3 Arrested In Raid On Illegal Cannabis Operation In Mid-City
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – A purported illegal cannabis operation in Mid-City was boarded up and two men and a woman were arrested during a raid on the business Thursday afternoon.
At around 3 p.m., Los Angeles police served a search warrant at the suspected illegal cannabis business in the 5300 block of West Pico Boulevard. Officers found 71 pounds of cannabis, a 9mm ghost handgun and an unknown amount of cash.
As part of the raid, officers conducted the "first cannabis board up in the city," the LAPD said in a news release.
According to police, it was the fourth such search warrant police have served at the business. During the first three, police allegedly issued warnings. The L.A. Department of Water and Power also disconnected power during the first search warrant.
While serving the second warrant, police learned the cannabis business was taking power from a neighbor.
The raid was overseen by the L.A. Task Force on Cannabis Enforcement. This marked the first business to be boarded up by the task force since it was formed.
The suspects, Courtney Osowski, 24, and Christopher Nieto and Alan Renteria, both 22, were arrested on suspicion of operating or maintaining a drug house.