Pubdate: Sat, 15 Sep 2018
Source: Press-Enterprise (Riverside, CA)
Copyright: 2018 The Press-Enterprise Company
Contact: http://www.pe.com/localnews/opinion/letters_form.html
Website: http://www.pe.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/830
Author: Ryan Hagen

RIVERSIDE COUNTY MARIJUANA TASK FORCE RAIDS 3 CHURCHES, FINDS 100

POUNDS OF CANNABIS AND $75K

Riverside County's cannabis task force says it seized more than 100
pounds of cannabis and an estimated $75,000 to $100,000 in cash
Friday, Sept. 14, from three sites where The Vault Church says it uses
marijuana as a religious sacrament.

The task force, led by the District Attorney's Office, served search 
warrants at three locations operated by The Vault: 291 N. Yale St., 
Hemet; 5298 Mission Blvd., Jurupa Valley; and 5024 Etiwanda Ave., Jurupa 
Valley. At the Etiwanda location, they also found two indoor grows, 
seized 200 to 300 plants in various stages of harvest and found what 
they believe to be the remnants of a butane honey oil lab, according to 
a news release.

About 20 members of The Vault protested during the raid, said Gladys
Camacho, a member of the church.

"The church has been violated of its rights but will continue to fight
for what we believe in," she wrote in an email. "We need people to
understand we are NOT A DISPENSARY but a church who is trying to only
do good towards our community."

Camacho said all three locations are now shut down but would like to
reopen as soon as possible. She referred questions about the church
allegedly selling marijuana -- which it advertises on Weedmaps.com --
to church pastors, who did not return phone calls Friday.

While Californians voted in 2016 to allow the possession of up to an
ounce of marijuana, state law allows cities to ban dispensaries and
other types of businesses. Both Hemet and Jurupa Valley have bans in
place, and both cities have ballot measures in November that could
allow commercial businesses.

Jurupa Valley obtained a judge's permission in August to close the
location at any time. The Vault filed a $1.2 million claim in April
alleging harassment and discrimination.

The task force is intended to protect properly licensed, legal
cannabis businesses and protect the environment and consumers, not to
shut down legally operating facilities, district attorney's spokesman
John Hall said in the news release.