the rear of the building’s first floor, and while crews were checking the building for occupants on the second floor they discovered a “very sophisticated” marijuana grow operation, Langford said.
Police recovered about 130 cannabis plants, about 10 pounds of dried marijuana and various types of paraphernalia used in the illegal growth and production of cannabis, according to a release from police News Affairs.
One person was taken into custody and charges are pending Monday morning, according to the release.
One firefighter was injured when his face was cut by glass, but he was not hospitalized. Langford said the suspect was arrested after the marijuana plants were discovered.
The fire was minor and extinguished quickly, Langford said. The cause remained under investigation Monday morning.
Grand Central Area detectives are investigating.
80 Marijuana Bales Valued At $2.8 Million Seized
RANDOLPH COUNTY, N.C. -- Eighty bales of marijuana worth more than $2.8 million were discovered hidden in a tractor-trailer suspiciously parked on a tract of land off Gallimore Town Road Sunday.
A landowner notified deputies after spotting the truck with its 53-foot trailer parked on his land.
Deputies who searched the trailer said they discovered five wooden crates that held the nearly 3,000 pounds of marijuana.
No arrests have been made, but deputies said the investigation is continuing.
Father supervised marijuana use
A Susquehanna Twp. man was charged with corruption of minors after bringing his three children, including a 9-year-old girl, to a public pool so some of them could smoke marijuana "where he could oversee them," police said.
Susquehanna Township police said James Dignazio, 45, wasn't smoking, but several others were at 4:50 p.m. Thursday at the Wedgewood Pool, 200 Diamond Street.
The 9-year-old daughter and 16-year-old niece, also present, were not smoking, Police Chief Rob Martin said.
Two of his sons were arrested, police said. Daniel Dignazio, 24, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, and Joseph Dignazio, 18, was charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, police said.
Ricky Bouder, 20, of Millerstown, was also charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Susquehanna Township police said James Dignazio, 45, wasn't smoking, but several others were at 4:50 p.m. Thursday at the Wedgewood Pool, 200 Diamond Street.
The 9-year-old daughter and 16-year-old niece, also present, were not smoking, Police Chief Rob Martin said.
Two of his sons were arrested, police said. Daniel Dignazio, 24, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, and Joseph Dignazio, 18, was charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, police said.
Ricky Bouder, 20, of Millerstown, was also charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
NH House to vote on medicinal marijuana bill
CONCORD, N.H.—New Hampshire residents with painful ailments could grow and use a small amount of marijuana for medicinal purposes under legislation before the House this week.
The bill would allow severely ill patients or their caregiver to grow and possess six marijuana plants and two ounces of the drug. The bill requires doctors to certify a patient has a debilitating medical condition and would benefit from the therapeutic or palliative benefit from using marijuana.
Gov. John Lynch says he has concerns about the bill.
The bill would allow severely ill patients or their caregiver to grow and possess six marijuana plants and two ounces of the drug. The bill requires doctors to certify a patient has a debilitating medical condition and would benefit from the therapeutic or palliative benefit from using marijuana.
Gov. John Lynch says he has concerns about the bill.
Kauai police seize 1,400 marijuana plants, arrest two men
KILAUEA , Kauai — Police confiscated 1,400 marijuana plants and arrested two men on drug charges Thursday.
Miles Martinez, 53, and Rickie Trinque, 48, were charged with first-degree commercial promotion of marijuana and prohibited acts related to drug paraphernalia.
Police confiscated 1,400 marijuana plants ranging from 12 inches to 2 feet in height that were found in an open field where Martinez and Trinque were observed tending to the plants.
The men were released on Saturday pending the outcome of the investigation.
Miles Martinez, 53, and Rickie Trinque, 48, were charged with first-degree commercial promotion of marijuana and prohibited acts related to drug paraphernalia.
Police confiscated 1,400 marijuana plants ranging from 12 inches to 2 feet in height that were found in an open field where Martinez and Trinque were observed tending to the plants.
The men were released on Saturday pending the outcome of the investigation.
