cannabisnews.com: Feds Launch Massive Pot Sting Feds Launch Massive Pot Sting Posted by CN Staff on June 25, 2008 at 04:46:30 PT By Sean Garmire, The Times-Standard Source: Times-Standard California -- Motorcades of government SUVs poured through Humboldt County communities Tuesday as hundreds of federal and state agents began their search for commercial marijuana growing operations in a multi-day investigation the FBI has dubbed “Operation Southern Sweep.” The bureau's spokesman Joseph Schadler reported 450 agents with several federal agencies would be serving search warrants and collecting evidence on properties where “corporate marijuana growing operations” were suspected. On Tuesday morning, at the operation's command center in Fortuna's River Lodge parking lot, Schadler said 27 search warrants would be executed over the course of the day, and two more are expected later this week. He said he could not discuss what properties agents raided Tuesday, or which they had yet to investigate. Medical marijuana dispensaries and 215 patients would not be targeted by the investigation, Schadler said. The Humboldt Cooperative, a medical marijuana dispensary in Arcata, said Tuesday evening that federal agents had not interfered with business. ”We're not here to set policy or interfere with California's compassionate use laws,” Schadler said. The FBI is investigating “for-profit and corporate grow operations beyond the scope of 215.” Those alleged for-profit growing operations total some 2,000 acres of outdoor cultivation, spread across Southern Humboldt and Northern Mendocino counties, Schadler said. Additionally, at least one home in Arcata was raided. Federal agents on the scene of the stings were tight-lipped about their work and would not answer media questions; however the agents were observed searching properties throughout the county. Early Tuesday, Arcata police stood ready to assist as federal agents served one search warrant at a house on Virginia Way in Sunny Brae. The federal agents carried grow lights and other equipment, as well as boxes and bags filled with evidence, into the front yard. In Shelter Cove, at least two homes were broken into by authorities -- the damaged front doors scarred by police battering rams. In the front yard of a house outside Whitethorn, a pile of uprooted marijuana plants was stacked next to rows of grow lights, a computer and an assortment of growing equipment. One agent stood in the doorway of the house, holding a clear plastic bag filled with cash, as other agents scoured the house for other evidence. Schadler said investigators would be taking DNA evidence, seizing weapons and chopping plants as part of their evidence gathering. Individuals suspected of involvement in the alleged growing operations were not part of Tuesday's sting, as the agencies were focused on collecting evidence and building cases against possible growers, Schadler said. But he anticipates “seeing charges later on down the line.” Although Schadler said agents were not interested in making arrests, one man was taken into police custody after reportedly assaulting an officer. Schadler said he did not know if charges would be filed. The operation -- a result of a two-year-long investigation instigated by the California Department of Justice's Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement -- started around 7 a.m. Tuesday when convoys of SUVs left the hotel parking lot. The parking lot was transformed into a make-shift mission control center for the teams. A gray RV-sized vehicle, adorned with a radio tower and satellite, was parked in front of the hotel, and fed information to personnel on laptops and satellite phones inside. The River Lodge was off-limits to the public, and inside numerous government agents could be seen circulating through the building throughout the day. Schadler said agents would be in the area for “a couple days,” and a hotel clerk reported their rooms have been booked through Friday. The personnel involved are part of an alphabet soup of government agencies, which include the Bureau of Narcotics, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration. Local authorities like California Highway Patrol and the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office also aided in the investigation. Sheriff Lt. George Cavinta said six deputies assisted federal agents, providing logistical information. ”It's a very rural country that they're into,” he said. “You're taking a large amount of metropolitan agents and getting them adjusted to the setting in Humboldt County.” The Sheriff's Office reported it was not involved with any of the 29 warrants issued for the operation. Schadler said he could not discuss what evidence allowed them to attain the search warrants. In some cases, warrants have been obtained by local law enforcement using Pacific Gas and Electric Co. records to find the houses drawing noticeably more electricity off the grid, which often indicates marijuana grows. PG&E spokeswoman Jana Morris said the company never volunteers records of any customers, but it must cooperate if authorities present search warrants. If You Go What: Trinidad City Council When: 7 p.m. tonight Where: Trinidad Town Hall, 409 Trinity St. Source: Times-Standard (Eureka, CA)Author: Sean Garmire, The Times-StandardPublished: June 25, 2008Copyright: 2008 MediaNews Group, Inc. Contact: editor times-standard.comWebsite: http://www.times-standard.com/Related Articles: Fed Raid Rumors Spark Panichttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread24037.shtml Major Sting Targets Commercial Grow Ophttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread24036.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #16 posted by Dirtmover on July 06, 2008 at 10:17:37 PT Why? The FBI, et al want to put a damper on large commercial grows. The targeted growers are said to be arrogant and violent.They also know that getting a conviction in California can be expensive and difficult.Not to mention this raid probably netted less the 5% of the Cannabis being grown in the area they raided. [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by ekim on June 26, 2008 at 19:01:11 PT look over 450 agents and one arrest thanks rev ray for pointing that out -- for assault on a federal agent during the execution of the search warrants." this showed peaceful reaction the people are good all see [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by FoM on June 26, 2008 at 07:57:57 PT Related Article: A Federal Case http://www.northcoastjournal.com/issues/2008/06/26/federal-case/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by FoM on June 25, 2008 at 17:33:43 PT RevRayGreen I haven't heard much about the raids since the news this morning. This whole thing is really depressing. