Pot-laced breakfast cereal, candy seized in raids of marijuana dispensaries in L.A., 3 other counties [Updated]

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and other law enforcement agencies arrested 11 people during a four-county raid on marijuana facilities that recovered drugs as well as pot-laced breakfast cereal and candy bars.

Officials served search warrants this week at 16 locations, seizing 78 pounds of marijuana as well as related evidence, according to a statement from the Sheriff's Department. Officials said the drugs had a street value of $234,000.

The crackdown targeted medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties. Local law enforcement was aided by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the State Board of Equalization and the State Franchise Tax Board.

According to the statement, officials found pot-laced crisped rice treats, orange drinks and "cannabis-laced cereal similar to Froot Loops or Apple Jacks."

[Updated, 3:34 p.m.: By Friday, all but one of those arrested had been released from jail, sheriff’s records show. Most posted bond; three were released Friday after authorities determined there was insufficient grounds to file a criminal complaint, a sheriff’s spokesman said. The remaining suspect was being held on an unrelated warrant.

Erik Andresen, who was released Thursday, said none of the 11 were charged in connection with the raids.

Andresen said he works with four dispensaries that operate legally as collectives and provide a valuable service to patients who have doctor recommendations to use medical marijuana. The collectives, he said, were providing patients with free medical marijuana on Saturday and Sunday.

“We follow the law,” said Andresen, who complained that he was a victim of harassment by law enforcement. “There are no profits because anything we make over the till goes back to patients for free medications. I don’t understand what is so wrong with following the law.”]

-- Shelby Grad and Jack Leonard

Comments

[northpole]

I am terrified! Somebody please, think of the children!

[James]

A lot of people don't want to smoke their medicine and so they eat it. Do you want to eat something tasty or not. Why are you makeing a big deal about this? Does the Yellow press live in LA? Please stop trying to mislead people. We need to stop the illegal drug dealers. Vote yes on Prop 19.

[tom]

Just think on Nov 20th everyone will be eating those APple jacks. what a waste of the tax payers money. YES on 19!!

[Mooky]

lol @ laced.

Why were the shops "raided"?

[Sarah Wright]

Indeed. Why can't these people EAT their marijuana plain like everybody else?

[Bob]

meanwhile people are being robbed raped and murdered all over the city..nice work boys

[Ugh]

I know there must not have been any real crime going on...
WASTE OF RESOURCES!!
VOTE YES ON PROP. 19!!

[cherub]

Vote YES on 19-However, dispensaries are vulnerable as long as Pot is a Schedule 1 narcotic-the real battle must be waged in Congress-Voting YES on 19 will begin that debate as politicians will only see the light if it becomes politically tenable-Bummer for those whose medicine was stolen by the COPS-That stuff isn't cheap to produce

[Vitalik]

I am feeling buyers remorse. Since I just paid for that raid and all that work with my taxes, I kinda regret it. I am not feeling any safer knowing that pot laced cereal is off the street. May be we should find better ways to spend our tax dollars.

[LA Observer]

No, they didn't have a "street value". They are MMJ medicines that are legal as voted by the citizens of California. It is not sold on the street.

Real story, police and DEA conspire to instill fear of Krispy treats before the vote on prop 19.

["37"]

And how much did these raids cost? Go chase some illegals instead.

[Brian]

I remember Obama saying that the DEA would not be conducting raids on medical marijuana clinics where it was legal in that state. Wow, yet another (very recent) promise broken. I'm so shocked. What are they going to do when it's legal?

[howard]

Prop 19 people it's coming ;)

[IngaTuMa]

I voted YES on 19 already!

[My Truth Hurts]

POLICE STATE SHAKEDOWN

STOP THE INSANITY

LEGALIZE IT

[jmactacular]

What an incredible waste of taxpayer's limited resources and finances!!! Can I get a refund on my share of this nonsense?

Vote YES on Prop 19! Vote YES for common sense.

[Brahma]

Prop. 19 will not stop illegal drug dealers, just like Prop 215 didn't. Don't believe the hype put out by potheads, Prop. 19 is only a measure to make drug dealing legal. Drug use is a cancer eating away at our society, and should be stopped by putting one drug dealer after another behind bars.

Vote NO on Prop. 19 this November.

[Tirau]

Dispensaries *need* to carry edibles- not all patients can smoke or vaporize. I would like to see more details on this story, because it appears like the medical facilities were unjustly raided and the police are out of their minds.

YES ON 19, to stop the violence by our *police* just as much as the drug cartels.

[Shantyhag]

I'm terribly confused. Why were these raided by local police? The DEA assisted, so was there evidence of state laws being broken?

Agreed with every other poster here. This is a joke, a cruel one, and Prop 19's passage can only help!

[Ivanaknapp]

Thank God we have a Democrat in the White House so the DEA will lay off the marijuana raids. Oh, wait ...

[Clare]

I'm confused. If the dispensaries are legal here why did the L.A. County Sheriff's Department raid them? I don't get it.

[eltalon]

It's a simple fact. Those who benefit from a "pot raid" are the ones who will 'lose their budget' to conduct pot raids. Look at the 'city workers' being paid to lean against their shovels. Think they care about a more efficient use of their time? No way, same with the sheriff of Notingham, got's to make sure the budget is in place for next year's "raid" so's they can sit around all the other days and kvetch about their 'benefits packages' getting reduced. Or, you've heard it - how many times? - they're going to have to RELEASE THE PRISONERS...

[Jaman]

Why aren't they going after all the sex slave traffikers, meth labs, meth dealers, murderers, rapists and child molesters?

Much easier to bust some pot heads I guess.

[al]

Wow, what a waste of TIME and TAXPAYER MONEY. Imagine ow much we could save by laying off these officials. VOTE YES ON PROP 19 !!!

[LiberalReason]

Oh my God, they found marijuana at marijuana dispensaries! Amazing detective work! Legalize it already!