This morning with the support and approval of San Diego County District Attorney (DA) Bonnie Dumanis and in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), swat style raids were perpetrated in both San Diego and Riverside Counties. As soon as the local chapter was notified of the raids the SD ASA Raid Response team was activated and several members were quickly dispatched to confirm the raid on site. As soon as the confirmation came in, the first notification to the list serve went out as well as the local phone tree activated.
According to accounts from patients who were present during the raids this morning, everyone was detained, questioned, and threatened with criminal charges for attempting to obtain their medicine safely and legally. The raid at the Club One dispensing center began this morning around 7am when the first patients showed up at the dispensing center in San Marcos to open their doors. The patient’s were greeted by guns, shouts, and threats. Employees of the collective as well as patients walking in to get their medicine were detained and later released. At the same time at least three patients’ residences were raided in San Marcos and other parts of North San Diego County and Riverside County.
During the raid, patient records, computers, medicine, and the collectives money was seized. Lance Rogers a criminal defense attorney representing the collective confirmed that the facility had been raided but was not able to provide any more details about who was arrested or what charges they faced.
The North County Times was able to confirm the raids with the Sheriff’s department and published the following online today: At least one medical marijuana dispensary in San Marcos was raided by law enforcement agents Thursday, and possibly other North County dispensaries were hit as well, a sheriff’s captain said. Capt. Mike Barnett confirmed that authorities raided and shut down Club One Collective, a medical marijuana dispensary at 1232 Los Vallecitos Blvd. “It was raided today along with several other locations throughout North County and Riverside County,” Barnett said. “Evidence was seized and money was seized.” Read more: http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/sdcounty/article_619c16a3-b93d-5e2a-9c36-9136de2347a2.html
Medical cannabis providers and patients need to prepare themselves, both mentally and operationally, for a raid until federal law is harmonized with state law and state laws are fully implemented.
To help the community prepare, Americans for Safe Access will be holding a Raid Preparedness Training next Tuesday May 3 at Canvass for a Cause headquarters in Hillcrest. The training will be hosted by ASA California Director Don Duncan and San Diego Area Liaison Eugene Davidovich. Although the training will be specifically tailored for staff, managers, and directors of collectives and cooperatives, everyone wanting to be prepared in case of a raid are welcome and encouraged to attend.
WHAT: ASA Raid Preparedness Training
WHEN: 7pm – Tuesday May 3, 2011
WHERE: Canvass for a Cause – 3705 10th Ave. San Diego CA 92103
San Diego Americans for Safe Access
www.safeaccesssd.com
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