Little opposition seen to decriminalization of marijuana
PROVIDENCE — No one seems to be getting worked up about a bill before the General Assembly that would decriminalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, making it a civil violation punishable by fine rather than jail time.
At a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, only three people — a former New Jersey police detective, a spokesman for a convict assistance agency and a representative of the American Civil Liberties Union — testified about the bill. All were in favor of it.
No one from the attorney general’s office, the governor’s office or any other state agency appeared to oppose it. Nor was there anyone from the state’s law enforcement agencies to speak a negative word.
At a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, only three people — a former New Jersey police detective, a spokesman for a convict assistance agency and a representative of the American Civil Liberties Union — testified about the bill. All were in favor of it.
No one from the attorney general’s office, the governor’s office or any other state agency appeared to oppose it. Nor was there anyone from the state’s law enforcement agencies to speak a negative word.
Western MA city votes to toughen marijuana fines
SPRINGFIELD, Mass.—Getting caught smoking pot in Springfield could soon become a lot more expensive.
The city council in the state's third-largest city voted 9-0 on Monday to add $100-$300 to the state penalties for using marijuana in a park or other public place.
Question Two, passed by voters last November, decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana and imposed a fine of $100 for those who are caught smoking pot in a park or other public place. But the law also gave cities and towns the option of tacking on additional fines.
Two former state troopers and a civil liberties lawyer urged the city council to reject the increased fines, saying they were unnecessary and went against the will of voters.
The city council in the state's third-largest city voted 9-0 on Monday to add $100-$300 to the state penalties for using marijuana in a park or other public place.
Question Two, passed by voters last November, decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana and imposed a fine of $100 for those who are caught smoking pot in a park or other public place. But the law also gave cities and towns the option of tacking on additional fines.
Two former state troopers and a civil liberties lawyer urged the city council to reject the increased fines, saying they were unnecessary and went against the will of voters.
Shift on Marijuana Policy Delays Sentencing
A federal judge here Monday postponed the sentencing of a man convicted of running a medical marijuana dispensary and asked the Department of Justice to clarify its revised position on such cases.
Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said last week that federal authorities would not seek to prosecute medical marijuana dispensaries if the operations complied with state and local laws, a departure from the Bush administration policy that federal narcotics laws held sway. California is one of 13 states that allow the growth and sales of medical marijuana with a doctor’s recommendation.
“The judge said this statement raises more questions than it answers,” said Reuven Cohen, a lawyer for the defendant, Charles Lynch. “He said he needed an explanation, and he needed it from the Department of Justice, not the local prosecutor.”
Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the United States attorney in Los Angeles, said that he could not comment on the specifics of the request by Judge George H. Wu, but that prosecutors “do believe that Mr. Lynch violated state law.”
Last August, a jury convicted Mr. Lynch on five counts related to running a dispensary and selling medical marijuana to customers under 21, considered minors under a federal statute that prohibits the sale of marijuana and other narcotics to minors. Mr. Lynch faces a minimum sentence of five years in federal prison.
The case has been widely followed by medical marijuana advocates since Mr. Lynch was arrested after a 2007 raid on his dispensary in Morro Bay, Calif.
Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said last week that federal authorities would not seek to prosecute medical marijuana dispensaries if the operations complied with state and local laws, a departure from the Bush administration policy that federal narcotics laws held sway. California is one of 13 states that allow the growth and sales of medical marijuana with a doctor’s recommendation.
“The judge said this statement raises more questions than it answers,” said Reuven Cohen, a lawyer for the defendant, Charles Lynch. “He said he needed an explanation, and he needed it from the Department of Justice, not the local prosecutor.”
Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the United States attorney in Los Angeles, said that he could not comment on the specifics of the request by Judge George H. Wu, but that prosecutors “do believe that Mr. Lynch violated state law.”
Last August, a jury convicted Mr. Lynch on five counts related to running a dispensary and selling medical marijuana to customers under 21, considered minors under a federal statute that prohibits the sale of marijuana and other narcotics to minors. Mr. Lynch faces a minimum sentence of five years in federal prison.
