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Colorado Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Get Raided!

OLDproLg

Active member
Veteran
So free we are huh????

Like a bunch a mice in a maze with a trap at the end.
What kinda legalizing is this,entrapment!
Hey,whats new..
sucks bad how they win daily still?
lg
 

Avinash.miles

Caregiver Extraordinaire
Moderator
ICMag Donor
Veteran
IF this article is accurate.... not sure how i feel... I hate seeing peoples meds being destroyed, yet I know from first hand experience that there are SNAKES and DIRTY motherfuckers investing and doing business out here in CO... investors problems can rapidly become growers problems and patients problems.
overall, the enforcement STYLE needs to be addressed, instead of destroying meds, just bust the CRIMINALS involved in whatever activity they are targeting, the plants didn't do anything, and the plants belong to the patients, caregivers are overseeing the grow on behalf of patients who have signed their plants over to the caregiver/dispensary to grow for them.

ARTICLE:
http://www.democraticunderground.co...ds=10202803983286366&fb_action_types=og.likes

Reason behind Marijuana Shops in Colorado:

"It would appear this is related to the jewel thief/narcotrafficker/murder solicitor/drug kingpin who made a deal earlier this year in Miami. He goes by the nickname "Tony Montana" and made a deal for cooperating with the feds. Here's an excerpt from the Miami Herald story, note a few things, such as his soliciting a murder for his partner in the medical marijuana business in Colorado.

Eight months after his arrest in a South Beach hotel, the jeweler who called himself “Tony Montana” pleaded guilty Tuesday to organizing the thefts of and later reselling millions of dollars worth of diamonds and other jewels.

Juan Guardarrama, 49, received a reduced prison sentence of 10 years in exchange for cooperating with authorities on other cases related to the criminal enterprise of stealing and fencing diamonds.

In the agreement, Guardarrama acknowledges his “willingness to cooperate in bringing to justice” others who have been involved in crimes including theft, racketeering, money-laundering and fencing of stolen properties.

The night of his arrest, Guardarrama thought he was buying more than a half-million dollars worth of stolen jewelry when he asked undercover cops whether they would “take out” a partner from his side business of growing medical marijuana in Colorado. He had earlier asked the cops if they would be interested in selling some of that marijuana in Miami.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/02/12/3231019/tony-montana-pleads-guilty-to.html

A copy of one of the warrants is on Scribd, notice on page 9 of Scribd (labeled page 3 on the documents, it's an attachment)

For the purpose of this warrant "Target Subjects" are identified as: Gerardo Uribe-Christancho, Luis F. Uribe, David Furtado, Juan Guardarrama, etc. (Juan Guardarrama being the real name of Tony Montana from above story)
Also, from the warrant: In the weapons section they ask for weapons, ammunition, and destructive devices which may be used to provide protection to the narcotics trafficking operation, it's members and/or assets. It seems clear they are calling this a narcotics trafficking organization. Also, they state they have probable cause to believe foreign currency will be there. That's suspect to me, your typical medical marijuana shop doesn't have a need for foreign currency.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/186174036/Search-warrant-for-Denver-marijuana-raids

From an article in the Miami Herald several months after the above article"

Still, according to the June 7 arrest form, Guardarrama told the undercover cops that he grows marijuana in two Colorado warehouses.

Apparently feeling at ease, Guardarrama showed the agents a live video feed of the marijuana grows from a Nanny Cam linked to his cellphone.

Then, he asked them “to travel to Colorado and pick up 20 pounds of marijuana a month to be distributed in Miami-Dade County,” according to the arrest form.

The undercover cops didn’t expect the negotiations about stolen diamonds to take this turn. Authorities say the solicitation to kill Guardarrama’s partner was another surprise.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/07/01/v-fullstory/2877893/tony-montana-bust-is-a-real-gem.html

Also, from both the Miami Herald articles and the warrant, the business partner Juan Guardarrama tried to have killed is Laszlo Bagi who set his dispensery on fire in 2012. I imagine for the insurance money and so he could hide some of the marijuana he was selling to other states.
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_20414564/denver-marijuana-shop-broken-into-roof-lit-fire

It appears he moved his criminal operation to Colorado:

About two years ago, as law enforcement closed in on more than a dozen thieves involved in the operation, Guardarrama skipped town. Jewelers at the Seybold building commented about his sudden absence.

