Officials: Drug ring used medical-marijuana laws as cover

Discussion in 'Marijuana News' started by oltex, Jan 7, 2011.

  1. Officials: Drug ring used medical-marijuana laws as cover
    DenverPost / John Ingold / 1,7,2011

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    A drug ring fronting as a medical marijuana grow is alleged to have been based in the northern Front Range, with production hubs in Erie, Fort Collins, Longmont and Westminster. (Photo courtesy of the Colorado Attorney General's Office)

    State law enforcement officials today unveiled an indictment against an alleged large-scale marijuana-trafficking ring the officials say were using Colorado's medical-marijuana laws as cover. It is the biggest pot operation to-date that officials have accused of exploiting medical-marijuana laws to shield black-market activities.

    Nine people were named in the 21-count indictment announced this morning by Colorado Attorney General John Suthers. In the announcement, Suthers said investigators from his office and the Northern Colorado Drug Task Force seized more than 110 pounds of marijuana and 687 cannabis plants during the investigation. The ring is alleged to have been based in the northern Front Range, with production hubs in Erie, Fort Collins, Longmont and Westminster.

    The indictment alleges that the suspects kept binders of photocopied medical-marijuana patient records to make it look like they were acting as legal medical-marijuana caregivers. The indictment charges that the suspects were actually selling the pot illegally to people throughout Colorado and New Mexico.

    Named in the indictment are: Richard Caleel, 34; Lakshman Garin, 28; Buck Glanz, 28; Magin Gomez, 30; Micah Krout, 29; Clayton McCann, 28; Charles Whitson, 28; Austin Leard, 29; and Laura Vanwormer, 44.

    In a statement, Suthers said the indictment is a mark against Colorado's medical-marijuana system.
    "This case, while disturbing, should come as no surprise to Coloradans who have been concerned that there is a nexus between Colorado's booming medical marijuana industry and illegal distribution of the drug," Suthers said. "This case counters the contention among marijuana advocates and some public officials that a regulated medical marijuana system will undercut the illicit market for marijuana."


    When you have the profits provided by a black market,you have the entrepreneurs available to go for the green,,,,,
    Remove the profits,remove the criminals.


     
  2. No - remove prohibition. Profit is a good thing. If it were not for profit, individuals would not take the risks necessary to grow and sell marijuana to allow people like us to acquire marijuana despite harsh prohibitory laws. I could write a book on why profit is good. Without profit, our standard of living today would be much, much lower.
     
  3. I like how they are trying hard to smear MMJ, did badly in 2010 elections to reflect it.
     

  4. When you remove prohibition,you remove the high profits that prohibition created and an open market removes the profits and the criminals/violence.
    You don't see criminals getting rich brewing beer.
     
  5. "The indictment alleges that the suspects kept binders of photocopied medical-marijuana patient records to make it look like they were acting as legal medical-marijuana caregivers"

    Hiding behind laws? Lolwut? Tell me they tried harder than that please. No forged documents? No photocopied licenses? Please tell me there's more to it. Also, I would think it would be common sense that as long as pot is illegal, each and every way will be exploited. That's how prohibition works.
     
  6. No matter what bullshit they claim...this isnt a good look for mmj.
     
  7. #7 Food Negotiator, Jan 9, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 15, 2016
    true.
     
  8. Ball till you fall I guess.

    Another smear campaign. Personally who cares, I´m not going to stop smoking.
    What they took down 687 cannabis plants? ok guys, lets plant 10 for each one that went down, that´s 6,870 coming out.
     
  9. as a consumer legalization is nirvana, prices are way too high as it is. I´d like to see them come down overall, I´ll pay top dollar but it´s gotta like Tom Cruise or BlueCheese, something like that.
     

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