DEA agents served five federal search warrants without incident on 16 March 2006, three at warehouses in Emeryville on the Oakland border, one in Oakland and one at Kenneth Affolter’s home in Lafayette.[1] Agents arrested Affolter, 39, and eleven other people on charges of distributing marijuana.[1] The Drug War Chronicle’s day-of account put the arrest total at 13.[2] All the searched sites were linked to Affolter, who investigators said ran Beyond Bomb, a maker of marijuana-laced candy and edibles in Oakland.[1]

Thousands of plants, hundreds of edibles

Agents seized four sophisticated indoor marijuana grows with thousands of plants, a large amount of US currency, two semi-automatic weapons and a revolver, and hundreds of pot-laced candies and soft drinks.[1] The edibles mimicked well-known brands under names including Stoney Ranchers, Rasta Reece’s, Buddafingers, Pot Tarts, Keef Kat, Bong’s Root Beer and Toka-Cola.[1][2] DEA special agent in charge Javier Pena warned that children could mistake the products for normal candy or soft drinks.[1] The investigation, assisted by Richmond, Oakland, Vallejo and Lafayette police alongside county narcotics teams, had begun in October 2005.[1]