Pubdate: Wed, 16 Mar 2011 Source: Belgrade News (MT) Copyright: 2011 The Belgrade News Contact: http://www.belgrade-news.com/site/forms/?mode=letters Website: http://www.belgrade-news.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5163 Author: Andy Malby FEDS: POT CRACKDOWN FOCUSED ON 'CRIMINAL ENTERPRISES' The United States Justice Department said Tuesday it executed 26 search warrants involving Montana's largely unregulated medical marijuana industry in 13 cities Monday. The government also issued civil seizure warrants at banks in Bozeman, Helena and Kalispell, freezing up to $4 million in assets of Montana medical-marijuana growers. The raids came as part of an 18-month investigation by multiple agencies "into the drug trafficking activities of criminal enterprises operating throughout the state of Montana," U.S. Attorney for Montana Michael W. Cotter said in a news release. "Twenty-six search warrants were carried out yesterday where there is probable cause that the premises were involved in illegal and large-scale trafficking of marijuana," Cotter said. "When criminal networks violate federal laws those involved will be prosecuted." The information was released Tuesday afternoon following raids on medical marijuana dispensaries and grow operations throughout Montana, including one at Four Corners and one near Belgrade. Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and a host of other federal, state and local agencies participated in the raids. "Search warrants and civil seizure warrants were issued based on judicial findings that probable cause exists to believe that the premises ... are involved in criminal enterprises..." according to the statement. Agents seized marijuana plants and related items in what appears to be a large-scale crackdown on the major players in the state's medical-marijuana industry. They also seized computers, books, papers and other records from the premises in question, as well as funds in company and personal bank accounts owned by the caregivers. In some cases, vehicles and other assets were seized. In Gallatin County, raids took place at around 11 a.m. Monday at Montana Cannabis Ministries on Dollar Drive east of Belgrade; at Big Sky Patient Care on Gallatin Road near Four Corners; and at an undisclosed location at Big Sky. The move came after a 2009 announcement by the Obama Justice Department that the federal government will not seek to prosecute medical marijuana operators who are operating legally under the state's 2004 medical-marijuana law. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law. Cotter said the "criminal enterprises" raided Monday were in violation of the federal Controlled Substances Act. He also indicated that the subjects of the raids are suspected of violating federal monetary laws by "...[S]tructuring or assisting in structuring any transaction to evade currency reporting requirements or causing or attempting to cause a domestic financial institution to fail to file Currency Transaction Reports..." The statement made clear that medical marijuana patients who are obeying state law "are not the focus of this investigation." Also not under federal scrutiny, it appears, are some 4,800 other state-licensed caregivers whose facilities were not raided Monday. According to the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, which maintains the medical-marijuana registry, there were 4,833 registered caregivers in the state in February and 28,739 registered patients. It remains unclear if the Justice Department intends to take action against those caregivers -- many who operate commercial marijuana grow operations or shops -- or just those raided Monday. However, the news release said that because of the "danger" marijuana poses, "the Department of Justice continues to focus its enforcement and investigative efforts in targeting large-scale drug organizations that cultivate, manufacture, distribute, or sell marijuana." Nobody was arrested Monday, and the Justice Department has not sought indictments or filed charges against anyone involved in the raids, according to the statement. "All named individuals and locations identified in the search warrants, civil seizure warrants and related documents are presumed innocent until proven guilty," the statement said. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.