Pubdate: Thu, 08 Dec 2005
Source: New York Daily News (NY)
Copyright: 2005 Daily News, L.P.
Contact:  http://www.nydailynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/295
Author: John Marzulli
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Note: MAP archives articles exactly as published, except that our 
editors may redact the names and addresses of accused persons who 
have not been convicted of a crime, if those named are not otherwise 
public figures or officials.

'TOON IN, TURN ON, GET SENT TO JAIL

A marijuana delivery service dubbed the "Cartoon Network" brought 
high-grade pot to the doorsteps of thousands of clients, including 
sports stars and celebrities, the feds said yesterday.

A dozen members of the ring, including reputed leader [Name 
redacted], of Queens, have been rounded up in the past month on 
money-laundering and drug conspiracy charges, authorities said.

Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration identified 50,000 
phone numbers of customers who placed orders at a call center, using 
the password "cartoon," and then waited for dealers to show up with 
their Canadian-grown weed.

"We go to MTV, we know comedians, we know celebrities, so you might 
meet a rapper, a singer; you know MTV - we go to a lot of people," 
accused dispatcher [Name redacted] told a courier in a conversation 
intercepted by the feds.

Sources said a former professional baseball player from the New York 
area, whose name was not released, is suspected of being a past 
client. Other famous customers were not named.

[Name redacted] also owned a company that made plastic vials in which 
the marijuana was packed. Recent samples bore a character resembling 
McDonald's Hamburglar, offering the yuletide greeting, "Happy 
Holidays from Your Friends at Cartoon."
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman