Pubdate: Fri, 10 Jun 2005
Source: Oakland Tribune, The (CA)
Copyright: 2005 MediaNews Group, Inc. and ANG Newspapers
Contact:  http://www.oaklandtribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/314
Author: Cecily Burt, Staff Writer, Oakland Tribune

MEDICAL POT STORE CLOSES IN OAKLAND

Problems of Affiliate in Los Angeles Lead Sanctioned Club to Shut Its Doors

OAKLAND - One of the city's four sanctioned medical marijuana outlets 
quietly closed its doors this week; not because of a negative Supreme Court 
ruling but because of problems with one of the organization's sister pot 
clubs in Los Angeles.

The doors to Compassionate Caregivers, at 2135 Broadway, were locked 
Wednesday afternoon, and a tersely worded notice in a related facility two 
doors down was dated June 6 and stated it was "Temporarily closed" and 
apologized for the inconvenience.

Compassionate Caregivers staff did not return calls seeking comment, but a 
story posted on WeHoNews com, an online newspaper for the West Hollywood 
community, stated that the Compassionate Caregivers' "Yellow House" pot 
club on La Brea Avenue in West Hollywood had been raided by the Los Angeles 
Police Department and IRS agents a month ago, the culmination of an 
eight-month investigation into money-laundering and selling marijuana for 
profit - in violation of state health and safety laws.

According to the story, there were several arrests, and 800 pounds of pot 
and $300,000 to $500,000 in cash were seized.

Deputy City Administrator Niccolo DeLuca said Oakland was aware the local 
club had closed but did not know for how long.

"If they are in fact closed (for good), they were one of the four 
permittees (under Oakland's medical marijuana ordinance), and the city 
would have to look at replacing them," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake