If it was lawful, no judge would have signed a search warrant for use by the DEA to enter the grow operations. The feds don't recognize the medical marijuana laws on the state level so why is anyone surprised? And if you think that the cartels aren't involved in so called "legal" grow operations, then you're sadly mistaken.

"And if you think that the cartels aren't involved in so called "legal" grow operations, then you're sadly mistaken."
Of course they are, cause they are loosing money.
If our governing "bodies" COME up with a across the board rules then not many "bad guys" will slide thru the cracks. As I have said before, we need more quidelines to issue a medical card, ie long term medical reports from patients doctors. Physical to verify. Background check to insure no current drug or other criminal activities. Also RULE that to be a card carrier you, car, home are subject to search at any time to keep a tight rein on who is selling it, and only patients are who are entitled have a legal medical card.
Believe me, those people who truly need medical marijuana will not mind having to show their card to law enforcement, and most would help to prosecute a co-op who is buying, selling illegally. Just because someone uses Medical Marijuana does not mean they do not follow laws. We would be the 1st one to NOT want people taking advantage of the Medical Marijuana card and privilege. Or getting into the wrong hands.
Its a given many will have a criminal background and of course people who do illegal things are going to try to work the system by any means to get a card, or start a co-op. So by all means, do NOT keep it easy as it is now to get a card. Ask me to bring my police record, 1 foot of medical records, and check me at the door as I leave. ;)

@ Brenda. Thats a horrible idea. Medical patients shouldn't be forced to cede their 4th amendment rights simply because they are sick. As it stands medical patients are not allowed to legally obtain firearms. How about we legalize the whole enterprise and stop wasting our limited resources on fighting an pointless battle.

With that attitude, then I suppose one arrest for DUI should simply be ignored and further, not even attempted, right Brenda? I mean, its not like anyone got killed right? Is that how narrowly you view crime suppression? It's never just about tangible cash and contrband seized, but more often about the overall chilling effect it has on clientele and the crimes that they commit to buy the marijuana. Do you know how many convicted felons, wanted felons, registered sex offenders and active parolees have been arrested at these businesses alone? Probably not. But hey, next time your car gets broken into to theive anything that could be used to sell to purchase the drugs, don't call 911. Just tell yourself that it isn't worth it.

Part 1 in response to Veteran:
"With that attitude, then I suppose one arrest for DUI should simply be ignored and further, not even attempted, right Brenda? I mean, its not like anyone got killed right?" Answer--Of course a driver under suspicion for DUI should be pulled over, tested, arrested, charged, convicted if guilty. **Note to all those who like to see this disclaimer: Of course they are innocent until proven guilty.

"Is that how narrowly you view crime suppression?" Answer--Veteran do go back and read my posts as you are assuming because of my stand on legal marijuana, that I am overall against law enforcement, laws, arrests and that is wrong. I am often strongly criticized by two particular people for having a vigilante type attitude(which I do if we had a perfect world, LOL, Elmer Fudd here to the rescue) and do not remember that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. However I can assure you that I totally believe in crime suppression, preferably before it gets out of hand, and even the units that have been created across the country to just address the most serious issues in their city as street level narcotics sales, prostitution, gang activity, graffiti, property crimes and veh. check points for any and all violations. WhereAS many say these are against their constitutional rights, I DEFINATELY disagree with them.

It's never just about tangible cash and contrband seized, but more often about the overall chilling effect it has on clientele and the crimes that they commit to buy the marijuana. Do you know how many convicted felons, wanted felons, registered sex offenders and active parolees have been arrested at these businesses alone? Probably not. But hey, next time your car gets broken into to theive anything that could be used to sell to purchase the drugs, don't call 911. Just tell yourself that it isn't worth it." Answer- Veteran I have given break downs of all of these over the past year in posts, and all you are doing is grouping the medical marijuana usage with the norm of drugs, manufacturing, sales, and distribution. I, for this article am only responding to this particular seizure and case by the FBI, and medical marijuana, nothing more.
CONT

Part 3 to Veterans reply:
I have also said many times that in this legalization of Medical Marijuana a law, a rule should be that at any time any card carrier should be automatically open to being stopped inside, outside, driving, card and car inspected and subjected to a field test. This will cut back on the ones who do NOT have cards, and also alert law enforcement that such and such location just sold to someone without a Legal User Card. It will alert law enforcement to those driving while under the influence. Also as each person is "ran" law enforcement will come up with the convicted felons, wanted, felons, registered sex offenders, active sex offenders, active parolees, basically anyone wanted for anything. Personally I believe that not only must the card holder have sufficient medical records, but a background check should be run on each person prior to getting the Medical Marijuana Card. But that is hopefully down the road.

Veteran you and I have agreed wholeheartedly on many past issues and I hope we can continue to do that without this level of name calling, informing me not to call 911 when needed, and just apparently a complete and utter misunderstanding of my points of view on all crimes, criminals, our legal system, etc.

Brenda:
The $2,000 mentioned in the story is information from the search warrant that says anything over $2,000 in cash can be confiscated. The amount of money actually confiscated is not mentioned in the story.