The case has been widely followed by medical marijuana advocates since Mr. Lynch was arrested after a 2007 raid on his dispensary in Morro Bay, Calif.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
NJ police stop van, seize 317 pounds of marijuana
WOODBRIDGE, N.J. - Authorities say a New York man was hauling more than 300 pounds of marijuana when police stopped his van in Woodbridge.
Forty-five-year-old Norris Sinclair of Brooklyn was taken into custody Tuesday.
His vehicle was stopped after officers got information that marijuana was being shipped from Los Angeles to Queens, N.Y., and that a transfer would occur in Woodbridge.
After obtaining a search warrant, Woodbridge police and Middlesex County investigators found the marijuana in 14 boxes inside the van. Its value is estimated at $800,000.
Sinclair is charged with possession of marijuana and possession with intent to distribute. He is being held at the Middlesex County jail on $100,000 bail.
Authorities did not know if he had retained a lawyer, and a call placed to his home Wednesday went unanswered.
Forty-five-year-old Norris Sinclair of Brooklyn was taken into custody Tuesday.
His vehicle was stopped after officers got information that marijuana was being shipped from Los Angeles to Queens, N.Y., and that a transfer would occur in Woodbridge.
After obtaining a search warrant, Woodbridge police and Middlesex County investigators found the marijuana in 14 boxes inside the van. Its value is estimated at $800,000.
Sinclair is charged with possession of marijuana and possession with intent to distribute. He is being held at the Middlesex County jail on $100,000 bail.
Authorities did not know if he had retained a lawyer, and a call placed to his home Wednesday went unanswered.
Surfer finds sacks of marijuana near Del Mar beach
DEL MAR — Sheriff's deputies confiscated about 400 pounds of marijuana Wednesday near a Del Mar beach after a surfer found several bags of the drug and then encountered two men carrying another.
The surfer told deputies he found six burlap sacks about 4 a.m on the east side of the railroad tracks as he was walking to the beach along a trail at the end of 11th Street, sheriff's Sgt. Jack Reynolds said.
As he continued to walk toward the water, he came across two men lugging a seventh sack and he asked what they were doing, Reynolds said.
The men said something in Spanish, dropped what they were carrying and ran. The surfer called deputies, who later found an eighth sack closer to the water, Reynolds said. The sacks were filled with 80 plastic-wrapped bundles of marijuana, Reynolds said.
Investigators believe someone used a boat to drop off the drugs. It is common for smugglers to drop off narcotics at a prearranged point and have someone waiting to pick it up, Reynolds said.
In June 2007, about 70 pounds of marijuana were found on the beach in roughly the same location.
Reynolds said he could not estimate the current street value of the Mexican-grade marijuana, but last year at this time it was selling for about $300 to $400 per pound.
The surfer was not able to give deputies a detailed description of the men because it was dark and foggy at the time.
The surfer told deputies he found six burlap sacks about 4 a.m on the east side of the railroad tracks as he was walking to the beach along a trail at the end of 11th Street, sheriff's Sgt. Jack Reynolds said.
As he continued to walk toward the water, he came across two men lugging a seventh sack and he asked what they were doing, Reynolds said.
The men said something in Spanish, dropped what they were carrying and ran. The surfer called deputies, who later found an eighth sack closer to the water, Reynolds said. The sacks were filled with 80 plastic-wrapped bundles of marijuana, Reynolds said.
Investigators believe someone used a boat to drop off the drugs. It is common for smugglers to drop off narcotics at a prearranged point and have someone waiting to pick it up, Reynolds said.
In June 2007, about 70 pounds of marijuana were found on the beach in roughly the same location.
Reynolds said he could not estimate the current street value of the Mexican-grade marijuana, but last year at this time it was selling for about $300 to $400 per pound.
The surfer was not able to give deputies a detailed description of the men because it was dark and foggy at the time.
