Raids Close Five Medical Marijuana Collectives in Fresno

Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims alleges local collectives are illegal “money-making drug operations.”

Five medical marijuana collectives in Fresno dispute the claims, according to AOL News.

“The Board of Supervisors made it clear in December that instead of regulating [the collectives] they wanted to ban them all,” said attorney Brenda Linder of Fresno, a spokesman for EarthSource, one of five collectives raided Wednesday. “I assume they set about doing it any way they could.”

Once again, feds have ransacked these marijuana companies with unnecessary force — all in search of “paperwork.” Our Los Angeles medical marijuana attorneys have reported about this before. These companies are experiencing dramatic and unnecessary raids from the federal government. No letters of warning or notice were received by these companies prior to the raids, as most would willingly cooperate.

Last week’s raids reportedly enlisted nearly 200 law-enforcement officers. Enforcement reportedly seized the collectives’ marijuana and served search warrants seeking their bank and telephone records.

Cash transactions at collectives can cover the cost of marijuana, but that doesn’t necessarily make them for-profit companies. Collectives may charge their customers enough to cover employee salaries, rent and other operating expenses.

Currently, these collectives are able to charge legal marijuana card holders a reasonable amount of money for their products, but they can’t make a profit.

Customers of the Buds-4-Life Collective, a recently raided company, gathered outside of the building as the raid proceeded last week.

Currently, authorities are reviewing the evidence from the raid in an attempt to determine which charges and indictments will be filed against the collective. This review and determination could take months.

There are roughly 15 medical marijuana collectives in unincorporated Fresno County.

At a recent sheriff’s news conference, items seized in each of the raids of five different dispensaries were put on display. In this display were various medical marijuana products, about $300,000 in cash and five weapons.

Officials believe that the collectives were bringing in $25,000 to $50,000 a day, much of that being pure profit.

No arrests were made and all five collectives are currently closed because of the raids.

The Los Angeles medical marijuana lawyers at the CANNABIS LAW GROUP are offering legal assistance to medical marijuana dispensaries and collectives throughout the Los Angeles area. Call 949-375-4734 for a confidential consultation to discuss your rights.

More Blog Entries:

Medical Marijuana in California Struck By Yet Another Villain, Marijuana Lawyer Blog, May 24, 2011

IRS Rules could Result in Capone-like Prosecution for L.A. Marijuana Dispensaries, Marijuana Lawyer Blog, March 29, 2011

City Council Seeks More Restrictions on Medical Marijuana Collectives in San Diego, Marijuana Lawyer Blog, April 30, 2011