Pubdate: Sun, 19 Sep 2010
Source: Maui News, The (HI)
Copyright: 2010 The Maui News
Contact:  http://www.mauinews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2259

MAN IN DRUG TRAFFICKING CASE TURNS HIMSELF IN

WAILUKU - The head of a Paia-based medical marijuana advocacy group
turned himself in to police Friday, three months after being
reindicted along with five others in an alleged marijuana trafficking
operation.

[name redacted], 55, who gave a Makawao address, was released after
posting $100,000 bail on a warrant resulting from a Maui County grand
jury indictment in June.

He is charged with criminal conspiracy, first- and second-degree
commercial promotion of marijuana, second-degree promotion of a
detrimental drug, first- and second-degree promotion of a harmful drug
and six counts of possessing drug paraphernalia.

The charges stem from a two-year police investigation called
"Operation Weedkiller."

By November 2008, police reported seizing hundreds of marijuana plants
and clones, processed and unprocessed marijuana, drug paraphernalia,
$14,000 cash and a vehicle as part of the investigation that centered
on the organization Patients Without Time.

[name redacted] founded and headed the group, which police
allege exploited medical marijuana laws to sell the drug to hundreds
of people.

The case against [name redacted] and the other defendants was dismissed
earlier this year after 2nd Circuit Judge Joseph Cardoza ruled there
was a flaw in the procedure used to obtain the original grand jury 
indictment.

[snip]

[name redacted]'s arraignment is pending.
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