DEA, FBI, IRS raid two Westside pot dispensaries; officers shoot a pit bull

Federal authorities and local police agencies today raided two Westside marijuana dispensaries as well as the residence of the owners.

The raids occurred at a facility on Washington Boulevard in Culver City and on Overland Avenue in Los Angeles. Authorities recovered undisclosed items and are continuing their investigation, according to a Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman. The names of the owners whose homes were searched were not immediately available.

During one of the raids, officers shot a dog believed to be a pit bull, but the circumstances of the shooting remain unclear, a law enforcement spokesman said.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Los Angeles Police Department, Torrance Police Department and Culver City Police Department took part in the raids.

Law enforcement agencies have been cracking down on pot dispensaries for some time, but officials did not immediately say what prompted these raids.

[Update]  Officials said they reported 200 plants, 100 pounds of marajuana, $100,000 cash and made one arrest. The dog that was shot by authorities was treated by a vet and expected to make a full recovery.

-- Andrew Blankstein

Comments

[John]

It figures they would have the guts to raid people who are not violent. Everyone know they would never do this to a MS13, or Crips or other gangs who would defeat them. So yea boys you took candy from a baby. When you grow up how about getting real criminals.

[sad day]

Trutanich's Assistant City Attorney Jane Usher told us at the monthly meeting of neighborhood councils that in their opinion, ALL marijuana dispensaries are now considered illegal, since their interpretation of state law is that it allows the growing and use of medical marijuana by individuals, but not for sale.

So even as the city council is trying to figure out which shops are legal and which aren't on an individual basis, their NEW interpretation is that all 600 shops are illegal - taxpaying business owners can now be considered criminals, their product and cash confiscated, sick patients left in the lurch.

Is allowing this raid part of this new "compassionate conservatism" that Republican Trutanich and his supporters have brought us, along with their political witch-hunts?

[woody]

Did anyone notice that with hundreds of pot dispensaries open in LA crime is not on the rise. Nothing has changed. Unless you smoke pot (recent poll has CA at 97% has or does smoke pot) you wouldn't know there are all these pot dispensaries. There are 15 within 5 miles from my house and I didn't even know until recently. Anyone notice the long list of agencies involved in this raid. What a waste of resources. There are REAL crimes going on out there.

[joe lunchbucket]

Yet another example of law enforcement and the DEA ironically using the public's tax dollars to pursue their Puritanical, job security agenda disregarding the rights and will of the people. Is the U.S. a democracy? Apparently not!

[NoExcuse]

There is no excuse for the federal government to be undermining federal medical marijuana law. There is no excuse for them to shoot peoples beloved pets. NO EXCUSE!

[Susan Courtright]

Wonder how much that all cost? Let's see, all the LE agencies, support, tactical back-up, hours overtime,risk of bodily harm...etc etc etc...Who the heck signs off on that? I'm really tired of hearing my friends in Federal and local LE stressed out from overwork, attention to detail with regard to the JTTF etc., just to find a really really inexcusable waste of human/fiscal resources. What I want to know is this: who's running for office soon that needs a RAID under his/her belt ??? because that's what it's always about - never about the abuse of our LE...

[Capt Obvious]

Boooo -- we voted for access to marijuana. This goes against the will of the people.

[Commonsenseking]

Here is a good place to make some budget cuts - DEA, FBI and local law enforcement if all they have time for is to go after pot smoking. Billions lost by not taxing an entire industry that should be legal. More billions lost to legitimate farmers and distributors who could replace the criminal enterprises that currently control production and distribution, and even more billions lost on policing, prosecuting and jailing people.

Legalize it, regulate it, tax it and otherwise leave it alone.

[GDG]

Shot a dog? There may be more to this but doesn't that kind of violence just create more public rage against authorities?

We have so many reasons to hate our police now. Did they really need to pull a "Vick" and add one more?

[Jim Q. Citizen]

I'm all for busting dope-dealers but didn't President Obama state that medical marijuana stores would no longer be raided?

[scott]

..oh thank god the government (all 5 agencies/departments mentioned) saved us from the evil pot dispensary now we can all rest well knowing that our tax dollars go to good use.. what a joke. i should've voted for ron paul

[Venetian]

It was Orgnica in MDR and Westwood.
The dummies kept having parties/raves at them. As well as grow rooms. What did they expect?
These type of dispensarys need to be shut down.
Im a MMJ user and this was NOT the intent of the voters.
STOP screwing this up for he people that truly benefit from Medical Cannibus.

READ THE LAW!! & COMPLY!

[kooo]

I guess the Westside "stores" have a LOT more customers than the others if the IRS is involved... and if they're making that much profit, the DEA will also be involved since they must be moving a TON of goods... which means that it is probably sourced from Mexico instead of by people who really know and care about their products.

[Tony]

Our government needs to leave marijuana dispensaries alone. If anyone over 21 (no matter how sick, crazy, or healthy) can legally walk into a liquor store with their children, and empty out their credit cards buying as much alcohol as they want (and make Alcohol business owners like John McCain's wife filthy rich) then we should be allowed to buy all the marijuana we want, and dispensary owners should be allowed to live the American dream selling marijuana to adults as well.

To our Federal Government: stop wasting our money and your valuable resources on fighting marijuana. Focus on more important issues - like providing a real-world education that gives young people willing to put in the effort the real skills they will need when they enter the workforce, and create a life they can be proud of...

Legalize Marijuana.

[sad day]

2) To read and hear for yourself: LA CityWatch, August 4 09, Ken Draper, "Jane Usher: The Sale of Marijuana is illegal in California." Text and video.

Even as the previous City Attorney who agreed with the state majority opinion is running for Attorney General. If Trutanich and Usher are right, then Oakland and San Francisco are also wrong, and our city council has been wasting time trying to figure out which "hardship exemptions" of shops that opened since the 2007 total ban are legal and which aren't.

Pot shops that have been operating lawfully or so everyone believed, who are now instantly criminalized have already said they will sue.

This 180 interpretation of the MJ law sounds like a bonanza for lawyers that will cost us millions. (Shades of the "total ban" on blllboards Usher/ Trutanich just imposed, in essense declaring the city/ Rocky's 2006 agreement with billboard companies to settle their lawsuits null and void, and throwing out the ICO which sought to abide by that agreement but keep billboards out of residential areas and allowed only in certain sign districts, with tight supervisions.

Hence both Trutanich/ Usher's reversals on billboards and MJ shops are sure to invite a flood of lawsuits, according to legal experts.)

Whether or not Rocky was totally right in his interpretation or not, and while many agree he was wrong to get the Council to agree to his 06 settlement without revealing the details, to NOW do a 180 out of the blue is a lack of continuity which seems reckiless and irresponsible. The opposite of trying to SAVE money on lawsuits that Team Trutanich promised.

[erik self]

..perhaps raiding a liquor store would be better for society it might save a life or two, but raiding a marijuana dispensary is like a total waste of money and other resources of which we are very short of....Im very tired of all this petty drama regarding pot people are dying in the thousands over the border and illegal dealers are turning our national forests into prime pot growing ag land....we could rid ourselvs and mexico of this noose around our necks by simply legalizing pot and putting the profit in legal hands for a change...not too mention as it stands we get no tax money for illegal pot, and burying your head in the sand wont stop pot sales neither will your denial or stereotypes you propagate of it's users ...time to grow up and get real ...Erik Self

[sbell]

I feel much safer now, thanks DEA!!!

[Nazumi]

Hey police, please come raid the pot dispensaries near my house! They bring sleazy people into the neighborhood. They should all be raided.

[Sense of Humor]

Completely unnecessary. Medical marijuana was approved by Calif. residents in 1996--that was 13 years ago.
Put these taxpayer-money supported thugs to work: fight hard crime, not busting dope shops!

[tom todaro]

thank goddess it wasn't my dispensary on the Venice boardwalk

[Jonathan Jerald]

What a waste of law enforcement resources.

[Lionel Hill]

I read a while back that theses raids were going to stop, what's up with that?

[Josh]

Legalize the stuff and be done with it

[Kenneth Johnson]

Hey I knew that dog, was the sweetest thing in the world!!!! I can not believe that they shoot it. Poor thing, how about maybe they get shot. see how it feels. They didnt give a reason because there is none. They go in there, steal all the cash and weed, then poof there gone and not heard from again. not receipts, no court dates, not a thing. this is straight armed robbery

[Shantyhag]

Man, it is more than past time to achieve some consistency. AG Eric Holder said that this was going to stop. When people act within the good faith of the law, and the guidance of authorities, should they reasonably expect to be raided, arrested or prosecuted?

We've heard that same argument as a defense for torture and abuse of power; should medical marijuana facilities be held to a lesser (or, actually, greater) standard?

(Also, admittedly, I do not know the full extent of this case; this report was thin on details. I admit it's possible that there are circumstances beyond my understanding that have led to this incursion).