Today we have received confirmation that California’s Finest Meds Collective located at 1133 Broadway in San Diego was in fact closed down. According to eyewitness testimony, several unmarked vehicles pulled up to the collective yesterday, March 16, 2010 and proceeded to confiscate paperwork, medicine, as well as a number of other items inside the facility.
It was reported that the San Diego County Integrated Narcotics Task Force (NTF) is responsible for this raid. Detective Decastro, the mastermind of Operation Green Rx, is reportedly in charge of this investigation as well.
Mr. Decasstro is also the chief investigating officer in my case, and although he has been present for every minute of every day of my trial, on Tuesday, March 16, he was noticeably absent from the courtroom in the morning. However he did return in the afternoon for the remainder of the proceedings.
This morning, we have received reports that a home was also raided in Encinitas, CA a suburb of San Diego County. This raid was also executed by the NTF and spearheaded by the DEA as part of the ongoing Operation Green Rx investigations and medical marijuana eradication efforts. It is reported that the individual who resides at the home in Encinitas was not arrested but all his property was seized.
We have NOT received any more reports of raids, or arrests. Currently and based on the information available today, it seems that the NTF is ramping up for more raids. It would also seem that this time, unlike in the last round of raids of 9.9.9, the NTF is doing them one at a time rather than a sweep.
This is the time when everyone in San Diego needs to read up on the laws, and ensure that you are doing everything possible to stay in full compliance with the law. Remember, Proposition 215 is the law, Senate Bill 420 is the law, medical cannabis is here to stay, and your efforts of continuing to provide safe access to the San Diego Community are critically important to many thousands here in San Diego.
Here are a few suggestions for staying safe:
- Keep Medicine Inventory Levels low.
- Patient Records should be kept offsite as to protect the patient’s confidentiality from the NTF and DEA. All bank statements, as well as accounting paperwork should also be kept offsite at a secure location, so that it can later be used by you rather then the NTF to prove the not for profit operation.
- Watch out for fake recommendations, ensure that there is both an expiration date, as well as all the other required information. Ensure that EVERY recommendation is verified with the phycisian prior to allowing the member to join the collective.
- NO GUNS. Do not keep any firearms inside your home or the facility.
- Be Prepared and know your rights. Without a search or arrest warrant, you do not have to let the NTF or any other officials into your facility. If they do come, be polite, respectful, and quiet. You do not have to speak with anyone, it is your right to remain silent and to seek the advice of an attorney during ALL questioning.
Three Police Interaction Levels and Three Safe Ways To handle Them (courtesy of Marcus Boyd)
- Casual Conversation: Ask if youre being detained. If not, walk away!
- Detention: If you are detained, ask why! Be sure to remember what they say to you.
- Arrest: Say “I choose to remain silent and I want to see a lawyer”. Remain Silent. Dont answer any questions, just politely repeat your assertion and rmember you have now envoked your right to remain silent. Exercise it.
BE PREPARED:
Visit the Raid Preparedness section of the San Diego ASA website for a comprehensive raid preparation guideline:
http://www.safeaccesssd.com/p/raid-preparedness.html
San Diego Americans for Safe Accesswww.safeaccesssd.com
Get Involved, get active, make a difference!
Join ASA – www.safeaccessnow.org
