pulled over with equipment

Tonight I was pulled over with equipment for a legal grow in my vehicle but had forgotten the paperwork appointing me to be my fathers legal caretaker. I told the officer everything in my car was legal and gave them permission to search for whatever they wanted to find, there was nothing but equipment and a marijuana cookbook for patients. I spent a half hour cuffed and stuffed only to be let go with all my equipment and a pipe with a burnt bowl in it. I am concerned as to what the possible effects of this "letting you go with a warning to always have the paperwork with you" and am unsure how to go about living without fear of a raid. I am completely legal but you know how it is with law enforcement in general they come in mess up your stuff kill your plants and then say "oh we didnt know you were legal" type of shit. I dont want to have to worry that they are watching me cause I often get together with other growers to share tips and such about grow methods. Any legal advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys

They don't have time enough to follow you around. VV

my concern is where I live they refused to allow a patient CoOp. Also the area I live in is well known for its drug problems. I guess im just paranoid and I left something out they cuffed me possession of drug paraphernalia as soon I told them there was a pipe belonging to my father in the car, THEY LEFT IT! lol. I guess overall I cant really blame them. They were just doing there job and in the end they let me go, I count that as a step in the right direction as far as law enforcement goes. Remember y'all if you got the paperwork carry it, it will come in handy sooner or later.

PS: I'm 23 was wearing a tie die shirt driving a shiny, loud Honda at 11pm and they still let me go lol

tape the paperwork in some kind of see through plastic on the entrance to your grow room or tent then if you do get raided and they mess up your stuff you can sue them for incompetence or something for not knowing the law about being a legal caretaker. the only thing you have to worry about is if they were to turn you into the DEA but the DEA only wants to shut down dispensaries.

mstrymxer said:

tape the paperwork in some kind of see through plastic on the entrance to your grow room or tent then if you do get raided and they mess up your stuff you can sue them for incompetence or something for not knowing the law about being a legal caretaker. the only thing you have to worry about is if they were to turn you into the DEA but the DEA only wants to shut down dispensaries.

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Are you from Cali? Because this is nowhere near true.

no its the law.... a police officer whether its state city or county is paid to enforce the laws passed by the citizens of said state county or city. if your place of residence has laws that allow for the growth of marijuana and a state employed police officer damages something that is not violating a local law or does not understand the law and damages something you can have them investigated by IA for incompetence. on the other hand. if a federal agent requests the assistance of a state employed police officer, he is helping assist in a violation of federal law which does not make him liable.

it has come up in state courts where police confiscate legal marijuana/grow equipment, then all the equipment and the marijuana must be returned. yes people have actually gone and picked up there bags of weed at the police station and just walked out from evidence.

guess who got raided yesterday!

Got home at around 10 am and there were 2 federal agents and a county sheriff and a state police officer along with an investigator from WestNET were waiting in my driveway on the phone with a judge getting a warrant. I had 22 plants in various stages of budding so that I had a constant supply now I have no plants and no supply.

They told me that the legal limit in washington state is 9 plants in each stage which I know for a fact is a lie and the federal agents told me they were acting under state law not federal law so technically they broke the law by taking my plants because the state of washington still has not defined officially a "60 day supply". luckily they left all my equipment so ill be up and going again but no soon enough cause were out lol.

kgb98367 said:

Tonight I was pulled over with equipment for a legal grow in my vehicle but had forgotten the paperwork appointing me to be my fathers legal caretaker. I told the officer everything in my car was legal and gave them permission to search for whatever they wanted to find, there was nothing but equipment and a marijuana cookbook for patients. I spent a half hour cuffed and stuffed only to be let go with all my equipment and a pipe with a burnt bowl in it. I am concerned as to what the possible effects of this "letting you go with a warning to always have the paperwork with you" and am unsure how to go about living without fear of a raid. I am completely legal but you know how it is with law enforcement in general they come in mess up your stuff kill your plants and then say "oh we didnt know you were legal" type of shit. I dont want to have to worry that they are watching me cause I often get together with other growers to share tips and such about grow methods. Any legal advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys

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i would install good quality cameras with audio in your house and around, preferably hidden just incase they do ever come in. you'll be surprised what you can catch the a-holes saying when there at work.

yep thats the next step and I guess ill be ready to start a new grow journal only im going to go with the limits they told me cause I can yield the same amount lol.

