LA Among Cities Targeted In Pot Dispensary Crackdown
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Protesters across California say they'll fight the feds' new crackdown on the medical marijuana industry.
On Friday, California's four U.S. attorneys explained that they're going after large-scale commercial operations as part of the coordinated statewide effort.
The Associated Press reported that authorities are using different tactics from cease-and-desist letters sent to dispensaries in San Diego to property owners in Los Angeles, Orange County and the Central Coast being given two weeks to evict pot dispensaries or growers.
Those who received the letters have been given 45 days to close up shop or face criminal prosecution and seizure of their property.
U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner said not all of the thousands of storefront pot dispensaries are being targeted.
"The complaint in a case indicted two weeks ago in this district describes how three defendants who are growing marijuana in Fresno and Madera counties which they claimed was for medical purposes here in California was being mailed to addresses in numerous other states. They received almost $3 million in deposits into their bank accounts in branches in Connecticut," he said.
Wagner also said the feds will go after pot shops located close to schools, parks, sports fields and other places where there are a lot of children.
For pot activists, this new stand by the Obama administration came out of the blue. Just two years ago, federal authorities signaled they would not move aggressively against medical marijuana dispensaries.
RELATED POST:
» Feds Target CA Pot Dispensaries Over Drug Laws, Warn Of Shut Down