AG Holder signals shift in marijuana policy
WASHINGTON – Attorney General Eric Holder has signaled a change in policy on medical marijuana.
The nation's top law enforcement officer has told reporters federal agents will target marijuana distributors that violate both federal and state law — a departure from the Bush administration which targeted medical marijuana dispensaries in California, even if they complied with that state's law.
In the conversation, Holder did not spell out exactly who would no longer face the prospect of raids by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
But he says cases in which pot dispensaries were believed to be adhering to California law were not a priority of the new Obama administration.
The nation's top law enforcement officer has told reporters federal agents will target marijuana distributors that violate both federal and state law — a departure from the Bush administration which targeted medical marijuana dispensaries in California, even if they complied with that state's law.
In the conversation, Holder did not spell out exactly who would no longer face the prospect of raids by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
But he says cases in which pot dispensaries were believed to be adhering to California law were not a priority of the new Obama administration.
Medical Marijuana Dispensary Robbed In Sac
A medical marijuana dispensary was robbed of money and drugs on Tuesday evening, according to authorities.
Green Solutions, a dispensary on Broadway, was robbed by two violent suspects who allegedly pistol-whipped one of the employees. They were granted access to the dispensary after saying they were trying to buy medical marijuana for their patients, and after a customer inside the store vouched for them, they were let inside.
The two men snatched a large amount of cash and marijuana and fled the scene.
Police are reviewing surveillance footage to try to find suspects, and are questioning the customer who vouched for the two robbers.
The man who was assaulted was reportedly not seriously injured.
Green Solutions, a dispensary on Broadway, was robbed by two violent suspects who allegedly pistol-whipped one of the employees. They were granted access to the dispensary after saying they were trying to buy medical marijuana for their patients, and after a customer inside the store vouched for them, they were let inside.
The two men snatched a large amount of cash and marijuana and fled the scene.
Police are reviewing surveillance footage to try to find suspects, and are questioning the customer who vouched for the two robbers.
The man who was assaulted was reportedly not seriously injured.
Border Patrol seizes 7.5 tons of marijuana
KINGSVILLE - U.S. Border Patrol agents confiscated more than 7.5 tons of marijuana in two major busts near Kingsville this weekend.
The first stash of 288 bundles was found hidden inside a load of porcelain goods. In a separate and unrelated case, agents found 338 bundles of marijuana hidden inside a load of furniture.
Stop uncovers marijuana plants
SALINA - Two people were arrested Sunday afternoon after 31 marijuana plants were pulled out of the back seat of their car.
The driver, Keith Duetsch, 25, Breckenridge, Colo., and a passenger, Kara McGinnis, 24, West Chester, Pa., were arrested after being pulled over on Interstate 70 near Salina for an equipment violation and speeding in a 2000 Jeep Cherokee.
While talking with the two suspects, the UHP trooper noticed two smoked marijuana joints in the passenger door. A further search revealed a small amount of hashish and 31 marijuana plants in a plastic bag on the rear seat.
The plants were each about 6 inches tall. According to the UHP, each plant has the potential to yield 1 pound of marijuana.
Troopers find 300 pounds of marijuana in pickup
Two Indiana State Trooper making a routine traffic stop Monday on the Indiana Toll Road in LaPorte County discovered nearly 300 pounds of marijuana.
According to a press release, Bell claimed to be traveling to Georgia, but Robinson and Potesta became doubtful of the stories they were being told by Bell.
"Mr. Bell was acting very nervous and suspicious during the entire stop," Potesta said.
The troopers searched the truck and discovered several bails of suspected marijuana tightly wrapped in cellophane. The bails were found concealed in suitcases in the passenger compartment, the release said. More bails of marijuana were found in a toolbox located in the bed of the pickup.
Bell was arrested for possession of marijuana and several other related felony charges. He was taken to the LaPorte County jail
Friday, March 13, 2009
Poteye the Sailor
This undated photo provided by the New Mexico Department of Public Safety shows a seized spinach can filled with marijuana. Police with the New Mexico Motor Transportation Division found 1,200 pounds of pot packed in cans labeled as spinach during a stop at the Gallup, N.M. port of entry on March 6, 2009. An inspector noticed that only a few of the cans were labeled and that the weight printed on the side of the can didn't match the actual weight. A closer look during the bust revealed the canned drugs, which were worth an estimated $1.5 million.
112 pounds of marijuana found
More than 100 pounds of marijuana was discovered by police after a pulling over Hopkinsville man who was driving in the wrong lane of Fort Campbell Boulevard, according to a Hopkinsville Police Department report. Guilvi Perales Quinteros, 20, of South O’Neal Ave, was stopped by police after he pulled into the wrong lane when leaving Waffle House around noon Thursday. The department’s Housing Authority K-9 unit was called to the stop and “indicated” on the 2007 Isuzu sports utility vehicle, said HPD spokesman Paul Ray. After the K-9 gave police reason to believe there were drugs in the vehicle, Quinteros consented to a search of his vehicle. Officers found 112.5 pounds of marijuana in several large sealed packages, according to the arrest report. The packages were in duffle bags in the trunk area of the SUV.
Zillah Police Discover $71,000 in Marijuana, Arrest Two Men
ZILLAH, Wash. - The Zillah Police Department discovered a marijuana grow operation Thursday night worth $71,000.
Police say they were checking up on a report of suspicious activity at a house on the 1100 block of Third Ave. around 10:00 pm Thursday when they smelled marijuana.
Inside the house they found 71 mature plants and equipment for a grow operation. There was also a large amount of cash and a gun discovered by the police.
Two men were arrested and face charges of possessing a controlled substance, planning to distribute that controlled substance, and a non-citizen possessing a firearm.
Marijuana in the Mail
BRISTOL, Va. (AP) - Two people have been arrested in Bristol on charges of attempting to receive 26 pounds of marijuana by mail.
Bristol police on Thursday arrested 25-year-old Keitha Anne Gilmore of Bristol and 21-year-old Kedrick Jamel Harris of Kingsport, Tenn., on charges of intent to distribute more than five pounds of marijuana.
Police say the Drug Enforcement Agency informed them that the U.S. postal inspector had found a package containing the drug addressed to a house in the city.
After the drugs were delivered to the home, police observed Gilmore pull into the driveway and put the package in her vehicle. She was then arrested.
Harris arrived at the house as police were searching it and was arrested. Authorities said the drug was worth $31,000.
Phelps talks to NBC about marijuana pipe photo
NEW YORK – Michael Phelps insists he's more worried about the pain he caused family, friends and fans than losing money in endorsements after he was photographed inhaling from a marijuana pipe.
In excerpts from an interview with NBC's Matt Lauer that aired Friday morning, the swimming star didn't directly answer the question of whether he was smoking marijuana.
"It was a bad mistake. I mean, we all know what, you know, what you and I are talking about. It's a stupid mistake. You know, bad judgment."
USA Swimming suspended the Olympic great for three months after the photo was published in a British tabloid Feb. 1. He also lost his sponsorship from Kellogg.
"I've come to realize that people want to bring you up, but more people want to bring you down. And that's how our public is. That's definitely something to keep in mind and keep close to heart."
The remainder of the interview will air Sunday night on "Dateline."
Can Marijuana Help Rescue California's Economy?
By ALISON STATEMAN / LOS ANGELES
Could marijuana be the answer to the economic misery facing California? Democratic state assemblyman Tom Ammiano thinks so. Ammiano introduced legislation last month that would legalize pot and allow the state to regulate and tax its sale - a move that could mean billions of dollars for the cash-strapped state. Pot is, after all, California's biggest cash crop, responsible for $14 billion a year in sales, dwarfing the state's second largest agricultural commodity - milk and cream - which brings in $7.3 billion a year, according to the most recent USDA statistics. The state's tax collectors estimate the bill would bring in about $1.3 billion a year in much needed revenue, offsetting some of the billions of dollars in service cuts and spending reductions outlined in the recently approved state budget.
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