L.A. sheriff busts La Puente medical marijuana collective accused of turning a profit

Our Los Angeles marijuana dispensary defense attorneys continue to note the aggressive stance of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Office toward medical marijuana businesses.

The Pasadena Star News reports reports that deputies shut down La Puente Collective and seized business inventory last week. The owner of the medical marijuana dispensary on Hacienda Boulevard was also arrested at his West Hollywood home. Authorities accuse it of violating the law by operating at a profit.

Our Medical Marijuana Lawyers Blog previously reported that the sheriff blamed the dispensaries for being crime victims during a recent rash of robberies that included the murders of several employees. The sheriffs’ office refused to provide any details about how it discovered or why it believed the collective was operating at a profit.

Proposition 215 legalized medical marijuana in 1996. A 2004 amendment permitted the formation of nonprofit collectives. The Law Puente Collective began operating last year. City council banned the shops in January and gave them until February to cease operations. Many have filed for extensions.

The newspaper reported that deputies seized about two pounds of marijuana, including edibles and concentrates. Customers who arrived at the facility during the raid were unable to purchase medical marijuana and were turned away.

The owner of the collective had an application rejected earlier this year by the City of Twentynine Palms.

The CANNABIS LAW GROUP is a law firm dedicated to the rights of medical marijuana patients, collectives and growers and has built a reputation for high-powered, aggressive legal representation of the medical marijuana industry in Southern California. Call 949-375-4734 for a confidential consultation to discuss your rights.