Feds Withhold Information On S.F. Dispensary Raids

Feds Withhold Information On S.F. Dispensary Raids

Blogged at http://www.ontherecord.org by Ann Harrison

After raiding three and possibly four medical cannabis dispensaries
in San Francisco today, spokespeople for the DEA are releasing few
details about the scope of the investigation and declining to say if
anyone is actually in custody.

The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting (from an anonymous law
enforcement source) that the dispensaries were not targeted for drug
operations, but because they were fronts for money laundering. This
might account for the presence of IRS agents at the site, but not the
DEA who was clearly leading the investigation.

The Chronicle is also claiming (again from an unnamed law enforcement
source) that federal agents, joined by the SFPD, raided 20 homes and
businesses as part of the operation. Stone-faced DEA agents referred
all questions regarding today’s raid to the San Francisco U.S.
Attorney’s office. A spokesman for the office, Luke Macaulay, said
that there were arrests but will not comment further. Federal agents
did arrest Dr. Molly Fry and her husband Dale Schafer today. Dr. Fry,
who recommends cannabis to qualified patients, has been under
investigation by the DEA. Both were arraigned today at the Sacramento
Federal Courthouse

The U.S. Attorney’s office, the DEA and the IRS are holding a press
conference tomorrow morning at 11:30 at the San Francisco federal
building. To even attend the press conference, you must present a
government issued photo ID and a “valid media credentials.”

While he would not provide any information on the raids, Macaulay did
go out of his way to try and shield the involvement of the San
Francisco Police Department - despite the fact that SFPD Sgt. Marty
Halloran was present at a raided dispensary.

“I want to point out that the San Francisco Police Department did not
participate in the medical marijuana dispensary search,” said
Macaulay. When it was pointed out that Sgt. Halloran was seen
helpfully stringing police tape in front of the raided Alternative
Relief Co-Op at 1945 Ocean Avenue, Macaulay said I should refer my
question to the SFPD.

SFPD spokesperson Neville Givens also denied that the SFPD was
involved in the operation. “We are not involved in any enforcement
action against any medical marijuana club,” said Givens. Informed
that Sgt. Halloran was present at the raid, he said he would send a
press release from the SFPD public affairs office.

According to the SFPD press release: “This morning, June 22nd, the
San Francisco Police Department participated in an enforcement
operation which involved search and arrest warrants, targeting
multiple locations throughout the Bay Area. This operation was part
of a long-term federal criminal investigation. Although there were
several medical marijuana clubs that were involved in this
investigation, the SFPD did not take part in any investigation of
these clubs or take any enforcement action against these clubs.”

DEA public information officer Casey McEnry, who confirmed at the
Alternative Relief Co-Op that SFPD and the Oakland Police Department
was involved in the federal investigation, also attempted to back
peddle and claim that the SFPD was not directly involved. “They did
not participate in the execution of the search warrant,” said McEnry
who nevertheless confirmed that the SFPD and OPD were involved in the
larger operation.

Matt Dorsey, a spokesman for the San Francisco City Attorney’s
office, was eager to distance his office from the federal
investigation. Dorsey confirmed that the city has an ongoing
investigation against a dozen clubs that may have violated the city’s
April 1st moratorium against medical cannabis clubs. But he said
there was no link between the city’s investigation and the federal
raid. “We are not involved in the federal raids and we have not
contacted or been contacted by the DEA,” said Dorsey who added that
he did not anticipate a large city-led crackdown. “We have evidence
that the majority of the dispensaries being investigated opened
before April 1st.”
---------------------------------------------------------------------------