Pubdate: Wed, 14 Oct 2015
Source: Colorado Springs Independent (CO)
Column: CannaBiz
Copyright: 2015 Colorado Springs Independent
Contact:  http://www.csindy.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1536

POLICE CRACK DOWN ON ILLEGAL GROW OPS, UNDERAGE SALES

Nipped in the bud

According to a press release from U.S. Attorney John F. Walsh's 
office, Colorado has been having a little trouble with big, illegal 
marijuana grow operations. Over the past six weeks, the Drug 
Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of 
Land Management, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and 
Homeland Security Investigations have worked with state- and 
county-level law enforcement to arrest 12 people in connection with 
five illegal outdoor grow operations. One of these was the operation 
discovered in Pike National Forest (CannaBiz, Aug. 26). They've also 
arrested another 20 people from the towns of Cotopaxi and Westcliffe.

In total, collaborative operations found nearly 20,000 plants and 
over 650 pounds of flower, plus firearms and an undisclosed amount of 
cash. According to the press release, nearly all of the 32 people 
arrested were from outside Colorado, and many of them were foreign 
nationals. The release colors the Cotopaxi/Westcliffe arrests as 
hitting a major drug trafficking organization - many of the 20 
arrested were Cuban nationals, and the weed produced was going to 
Florida both by car and by UPS.

These busts and the collaboration between local and federal forces 
make good on pledges in the August 2013 "Cole Memo," issued by former 
Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole, which outlined eight 
enforcement priorities for federal enforcement of marijuana laws.

"These joint federal-state law enforcement actions against large 
illicit marijuana grows represent a new phase in the challenges 
facing law enforcement after Colorado's legalization and regulation 
of marijuana under state law," Walsh said in the release.

"Illegal activity of this kind underscores the need for strong, joint 
law enforcement efforts by federal and state authorities to identify, 
cut off and destroy the efforts of drug trafficking organizations to 
use Colorado as a 'source state' for export of illegal marijuana 
around the country."

Wake-up call

In a compliance sweep of 30 dispensaries, Denver Police found seven 
pot shops selling to customers younger than 21, according to an Oct. 
1 Westword article. These are the first major violations of the 
marijuana age limit since recreational sales began in January 2014.

For comparison, the Westword article notes that a 2006 sweep of 
liquor stores found 11 of 21 businesses noncompliant, and a 2012 
study found nine of 56 bars were breaking the law.

Westword writer Michael Roberts called the sweep and the local media 
response "a wake-up call to the cannabis industry - and a reminder 
that what might be of small interest in other businesses is capable 
of causing a big stir in this one."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom