Agents pretend to run dispensary in San Diego sting operation

~Zen~ · Oct 15, 2010

What is this world coming to?

In a bold move orchestrated between Santa Barbara and San Diego County Sherrif's Departments, drug agents masqueraded as the operators of a San Diego dispensary in order to harrass and possibly arrest legitimate medical patients.

Well, this is a new trick in the war on medical marijuana…

A medical marijuana patient and a CityBeat advertising account executive both say that law-enforcement officers in plainclothes were posing as the “new management” of a Hillcrest pot collective today.

Matt, a patient who asked not to be identified, said he visited the Helping Hands Wellness Collective in Hillcrest at about 11 a.m. this morning and found the collective closed. It was supposed to open at 10 a.m., so he called the collective’s number on his cell; a voice answered and he was let in. Once inside, he said several men wearing the collectives’ T-shirts introduced themselves as the “new management.” He was allowed into the dispensing area and was given hash as a free gift, a common gimmick to attract and retain collective members.

When he mentioned that he also grew marijuana, he said the men identified themselves as law-enforcement and detained him in a back room.

[Update] The San Diego County Sheriff’s office confirms that the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s office served the search warrant, with the San Diego County Regional Narcotics Task Force assisting.

“They kept asking how much medicine do I buy, how am I affording it, where am I getting it from, what cooperatives I’m a member of ,where my garden is,” Matt tells CityBeat. “They just basically, in a easy sentence, they raped me for everything I had and never told me I had a right to remain silent. They made me think if I didn’t talk they would arrest me on the spot.”

The officers photocopied his medical marijuana card and physician’s recommendation and took his photograph, Matt says. He was allowed to leave after an hour and a half of questioning.

“They told me today’s my lucky day and I get to go home and to say ‘no’ to drugs,” he says.
Click to expand...

From San Diego's City Beat.

skip · Oct 15, 2010

Oh this is absurd! Why don't they act like patients and go to a doctor's office and ask for some Oxycontin? Why go after the patients?

Vote YES on PROP 19 and end this madness!!!

Quite nice that their "sting" has been revealed before more patients were duped.

Guess San Diego and Santa Barbara Sheriffs don't know it's LEGAL TO GROW MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN CALIFORNIA!

And in a few weeks it will be legal to grow marijuana for all adults in California.

GET USED TO IT LEOS!

lunarverse · Oct 15, 2010

That's pathetic and disgusting treatment.

PB_Smith · Oct 15, 2010

I guess now if you go in to get your prescription filled you should follow these guidelines
1) place any "free" gifts or prospective purchases on the counter and not on your person.
2) Ask the people running the dispensary if they are in fact law enforcement officers
3) Ask for their ID
4) openly record an audio tape or video of the entire transaction to prevent being entrapped.

Vote yes on prop19.

l3e57M4N · Oct 16, 2010

@ PB smith, I think I may actually start doing this... lol, atleast until (if) prop 19 gets passed.

psychedelicg1rl · Oct 17, 2010

I am disgusted, makes me paranoid about getting my new mm card!!

Really sick these cops are, adn I am sick of people getting arrested for taking a plant. Good grief.

midgardsun · Oct 17, 2010

Some hundred years ago people were tortured and burned in masses for working with holy plants. People using mind expanding plants were and are are the biggest enemies for the imperialtstic, oppressive regimes.

The_Man_On_The_Hill · Oct 17, 2010

Sad

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Agents pretend to run dispensary in San Diego sting operation

~Zen~ California Tripper Administrator

skip Founder Administrator

lunarverse The Living End

PB_Smith Huh? What? Who, me?

l3e57M4N Member

psychedelicg1rl Member

midgardsun Senior Member

The_Man_On_The_Hill Member

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Agents pretend to run dispensary in San Diego sting operation

~Zen~ California Tripper Administrator

skip Founder Administrator

lunarverse The Living End

PB_Smith Huh? What? Who, me?

l3e57M4N Member

psychedelicg1rl Member

midgardsun Senior Member

The_Man_On_The_Hill Member

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