He had moved to a luxury apartment in Denver with his girlfriend. According to authorities in Colorado, Guardarrama obtained a license to work in the state’s medical marijuana industry. However, he is not registered as an owner of such a business.

Oh, and here's your innocent little medical marijuana shop owner who is being bullied by Holder and Obama.

His first run-in with police was a disorderly intoxication arrest in 1990. A year later, he was arrested and later convicted after a road-rage incident on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach. According to court records, Guardarrama got out of his car and threatened the other driver with a semiautomatic pistol.

In 1994, he was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol. Three years later, he was arrested and convicted of assault, extortion and illegal bookmaking. Records show Guardarrama had threatened to kill a man who owed $13,500 in gambling debts outside a Mexican restaurant in Sweetwater.

Guardarrama worked with these groups of thieves who live in Colombia but travel to Miami and other U.S. cities to commit robberies, authorities say. He was one of a few fences who helped the thieves follow traveling diamond dealers who sell their wares in the Seybold building, according to the sworn testimony of convicted thieves.

“Sometimes a person who is in the jewelry business, Mr. Juan Guardarrama, called us to tip us about the victims,” Andrés Felipe Lema told authorities under oath. “We followed jewelry/diamond representatives around, waiting for them to stop at gas stations, hotels, restaurants, jeweler stores or pawn shops. At those places we attacked them.”

So there you have it. It appears the feds are going after serious criminals who will only harm the business. I'm disappointed to the point of being disgusted at those who were calling Holder a p.o.s and railing against Obama. Sorry, folks like Guardarrama need to be in jail and i'll give the benefit of the doubt to this administration until the details come in. "
 

calientecarlos

Active member
Veteran
No arrests were made is the really fishy part..?? Feds will back off once they start getting a bigger cut..."gotta grease the wheels"... fuck the man!!! Cheeba Libre!!!!
 

MrCopyZ

Member
Forbes is saying that some other dispensaries are seemingly glad this happened.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobsu...do-raise-questions-about-federal-forbearance/

Though could just be lies or spin or god knows what these days.

I went to colorado recently to enjoy the new legalization and might I say it was the most free feeling I have had in a long time. But harassment by the fed will not end.

They won't tell anyone whats going on because they don't even know who and what they can charge everyone with. Takes a while to tally up all the clones n such...

They could have been trafficking to other states and that is definitely going to draw down fed attention.

But as everyone knows, the war on drugs is a money making scheme. So if they have any little excuse they are going to jump down on top of people. I for one don't think drugs should be illegal... But I do realize that the United States Govt. does believe this and that they go around raiding raw milk producers just to make sure they prove their point about doing things their way.
 

dddaver

Active member
Veteran
This really is crazy. They are just driving everyone to grow their own or go underground and buy from the black market. They are shooting themselves in the foot.

First it was levying a huge 25% tax so everyone will either grow their own or buy way cheaper weed through the black market. Then the lying bastard feds go back on their hands-off word so further putting more fear in people using dispensaries, so they can maintain some sort of control. That fear will be in any future commerce too.

They are doing the exact opposite of what they need to be doing. Whatevs. Situation normal for the stupid gov. No big surprises here only in the level of stupidity. Just try to think of the most stupid thing the gov. could possibly do, and that's exactly what they will do.

I agree. It's all about the money. But they seem intent on screwing themselves out of it.
 

xmobotx

ecks moe baw teeks
ICMag Donor
Veteran
This really does look like the feds are raiding/arresting based on exceptions to their list of concerns

Sure do hope they continue to come around to the will of the people & set cannabis free
 

TheCleanGame

Active member
Veteran
This really is crazy. They are just driving everyone to grow their own or go underground and buy from the black market. They are shooting themselves in the foot.

First it was levying a huge 25% tax so everyone will either grow their own or buy way cheaper weed through the black market. Then the lying bastard feds go back on their hands-off word so further putting more fear in people using dispensaries, so they can maintain some sort of control. That fear will be in any future commerce too.

