Marijuana-pot
The Drug Enforcement Agency helped execute search warrants in connection with four ongoing federal investigations into illegal drug distribution in Pierce, King and Thurston counties. (AP Photo/File)

DEA raids Washington pot dispensaries, at least 17 arrested

BY Brandi Kruse  on November 15, 2011 @ 5:22 pm (Updated: 6:40 pm - 11/15/11 )

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State and federal agents raided more than a dozen medical marijuana dispensaries across Western Washington Tuesday, making at least 17 arrests.

The Drug Enforcement Agency helped execute search warrants in connection with four ongoing federal investigations into illegal drug distribution in Pierce, King and Thurston counties.

"Each of the investigations targets commercial enterprises that purport to operate as "medical" marijuana establishments but also fail to comply with applicable state law," according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice. Search warrants unsealed by the U.S. District Court indicate the establishments are suspected of distributing large amounts of drugs and laundering large sums of money.

"Some of these medical marijuana stores were the subject of complaints from their surrounding communities as well as marijuana supporters, concerned about businesses operating outside the letter and spirit of state law," read the release.

U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan said although all medical marijuana establishments are in violation of federal criminal law, they do not intend to prosecute "truly ill people or their doctors who determine that marijuana is an appropriate medical treatment."

"We will continue to target and investigate entities that are large scale commercial drug enterprises, or that threaten public safety in other ways," Durkan said Tuesday. " [...] state laws of compassion were never intended to protect brash criminal conduct that masquerades as medical treatment."

In a statement, the DEA said they remain committed to the enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in all states, but do not intend to target those with legitimate medical illnesses.

Brandi Kruse, KIRO Radio Reporter
Brandi Kruse is a reporter for KIRO Radio who is as spontaneous and adventurous in her free time as she is on the job. Brandi arrived at KIRO Radio in March 2011 and has already collected three regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her reporting.
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Comments (29)


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  • Drool wrote...
    I Feel Safer Now
    November 15, 2011 5:59 pm
    Ridiculous.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • soo purletiv wrote...
    The DEA stated:
    November 15, 2011 6:38 pm
    ".....they remain committed to the enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in all states, but do not intend to target those with legitimate medical illnesses."

    And who determines whether they are legitimate or not?

    If they go by the same standards as California does, than just about anyone qualifies. Doctors there give it to just about anyone with a complaint about pain; chronic or otherwise.

    Can't trust the doctors, since they themselves have no legal standard to abide by.

    Do the feds look at a particular law that states a threshold that must be satisfied, or do they arbitrarily decide themselves who are legitimate and who are not?

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    Here you have the Fed waisting tax payer money busting medical pot dispensaries.
    November 15, 2011 6:45 pm
    I hate the fed, just another reason to legalize, legalize, legalize!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    All you have to do is
    November 15, 2011 7:46 pm
    put Legalizing Weed to the vote of the public.

    Oh! Wait. You did. And we voted it down. How many times?

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • malcolmkyle wrote...
    You should keep up to date
    November 16, 2011 1:21 am
    Fifty percent of Americans are now in favor of legalizing marijuana and only 46 percent are against, according to a Gallup poll released last October. Gallup also found that even more Americans – 70 percent — are in favor of legalizing doctor-prescribed marijuana to reduce pain and suffering in patients. Now answer the following simple questions: #1. Why do you rejoice at the fact that we have all been stripped of our 4th amendment rights and are now totally subordinate to a corporatized, despotic government with a heavily armed and corrupt, militarized police force whose often deadly intrusions into our homes and lives are condoned by an equally corrupt and spineless judiciary? #2. Why do you wish to continue to spend $50 billion a year to prosecute and cage your fellow citizens for choosing drugs which are not more dangerous than those of which you yourself use and approve of such as alcohol and tobacco? #3. Do you honestly expect the rest of us to look on passively while you waste another trillion dollars on this ruinously expensive garbage policy? #4. Why are your waging war on your own family, friends and neighbors? #5. Why are you so complacent with the fact that our once 'free & proud' nation now has the largest percentage of it's citizenry incarcerated than any other on the entire planet? #6. Why are you helping to fuel a budget crisis to the point of closing hospitals, schools and libraries? #7. Why do you rejoice at wasting precious resources on prohibition related undercover work while rapists and murderers walk free, while additionally, many cases involving murder and rape do not even get taken to trial because law enforcement priorities are subverted by your beloved failed and dangerous policy? #8. Why are you such a supporter of the 'prison industrial complex' to the extent of endangering our own children? #9. Will you graciously applaud, when due to your own incipient and authoritarian approach, even your own child is caged and raped?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Fuego wrote...
    Didn't Seattle...
    November 15, 2011 7:57 pm
    give the illusion to dispensaries that it's ok to sell an illegal substance? Is Mayor McDude going to defend these people?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rick (4) wrote...
    Thanks DEA
    November 15, 2011 8:13 pm
    Keep up the good work.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • artimus wrote...
    whew
    November 15, 2011 8:13 pm
    That's a relief! I'll sleep better tonight knowing those crazed, drooling tokers are down to stems and seeds. Meanwhile, over-served boozers careen blearily in the general direction of home and Oxy'd drivers float along I-5 at freeway speeds.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • 333 wrote...
    Legalize it ...
    November 15, 2011 8:47 pm
    and go after real crime...some day the old farts like It's me haha will die off and the next generation will vote and make it legal.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • GeneralsMacArthur&Yeager wrote...
    Funny, the corrupt gov't goes after SMALL TIME pot heads here and releases the guys back to Israel from the biggest drug bust in NYC history....
    November 15, 2011 9:44 pm
    where nothing happens to them... you want to know the reality of who owns this country now, hilarious youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU-z2GqeEmI
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • GeneralsMacArthur&Yeager wrote...
    The reality is, much like Waco, this decision to tread on the little American was not made by Americans, we live in the US of Israel now. 60 years ago
    November 15, 2011 11:19 pm
    these guys claiming to be on our side but working for Israel would have been tried and convicted of treason, just like the Rosenbergs. 3/9 Supreme Court Justices are now beholden to Israel's wishes and a similar % of congress. They send Americans to war yet they make up 0% of the US military. Our country has been co-opted.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • C"mon Man wrote...
    This non-smokers says;
    November 15, 2011 10:48 pm
    What a waste of time ,resources,jail space,court case load and manpower, but big government will continue on it's merry way with alcohol and tobacco sales that ruin life's and family's, all for the sake of the enormous collected from the sin tax.wonder how much in taxes government misses out on whenever a smoker makes a purchase,instead they will continue to spend 41k per year on incarceration per pot smoking inmate.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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