cannabisnews.com: DEA Seizes Tractor Trailer of Legal Hempseed





DEA Seizes Tractor Trailer of Legal Hempseed
Posted by FoM on September 25, 1999 at 08:21:51 PT
By John W. Roulac 
Source: Hemptech
U.S. Customs is threatening nearly $500,000 in fines against Kenex if their recall of granola bars, oil, animal feed, and other products are not redelivered to Detroit Customs in the next few days. These fines are in addition to the fines and possible criminal charges that may be laid in relation to the bird seed load itself. A 30 day extension request to clarify the situation was denied by U.S. Customs.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information: John W. Roulac T: 707-823-2800 ext. *41 DEA Seizes Tractor Trailer of Legal Hempseed Products from Canada. Agency also demands instant recall of granola bars, horse bedding and other products. Items "clearly exempt" under U.S. Law, say manufacturers. Sebastopol, California The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has seized a tractor trailer of sterilized Canadian hemp seed on its way to a large U.S. company that has been selling hemp birdseed blends for years. Following the August 9th seizure, U.S. Customs and the DEA demanded that Kenex, Canada's leading producer and processor of industrial hemp products, recall previous shipments of other hemp products such as oil, granola bars, horse bedding and animal feed. These actions were taken even though all of the products are clearly exempt under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act since 1937 and many have been sold in the U.S. for 60 years. The DEA, after repeated requests, refuses to provide any legal basis for the confiscation. Kenex's president, Jean Laprise says, "Kenex, along with many other U.S. companies are suffering irreparable damage due to the illegal actions taken by the DEA and US Customs. It seems the DEA could be spending the U.S. taxpayer's drug war money in better ways than chasing after bird seed and horse bedding." U.S. Customs is threatening nearly $500,000 in fines against Kenex if their recall of granola bars, oil, animal feed, and other products are not redelivered to Detroit Customs in the next few days. These fines are in addition to the fines and possible criminal charges that may be laid in relation to the bird seed load itself. A 30 day extension request to clarify the situation was denied by U.S. Customs. Kenex's western US broker and importer of hempseed products is Nutiva, a Sebastopol, CA based company. Nutiva has over 700 natural food stores, manufacturers and restaurants utilizing the nutritious and versatile hempseed. Nutiva's hempseed bar, made with sunflower, hemp, flax and pumpkin seeds and honey, has just surpassed 100,000 units sales, making it the top selling hemp food in the US. John W. Roulac, president and founder of Nutiva, states, "People love the nutty, chewy taste of our hempseed bars. Hempseed is rich in protein, vitamin E and the heart healthy Omega 3 are an added bonus". The current seizures, recalls and summons are in effect shutting off the supply of hempseeds for this growing market. If the markets are shut down in the US, American farmers future markets for hemp products will thus be curtailed by their own federal government. Industrial hemp has no drug qualities and is grown in thirty-two countries including Canada, France, German and England. Roulac, a board member of the North American Industrial Hemp Council http://www.naihc.org/ and who has also written three books on industrial hemp, finds it ironic that the federal government is serving him a summons for "Mariuana related products". The federal government's recent action is anti-competitive and a violation of NAFTA,which mentions hemp as a strategic commodity. Currently, French and German hempseed products are still arriving under the same tariff code without such seizures into the US. One of Nutiva customers, Coup Restaurant in New York City, stated, "Our hempseed crusted tuna is our best-selling dish on the menu. To say we are serving a controlled substance is outlandish," said Executive Chef Kevin Roth. The restaurant is now purchasing this ingredient from other hempseed vendors.September 24, 1999Cannabis News Hemp Related Articles:http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/list/hemp.shtml
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on September 28, 1999 at 15:23:19 PT:
DEA Seizes “Birdseed” as Schedule I Narcotic 
DEA Seizes “Birdseed” as Schedule I Narcotic Contact: Jean Laprise: (519) 351-9922 September 28, 1999Hemptechhttp://hemptech.com/Kenex’s president, Jean Laprise says, “Kenex, along with many other U.S. companies are suffering irreparable damages due to the illegal actions taken by the DEA and US Customs.Pubdate: September 24, 1999 Detroit, Michigan - The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has declared war on Canada's industrial hemp industries. On August 9, 1999 it seized a tractor trailer load of sterilized Canadian hemp seed on its way to a large U.S. company that has been selling hemp birdseed blends For years. U.S. Customs and the DEA then demanded that Kenex, Canada's leading producer and processor of industrial hemp products, recall previous shipments of other hemp products such as oil, granola bars, horse bedding and animal feed. These actions were taken even though all of the products are clearly under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act since 1937 and many have been sold in the U.S. For years. The DEA, after repeated requests, refuses to provide any legal basis for the confiscation or recall. Kenex's president, Jean Laprise says, “Kenex, along with many other U.S. companies are suffering irreparable damages due to the illegal actions taken by the DEA and US Customs. It seems like the DEA could be spending the taxpayer‚s drug war money in better ways than chasing around after bird seed and horse bedding.” U.S. Customs is threatening $500,000 in fines against Kenex if their recall of granola bars, oil, animal feed and other products are not redelivered to Detroit Customs in the next few days. These fines are in addition to the fines and possible criminal charges that may be laid in relation to the birdseed load itself. A 30 days extension request to clarify the situation was denied by U.S. Customs. U.S. Customs is now also issuing subpoenas to Kenex's customers in the U.S. to obtain all correspondence documents and any other records related to all hemp product purchases from Kenex including fiber use to manufacture car parts. Jean Laprise says, “All the proper documentation has been supplied to Customs in the past in accordance with our custom broker's instructions. Kenex has always acted in good faith and has never violated any U.S. laws. Our legal counsel has advised us that the DEA and U.S. Customs are acting in clear violation of U.S. laws as well as NAFTA.” 
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Comment #1 posted by kaptinemo on September 26, 1999 at 07:59:11 PT
Ignorance in action
There is a preponderance of information, readily available to anyone who is willing to look, about the incredible benefits of hemp seed products. The linolaeic (?) acids found in hemp seeds alone would reduce LDL cholesterol enormously. (Hear that, all you donut-scarfing cops? The plant you revile might save you from a stroke... and the government won't let you have it. Your life isn't valuable enough. You now have ther dimmest glimmering how the rest of us feel. The Great Hemp Conspiracy to keep people ignorant of the truth about cannabis/hemp is not just aimed at dopers, but at all the people.)The problem, here is that, just as with marijuana, if the Customs people were to look at the scientific studies, they would become knowledgable. They would know that the law they have been enforcing all along was based upon a lie. And they are, by continuing to enforce these insane laws, perforce, accessories to a crime. That's why, despite the IoM's report earlier this year, McCzar still keeps quoting it selectively... or ignoring it outright.Just like a puppy when it takes a dump on the carpet, you have to publicly rub the Drug Warriors noses in the lies they have told and tell them, "Bad! Bad public servants!Shouldn't insult people's intelligence!" Otherwise, just like the puppy, they keep on making messes.
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