Public Safety

San Diego Police Close 14 Marijuana Dispensaries

By Thomas Fudge / Science and Technology Reporter

Published September 10, 2009 at 11:15 AM PDT

This story was published more than 15 years ago.

The San Diego Police Department raided 14 distributors and six houses, seizing marijuana,
$70,000 in cash and six guns. — The San Diego Police Department raided 14 distributors and six houses, seizing marijuana, $70,000 in cash and six guns.

San Diego Police Close 14 Marijuana Dispensaries

The San Diego District Attorney today says police raided and shut down 14 medical marijuana operations, suspected of criminal drug sales.

The San Diego District Attorney today said police raided and shut down 14 medical marijuana operations, suspected of criminal drug sales.

The police undercover operation resulted in about 30 arrests of people operating businesses that claimed to be providing medical marijuana. District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis says, in fact, the 14 raided dispensaries were working well outside the law.

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"These so-called businesses are not legal," she said. "They appear to be run by drug dealers who see an opening in the market and a way to make a fast buck."

California law requires people to get medicinal marijuana though non-profit cooperative groups, and for-profit sales are illegal. But Dumanis says the records at one dispensary showed $700,000 in sales in just six months. Dumanis says she is not aware of any legally-run marijuana dispensaries in San Diego, despite media reports that some have received permits. Charges are expected to be filed tomorrow.