VictorVIcious said:

They don't have time enough to follow you around. VV

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But you'd think that they would take into account you had the gear to grow an illegal substance? How do they bust growers in the first place... following leads, they need to have a reason to think the grower is in fact growing in the first place? I wouldn't expect them to be following you round, I wouldn't put it past them to be keeping an eye out, especially if you live in a state where they're really fucked up about it.

kgb98367 said:

Tonight I was pulled over with equipment for a legal grow in my vehicle but had forgotten the paperwork appointing me to be my fathers legal caretaker. I told the officer everything in my car was legal and gave them permission to search for whatever they wanted to find, there was nothing but equipment and a marijuana cookbook for patients. I spent a half hour cuffed and stuffed only to be let go with all my equipment and a pipe with a burnt bowl in it. I am concerned as to what the possible effects of this "letting you go with a warning to always have the paperwork with you" and am unsure how to go about living without fear of a raid. I am completely legal but you know how it is with law enforcement in general they come in mess up your stuff kill your plants and then say "oh we didnt know you were legal" type of shit. I dont want to have to worry that they are watching me cause I often get together with other growers to share tips and such about grow methods. Any legal advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys

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mistake number one you talked to them.
mistake number 2 you consented to a search.
NEVER under any circumstances talk to the police.
Nothing good can come of it.
ok so he found you with a light?
was it in your back seat? in plain view?
of so this was mistake number 3
always lock up your shit never let them see it

if you don't mind me asking what state are you in?

Anytime I have anything in the car that could even generate a question in the most paranoid mind...I do the following:

-Everything gets put in boxes or airtight dive cases and is put in the back of the car covered up
-I'm shaved, hair looks good, and I wear clean clothes and on a button down shirt
-If pulled over, talk radio goes on the radio low from a preset...either conservative talk or the news.
-The car is freakin' spotless inside...'knowing' LE very well...crushed cigarette boxes, cans, lighters, dirty tools, etc all trigger subconcious red flags
-The glove compartment is also exteremely orderly and all my paperwork is correct...like something an OCD patient just released from a psych ward would have
-I don't drive a flashy car and when doing anything remotely questionable, Rage Against The Machine or Public Enemy is definately is not blarring out my big stereo system.
-I've never consented to a search and when threatened with a K-9 once at a soberity checkpoint (with nothing in the car)...I said fine very politely and that I had all the time in the world...but asked if I could get a book out of my briefcase to read while I waited...they kept me maybe another five minutes and let me go

Now my buddy uses this technique too while moving things in his vehicle...he places a big bible, an open topped box of old canned goods, a pamphlet for a local homeless food shelter, and related-MapQuest directions in clear view on the back seat...everything else goes in the trunk and the car is spotless. If the cop decides to follow him after, he is just prepped to go make a charitable food donation!! He is also the one who taught me the preset radio station trick many moons ago...

Anyway, just my rambling...hope it is useful...a little deception goes a long way in diverting attention and suspicion.

I would think twice about driving around with a pipe with a burnt bowl in my car. No sense tempting fate is there? But there's nothing illegal about owning hysdroponics equipment. I wouldn't sweat it if I were you.

GreenSurfer, those are some great tips for those of us not lucky enough to live in a MM state.

I live in a Washington state where MM is legal. At the time I was pulled over everything was hidden except a ballast for a 250w that was in my floor boards unfortunatly I am 23 years old look like a punk and drive a red honda civic with tinted windows. I didnt have time to be anymore discreet about it. My friend who is also legal to grow was broken into the night before and whoever did it took 2 plants that were almost finished so we had to get shit out of there before something else happened. The burglar also took a shotgun and all his medication but we were afraid they were either gonna call WestNet or comeback for the remaining jackpot. But all is said and done now the raid happened they took all my plants and thats all there is to it. Now I just have to wait for the prosecutor to decide what there going to do. Washington has no definition of "60 day supply" as of yet so technically they cant do anything unless they turn it over to the feds. Until then im going to start up with the number they told me was legal even though there is no legal limit.

kgb98367 said:

