Federal agents raided an unknown number of marijuana dispensaries and growing sites on Thursday in Colorado, confiscating piles of marijuana plants and cartons of cannabis-infused drinks just weeks before the state allows recreational sellers to open their doors.[1] The criminal investigations unit of the Internal Revenue Service, the DEA and Denver authorities executed the sealed search and seizure warrants, in the first Colorado raids since the Justice Department said in August it would not interfere with state marijuana laws except against black-market diversion and other listed harms.[1] The raided businesses were suspected of violating more than one of those federal guidelines.[1]
Where and who
Agents very publicly executed search warrants on dispensaries and grows in Denver, Commerce City and Boulder County, hauling plants and records out of buildings and off in trucks.[2] At a home, agents found weapons and ammunition and arrested and charged Hector Diaz with possessing a firearm while in the US under a non-immigration visa, with a hearing set for 27 November; the investigation appeared aimed at individuals connected to the VIP Cannabis dispensary in Denver.[2] Grow operations linked to Laszlo Bagi at the Beech Aircraft plant north of Boulder and in Commerce City were among those visited, and plants at the shared Beech site were destroyed under federal guidelines.[2]