Tina,
Sorry, and I read it 3x's. Whew needed more coffee. But in a way if they did not proudly list any cash as they did the exact number of pot plants it does put a dent in suspicions surrounding illegal activities. If the sole purpose of this was to shut down the Murrieta Co-op, which was not doing anything wrong in Murrieta, and apparently not a huge amount of money that might show illegal, bigger activities, then calling in the FED's to do this was literally childish game of big cop, little cop, or some such thing. Just silliness and a huge waste of money. HUGE waste. For the FBI to destroy very expensive lights, fans, equipment was again, just silly and childish if this report is true about the busted glass. Also the medical marijuana destruction which is expensive and grown specially for different maladies patients suffer from. Ie, like inablity to eat or keep things down might be one strain of marijuana. In ability to sleep at all another strain.
It appears the FBI and Murrieta Police wanted to do a pay back from the other day, bring in the FEDS to literally tear the place apart, trash the equipment and medicines. Just silly.

Our society is going through transition on the subject of marijuana.
We are going to have this kind of action continue to happen until things are all ironed out. There is no way to avoid it. Local law enforcement IS going to cooperate with the federal level. Our state would be in danger of federal action if local law enforcement didn't cooperate. That's just a fact of life.. Get over it. Endure and the courts will sort it all out...

Having said that, we need to recognize that our country has been at "war" with "drugs" for a very long time. It only makes sense that easy targets are going to be attacked. And what is easier than going to a state that has legalized (to some degree) growing and selling one of the "drugs" that the federal government considers more dangerous than cocaine, morphine, heroin and meth. Yes, the federal government has marijuana listed as more dangerous than any of those.

So, until the federal government removes their collective heads from between their cheeks, we are going to see the federal government use local law enforcement and work with local law enforcement to target these strategic areas of "crime" to bolster their "won battles". At least until a ruling comes down from the Supreme Court.

*added note*

Brenda,
The "perfect world" you alluded to wouldn't know what a vigilante was, because there wouldn't be any crime. Then what would you do?

Why do you think Murrieta called in the FEDS for this raid? This wasn't even in the city limits, but outside the city limits which would not be under their jurisdiction. The FEDS are doing these types of raids all over the place.

DEA rocks

a synthetic TCH pill already exists. Its called Marinol, which works like an edible except its about 4 times as expensive. A typical medical patient can smoke for a week on the cost of one medical pill.

I see the entire notion as science knows best as flawed. Look what its done to our food? We all eat fake food and now everyone is fat and sick. Pills are no different. We didn't evolve as a species taking xanax and marinol while eating high fructose corn syrup and monosodium glutimate. Our society is way too preoccupied with better living through chemistry. God got it right the first time, I'll take nature thank you very much.

Amazing Lies,

With regard to "veteranbadge", I suspect "Joe Law" was put on extended leave by him.
The last comment by "Joe Law" was made on January 9 at 3:48 pm, on my board. Then at 3:53 the same day, "veteranbadge" made his very first post and that was on my wall as well... I think they are the same person, that's why I kept referring to "Joe Law" in my prior discussion with "veteranbadge". I think it may be a case of split personality now manifesting in overlapping episodes... lol

Hi Secrets,

I'm glad I'm not alone in feeling a similarity in the comments posted by Joe Law and veteranbadge, although I must admit, veteranbadge had me fooled at first.

There is a ADT sticker on the bottom of one of the photos, so that might be where they obtained the cameras. DAVC had a silent alarm connected directly to the Riverside County Sheriffs Department. There was incident awhile back where the alarm was accidentally pulled and sheriffs were dispatched to that location.

there are still dispensaries out there, you'll just have to drive (and probably buy in bulk)

Now you are "The Logical Veteran Badge".. I guess that's better.. Did you think that up just this morning? I see you just posted your first post under this name.. Wow.. Joe.. another personality..

Anyway.. You say it was the Sheriff, which is what the article said, but then you allude to the "cities" needing to "regulate how many of these places can open and then get the tax revenue from them, similar to what they do with strip clubs, regulate them to industrial areas away from the youth and limit the number that can open to 4 or 5."

How many of these places are in this "industrial area"?
And who is it that have declared it an infraction?
I believe the state declared these places legal. The county has declared them "illegal". And the California Supreme Court has declared that they are going to review how the cities and counties should be regulating these places.. So, since there is a conflict (of sorts), it seems to me that it is "law enforcement" who is actually declaring the "infraction" to force the courts to make the determination.

That seems "Logical" to me..

I believe what others might be trying to say is, since our federal and state and local governments are all operating in the RED, it is a waste of money the government at any level doesn't have, just to prove a point. Unlike what law enforcement thinks, citizens aren't totally stupid. We can see what is going on.

As far as those of us "assuming things" being just as guilty.. Really!!!
I realize that is the way law enforcements sees everyone, but you can't post as "The Logical Veteran Badge" with such illogical reasoning.. Well... I guess you can... you did... ; )

Hahahaha. Whoever this "joe law" and "veteran badge" guy is, he's making a bunch of accounts.

Secrets of safety is dead on. These places are LEGAL.

Stop wasting our tax dollars. Raiding these places is some kind of sick joke when we have murderous drug cartels who are jumping our border and are killing more people every day than in Afghanistan.