Police said Tuesday that search warrants were served at 15 locations in and outside of Long Beach last week in connection with an investigation into the illegal sale of marijuana at several local dispensaries.
While specifics of the search warrants were still being kept under wraps, the Long Beach Police Department confirmed Tuesday that 15 search warrants were served and that 17 people were arrested during last week's operation.
Both the LBPD and the office of Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley confirmed last week they are working together on an investigation into illegal sales of marijuana at various medical marijuana dispensaries.
Sgt. Dina Zapalski, a Long Beach Police Department spokeswoman, said the department was not going to release the names of those arrested because charges have not yet been filed with the DA's office.
Because the people arrested are out of custody authorities have time to finish their investigation and expect to bring charges sometime in the New Year, the sergeant said.
"There's a lot of information they're going over and there's still a large amount of evidence the detectives are sifting through," Zapalski said Tuesday.
The sergeant confirmed that warrants were served at 15 locations throughout Southern California.
Among those arrested, all of whom are either owners or employees of marijuana dispensaries, were nine Long Beach residents, four Garden Grove residents, two people from Anaheim, one person from Westminster and one Perris resident, she said.
Three marijuana dispensaries were searched last week. Two are located in Long Beach and one is in Garden Grove. All three are believed to be connected, the sergeant said.
Long Beach police Cmdr. Laura Farinella said last Thursday that the police department's Narcotics Division was working with other officers on the force and the district attorney's office to serve warrants at several locations that had generated numerous complaints from neighbors about illegal, over-the-counter sales of pot.
Chris Glew, an attorney representing a cooperative located on Fourth Street at Elm Avenue, said he has yet to see any documentation from authorities who served warrants at his clients' business and home, but he insisted the dispensary has always operated within the state's Compassionate Use laws.
Glew said last week that the district attorney and the police department "appear to be operating under the theory that everything is illegal, they seem to interpret any collective or dispensary is operating against the voter's initiative."
The initiative outlined by Prop. 215 - the compassionate use act that legalized marijuana for California patients suffering from debilitating conditions and disorders - was passed by voters in 1996.
Patients seek permission to use marijuana from doctors under both Prop. 215 and a follow-up 2003 law, which clarified the original proposition and ordered counties to issue identification cards to patients.
Arguments over how to distribute the drug, however, have simmered on national, state and local levels ever since the 1996 passage of Prop. 215.
While specifics of the search warrants were still being kept under wraps, the Long Beach Police Department confirmed Tuesday that 15 search warrants were served and that 17 people were arrested during last week's operation.
Both the LBPD and the office of Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley confirmed last week they are working together on an investigation into illegal sales of marijuana at various medical marijuana dispensaries.
Sgt. Dina Zapalski, a Long Beach Police Department spokeswoman, said the department was not going to release the names of those arrested because charges have not yet been filed with the DA's office.
Because the people arrested are out of custody authorities have time to finish their investigation and expect to bring charges sometime in the New Year, the sergeant said.
"There's a lot of information they're going over and there's still a large amount of evidence the detectives are sifting through," Zapalski said Tuesday.
The sergeant confirmed that warrants were served at 15 locations throughout Southern California.
Among those arrested, all of whom are either owners or employees of marijuana dispensaries, were nine Long Beach residents, four Garden Grove residents, two people from Anaheim, one person from Westminster and one Perris resident, she said.
Three marijuana dispensaries were searched last week. Two are located in Long Beach and one is in Garden Grove. All three are believed to be connected, the sergeant said.
Long Beach police Cmdr. Laura Farinella said last Thursday that the police department's Narcotics Division was working with other officers on the force and the district attorney's office to serve warrants at several locations that had generated numerous complaints from neighbors about illegal, over-the-counter sales of pot.
Chris Glew, an attorney representing a cooperative located on Fourth Street at Elm Avenue, said he has yet to see any documentation from authorities who served warrants at his clients' business and home, but he insisted the dispensary has always operated within the state's Compassionate Use laws.
Glew said last week that the district attorney and the police department "appear to be operating under the theory that everything is illegal, they seem to interpret any collective or dispensary is operating against the voter's initiative."
The initiative outlined by Prop. 215 - the compassionate use act that legalized marijuana for California patients suffering from debilitating conditions and disorders - was passed by voters in 1996.
Patients seek permission to use marijuana from doctors under both Prop. 215 and a follow-up 2003 law, which clarified the original proposition and ordered counties to issue identification cards to patients.
Arguments over how to distribute the drug, however, have simmered on national, state and local levels ever since the 1996 passage of Prop. 215.
why i did you arrest them
We need this action here at 8th Street and Elm Avenue as well as we have a HUGE drug selling problem. Please drive by more often and come here and make drug busts. It is badly needed. See who whistles and hangs out in cars and in front of their houses. A real problem!!!
Now that these dangerous stoner kids in their 20’s working at the dispensaries are off the street. I could sleep better. Get real Cooley; stop trying to get your name out there by going after the easy harmless targets. Like it or not, "legalizing" marijuana is on the 2010 ballot. Cooley you really want to make a difference, get rid of the illegal organized gangs in the city. I know it may be more dangerous and if someone gets hurt, it could be bad for you, but as a tax payer, I am asking you to take care of the real problems. Stop being scarred and face the real problems this city face!
everybody wants to do this and that to the dispensarys,and everbody is wrong for doing that its not the dispensarys are selling to everybody,its gotten to easy to get the verifications to buy. When I got my first one I had to show doctor reports to prove I needed this med. to help me. I'm sure there are legit people that use it, and of course there are the people who abuse the system!!!
I did not arrest anyone. I'm just a reporter. The police arrest people.