I live in a Washington state where MM is legal. At the time I was pulled over everything was hidden except a ballast for a 250w that was in my floor boards unfortunatly I am 23 years old look like a punk and drive a red honda civic with tinted windows. I didnt have time to be anymore discreet about it. My friend who is also legal to grow was broken into the night before and whoever did it took 2 plants that were almost finished so we had to get shit out of there before something else happened. The burglar also took a shotgun and all his medication but we were afraid they were either gonna call WestNet or comeback for the remaining jackpot. But all is said and done now the raid happened they took all my plants and thats all there is to it. Now I just have to wait for the prosecutor to decide what there going to do. Washington has no definition of "60 day supply" as of yet so technically they cant do anything unless they turn it over to the feds. Until then im going to start up with the number they told me was legal even though there is no legal limit.

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Do you know what the feds do when they catch you with a legal gun with drugs? Best option (2 point gun enhancement) which adds about 2 years to your sentence, next option (924C) which is the use of a firearm in commission of a felony and that's a mandatory 5 years added to the time which they impose upon you for the original crime. Inform yourself now and know what you face before you face it. If you want to protect yourself keep you lips sealed and get a couple of good dogs.

kgb98367 said:

guess who got raided yesterday!

Got home at around 10 am and there were 2 federal agents and a county sheriff and a state police officer along with an investigator from WestNET were waiting in my driveway on the phone with a judge getting a warrant. I had 22 plants in various stages of budding so that I had a constant supply now I have no plants and no supply.

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How did you get caught? Please share so the rest of us don't make the same mistake

pretty much how it happened was a long chain of events.

A buddy of mines house got broke into and he had plants inside whoever broke in took all his meds, 2 plants that were being flushed, his sons wii, and a shotgun.

We quickly reacted and move all of his stuff out just in case someone squeeled.

second trip after moving the plants out. I loaded up some lights and began driving following every law i know and a mile away red and blues from nowhere he said he saw grow equipment from outside (my windows are tinted legal max and there were no street lights) ends up my caretaker paperwork was not in my glove box as I thought and the cop saw a pipe inside the car that belonged to my father who is medical legal. Well after all was said and done apparently they felt the need for a "follow up" from that night and unfortunatly we took the plants to my grow.

2 weeks later they show up while I am away from the place. I pullled into the driveway as they were getting there warrant over the phone. Got the warrant and proceeded to search house shed etc. Read the legal paperwork and they made a call to someone supervisor or something and determined a legal number of plants, which doesn't exist in the state of washington and they proceeded to take all my plants and leave my equipment all setup.

We are waiting to find out if the prosecuting attorney is going to try to pursue charges if they can find anything to actually charge me with.

Hope that clears up the details a little.

btw WestNET is a narcottics task force the primarily targets marijuana grows in my area

I think you will be alright just as long as there was no trace of marijuana

kgb98367 said:

Tonight I was pulled over with equipment for a legal grow in my vehicle but had forgotten the paperwork appointing me to be my fathers legal caretaker. I told the officer everything in my car was legal and gave them permission to search for whatever they wanted to find, there was nothing but equipment and a marijuana cookbook for patients. I spent a half hour cuffed and stuffed only to be let go with all my equipment and a pipe with a burnt bowl in it. I am concerned as to what the possible effects of this "letting you go with a warning to always have the paperwork with you" and am unsure how to go about living without fear of a raid. I am completely legal but you know how it is with law enforcement in general they come in mess up your stuff kill your plants and then say "oh we didnt know you were legal" type of shit. I dont want to have to worry that they are watching me cause I often get together with other growers to share tips and such about grow methods. Any legal advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys

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Photocopies. I'm sure lots of people have already offered their advice, which probably includes the suggestion that police don't actually know the laws. My son recently experienced something similar, where they officers who pulled him over had to wait for a higher up to arrive and then tell them, "Yep, he's legal. Let him go." Twats, they should learn the fucking laws they're expected to enforce. And I'll tell you what else, the average citizen is told that ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking it, so why aren't those who are tasked with enforcing the law ALSO expected to know it??? Fucking pisses me OFF.

So, here's the thing, if you're legal, you can be carrying weed and you're still good. Try telling that to an ignoramus, though.

yep its a load of shit. Ive already got a friendly lawyer on retainer just incase something goes down