They are doing the exact opposite of what they need to be doing. Whatevs. Situation normal for the stupid gov. No big surprises here only in the level of stupidity. Just try to think of the most stupid thing the gov. could possibly do, and that's exactly what they will do.

I agree. It's all about the money. But they seem intent on screwing themselves out of it.
:yeahthats

Yep... exactly what everyone around here is saying as well. The commercial market can implode, explode or fade away... cannabis in colorado is here to stay. :D

Keep it Clean! :D
 

calientecarlos

Active member
Veteran
THX Avi!! Just read your post after thread merge... makes sense now why no one was arrested here... still another what 20 or so class 3 grows lol... they just got a tip from a snitch n decided to flex a lil on the takedown...
 

Avinash.miles

Caregiver Extraordinaire
Moderator
ICMag Donor
Veteran
arrests will be coming.... just my guess. someone's bound to catch charges on this in CO...
BUT, there is such thing as a snake that needs to be weeded out, I can't say for sure this is the case here, but could be, and certainly is what the "miami jewel theif" stories are portraying.
 

SCF

Bong Smoking News Hound
Veteran
I cant count the times, the Feds raided clubs here in California, did not arrest anyone, just took everything. Sometimes they came back if they re open. But a lot of it was Fear tactics. In which well us Californians dont bow down that easy. As we have tons of Medical Clubs to fall back on now. I believe if you confuse them with Masses amount of clubs. dispersed out, plus when legalization comes out. It will be hard for them to Keep track. OR PICK ON ANYONE.

I am not shocked at this. i have seen many sets of raids go down. I know its heart breaking. To have all those customer's Data info on the line. Matter of fact, check out the warrant.

My heart Goes out to Colorado. Learn from Cali and there mistakes. Keep the piece and dont turn against each other. The truth is always prevailed.
 

SCF

Bong Smoking News Hound
Veteran
Forbes is saying that some other dispensaries are seemingly glad this happened.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobsu...do-raise-questions-about-federal-forbearance/

Though could just be lies or spin or god knows what these days.

I went to colorado recently to enjoy the new legalization and might I say it was the most free feeling I have had in a long time. But harassment by the fed will not end.

They won't tell anyone whats going on because they don't even know who and what they can charge everyone with. Takes a while to tally up all the clones n such...

They could have been trafficking to other states and that is definitely going to draw down fed attention.

But as everyone knows, the war on drugs is a money making scheme. So if they have any little excuse they are going to jump down on top of people. I for one don't think drugs should be illegal... But I do realize that the United States Govt. does believe this and that they go around raiding raw milk producers just to make sure they prove their point about doing things their way.


And who seems to be high on the list of, THEY DESERVE TO GET BUSTED, is MOMS FOR MARIJUANA. I am highly disappointed at there Tea Party Approach at this. Justifying the raids.
 

Skip

Active member
Veteran
Avinash.miles said:
overall, the enforcement STYLE needs to be addressed, instead of destroying meds, just bust the CRIMINALS involved in whatever activity they are targeting, the plants didn't do anything, and the plants belong to the patients, caregivers are overseeing the grow on behalf of patients who have signed their plants over to the caregiver/dispensary to grow for them.
Excellent point!

But then who knows what happens to most of the confiscated product. I doubt it all gets destroyed. Probably finds its way to the black market courtesy of LEO.

I think they will eventually take the owners to court, unless it becomes unnecessary because they've already confiscated all their assets.

The GOOD thing is, they don't usually prosecute employees or patients. Just the big fish with the money.

But yeah, the more active the Feds are in Colorado and WA, the more of a damper it puts on ppls enthusiasm.

So it's smart to follow the laws, no matter how stupid they might be atm.

Greed is many a person's undoing.
 

BOMBAYCAT

Well-known member
Veteran
www.denverpost.com on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2013
The Post claims the businesses raided were tied to the Columbian cartel. Supposedly the Columbians were buying MMJ dispensaries and grow warehouses for quite a while. I hope this is true and not the Feds messing with Colorado
 
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