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by RevRayGreen on June 25, 2008 at 17:28:55 PT From The Eureka Reporter no arrests ?"Over the course of Tuesday's activity, officers located around ten thousand marijuana plants estimated to be worth between $25 and $60 million on the street. They seized 30 firearms, including fully automatic weapons, one vehicle, and more than $160,000 in cash. No charges have been filed and none of the targets of the investigation were arrested during Tuesday's raids. However, FBI agents arrested one man for assault on a federal agent during the execution of the search warrants." [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by FoM on June 25, 2008 at 16:34:28 PT Off Topic: Rolling Stone Since Senator Obama has his picture on the cover of Rolling Stone again I thought I'd post the article.http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/21472234Dr. Hook... Cover Of The Rolling Stonehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ux3-a9RE1QThe New Hippie Nation: Rolling Stone photographer Max Vadukul finds the next generation of flower children at Bonnaroo.http://www.rollingstone.com/photos/gallery/21491729/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by FoM on June 25, 2008 at 13:26:01 PT Feds Launch Massive Pot Sting (With Video) http://www.willitsnews.com/ci_9689025 [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by FoM on June 25, 2008 at 12:33:10 PT OverwhelmSam That's was very good. It has always amazed me at the heartlessness of so many people. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by OverwhelmSam on June 25, 2008 at 12:23:09 PT How Can Our Government Be So Cruel? I guess it's easy when all you can do is hate people, for who they are:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zyn9QIQtP68&feature=related [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by FoM on June 25, 2008 at 12:12:40 PT rchandar I like what you posted. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by rchandar on June 25, 2008 at 12:00:00 PT: OverwhelmSam Whoa--I don't think it's fair to attack religion. What you're describing, in real terms, is an endless, positive blood-lust for EARTHLY POWER--and an army of legal "servants" with almost no opposition in seizing it, and a thin rhetorical propagandism that props up thousands of "good" men faced with the infinitesimal guarantee of a "dangerous" moral enemy. I concur with your endorsement of Obama--the white boy crony network established annually on Fraternity Row must be brought down. What has been happening since the Reagan years re religion: a growing army of fundamentalists have decided that the "rest of the world" doesn't take their responsibility to God as "seriously" as they do, so they "must be brought to justice." Ingenious, no? Because they've pre-decided what constitutes "faith," what constitutes "right" behavior, even how one can measure "character" based upon a hopelessly limited and cryptic judgment of mankind's capacity for rehearsing etiquette.No, the people who are in power--who staff the "institutions" that a "good" society "depend upon"--government, law, authority, corporation, even education--are ALWAYS the ones who MISUSE religious faith, and generally are praised for the few "successes" they engineer. At a certain point, it becomes an irreversible disaster because degrees have been churned out, money has been spent, solemn words have been spoken in the utmost confidence--POWER MUST BE GRANTED! Religion is, in my view, very GOOD. That from an ex-professor raised by an atheist. It is the only real cure for the limitless sickness, greed, and egotism of our current society.--rchandar [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Sam Adams on June 25, 2008 at 10:30:31 PT Dunkin Donuts must have been SLAMMED Look at this, Doublethink:"In some cases, warrants have been obtained by local law enforcement using Pacific Gas and Electric Co. records to find the houses drawing noticeably more electricity off the grid, which often indicates marijuana grows.PG&E spokeswoman Jana Morris said the company never volunteers records of any customers, but it must cooperate if authorities present search warrants. "Great 1984 logic! We won't give out your electric records without a warrant. The cops need electric records to get a warrant.So how did they get the electric records? Somebody's lying.That is the key to WOD: all the crimes are consensual, therefore they MUST break the constitution's right to privacy to enforce these laws. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by FoM on June 25, 2008 at 08:51:59 PT duzt If I didn't believe that Obama would do something about this situation I wouldn't be supporting him like I am. I would vote for him since we desperately need the Dems in power but that would be it. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by duzt on June 25, 2008 at 08:36:56 PT DEA in Mendo not so nice... These must be different DEA than here in mendocino county. A DEA agent was on the radio yesterday saying that the magic number of plants for them was zero and that they didn't recognize prop. 215. He said that if you have 1 plant you are at risk. They are here to try to intimidate us and it's absurd. How dare they come here and tell us our laws don't apply. Thank God Obama (at least I hope, he sure seems to back down on promises a lot lately) will change cannabis to schedule 2. This scaring sick or injured people is sick in itself. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by OverwhelmSam on June 25, 2008 at 05:32:37 PT It's Like One of Those Nightmares You're running and running, but can't seem to get away from the nightmare. No matter how much pressure we put on politicians and police, they keep coming and coming. Some how or another, this abuse of authority has to stop! I'm beginning to respect Mexican drug cartels. At least they take a stand for and defend their right to engage in commerce. Religion has become a curse upon all of humanity. You would think an honest holy man would stop a fanatic government from kicking a dog when it was down, but no, the Priest are right there inciting hatred and kicking the dog with the government. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on June 25, 2008 at 04:49:46 PT Related Articles From The Eureka Reporter Secret Raids Not Too Secrethttp://eurekareporter.com/article/080625-secret-raids-not-too-secret***Feds Storm 25 Locations in Humboldt County Drug Raidshttp://eurekareporter.com/article/080625-feds-storm-25-locations-in-humboldt-county-drug-raids [ Post Comment ] Post Comment