Why Did the DEA Just Raid Colorado Dispensaries and Grow Operations?

A lot of enforcement going on as of late: these raids and intercepts of seeds from abroad. The irony is that all of this is taking place BECAUSE of all the loosening of cannabis restrictions. States and even the DEA have been ramping down their war on cannabis, but they can't make it look like a surrender.

Unfortunately, harsh raids like this are a win for the government in several ways. Those opposed to decriminalization are comforted to see the feds cracking a few skulls (and windows). The feds also benefit from keeping the cannabis industry off balance. They don't want to see the industry grow too quickly (no pun intended), and want to establish themselves in the gatekeeper role (want to get into the MJ biz? Better be ready to grease the palms, aka lobby, your government officials!).

The silver lining is that these actions are part of the evolution of the industry, and are a sign that we can't and won't go back to full criminalization. The game is changing; the tax-man and big biz are the new players.

http://cannabisnews.com/news/27/thread27733.shtml


http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2013/11/marijuana_dea_pot_raids_colorado_tony_montana.php



http://benswann.com/feds-raid-colorado-pot-industry-after-promising-not-to-intervene/#ixzz2lRPvZ6Ld

http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2013/11/marijuana_dea_pot_raids_colorado_tony_montana.php


[h=1]Marijuana: DEA pot raids tied to Florida jewel theft kingpin known as Tony Montana?[/h]
Although details are few about Colorado medical marijuana dispensary raids yesterday, we're learning more from warrants that name ten "target subjects." These individuals allegedly violated one or more of the eight priorities listed in an August memo guiding U.S. Attorneys in dealing with state pot laws that contradict federal policy. One of those is money going toward a criminal enterprise -- and named target Juan Guardarrama is better known among high-dollar jewel thieves as "Tony Montana."
Back in June of 2012, Guardarrama was involved in another raid of sorts down in Miami; it was part of an ongoing, four-year investigation into jewelry heists and the selling of hot merchandise.

According to the Miami Herald, Guardarrama, 49, attempted to buy about $500k in what he was told was stolen jewelry from undercover cops in June of last year. During the transaction, Guardarrama also allegedly explained that he was part of a medical marijuana operation in Colorado. He's said to have asked the cops out of the blue if they could help move "some of his Colorado-grown medical marijuana" into the Sunshine State.
That wasn't all. Guardarrama -- who also went by "Scarface" (Tony Montana was the name of the character played by Al Pacino in the 1983 film of the same name) -- then allegedly told the cops about a business partner he wanted "taken out." He reportedly asked the undercover cops if they would do the job for him.
Instead, Guardarrama was arrested on June 7, 2012 and charged with more than a dozen felony counts.
The arresting documents revealed a lot about Guardarrama. Included in them were several accounts of violence and threats to kill other people, such as a man who supposedly owed him $15,000 in gambling debts.
He later allegedly got into smash-and-grabs, targeting traveling diamond dealers -- and police say he was the ringleader of two separate gangs of Colombian and Cuban jewel thieves beginning around 2005.

some people are just so fucking stupid! how'd this guy even get as far as he did spouting off like that?

the gov is just mad-

they hate competition.

thanks THE....... for the video