Pubdate: Wed, 04 Oct 2006
Source: San Jose Mercury News (CA)
Copyright: 2006 San Jose Mercury News
Contact:  http://www.mercurynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/390
Author: Josh Richman, MediaNews
Note: MAP archives articles exactly as published, except that our 
editors may redact the names and addresses of accused persons who 
have not been convicted of a crime, if those named are not otherwise 
public figures or officials

AGENTS RAID MARIJUANA CO-OP

Federal Officials Claim Operation Was Not Medicinal

Federal agents raided several Bay Area sites and arrested 15 people 
Tuesday morning to shut down what supporters called a medicinal 
marijuana cooperative, but what federal officials called a 
drug-dealing operation.

Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided sites, including the 
administrative office of New Remedies Cooperative -- formerly known 
as Compassionate Caregivers -- at [address redacted] in downtown 
Oakland; its dispensary at [address redacted] in San Francisco; and 
what apparently was its marijuana-growing operation in a warehouse at 
[address redacted]., on the edge of San Francisco's Potrero Hill district.

Seized were about 12,743 marijuana plants; computers; four vehicles 
including a Porsche Carrera convertible; $125,000 and three bank 
accounts belonging to New Remedies, Potent Employment Solutions LLC.

Operator [Name redacted] , 36, of San Francisco was arrested Tuesday, 
as were [Name redacted] , 31, of San Pablo; [Name redacted] , 56, and 
[Name redacted] , 22, both of San Francisco; [Name redacted] , 28, 
and [Name redacted]  , 29, both of Pinole; [Name redacted] , 27, of 
Crockett; [Name redacted] , 33, and [Name redacted] , 35, both of 
Richmond; [Name redacted] , 32, [Name redacted] , 53, and [Name 
redacted] , 32, all of Alameda; [Name redacted] , 25, and [Name 
redacted] , 26, both of San Leandro; and [Name redacted] , 26, of Berkeley.

All are scheduled to make their first federal court appearances today.

A California law approved by voters a decade ago permits medicinal 
use of marijuana, but federal law bans the drug entirely. Federal 
officials implied Tuesday this operation wasn't just medicinal.

"Federal drug laws prohibit the cultivation and sale of marijuana. 
Anyone who breaks these laws to run a lucrative drug trade, buy fancy 
cars, boost their bank accounts and exploit vulnerable citizens is 
not compassionate, they're criminal," Javier Pena, the DEA special 
agent in charge, said in a news release.

Compassionate Caregivers shut its Oakland headquarters and six other 
locations in June 2005, a month after Los Angeles police raided the 
West Hollywood site, arrested several people and seized the company's assets.

Compassionate Caregivers had reopened its Oakland dispensary within 
weeks but shut it down for good in September 2005 after the city 
refused to renew its permit, citing building code violations.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine