cannabisnews.com: Oakland Home Yields Pot Trove 





Oakland Home Yields Pot Trove 
Posted by FoM on November 22, 2000 at 21:08:49 PT
By Harry Harris & Mike Martinez, Staff Writers
Source: Alameda Times Star
More than $100,000 worth of marijuana, including blossoming plants and packaged product stuffed in a refrigerator, were seized Tuesday in a well-kept home police said housed "one of the most elaborate" indoor greenhouses they had seen. None of the residents of the two-story home in the 3900 block of Enos Avenue were home at the time of the more than 700-plant discovery but police did find a large German shepherd they said was "really mellow." 
"He was as friendly as he wanted to be," Sgt. Ray Petty said. Police made the find Tuesday morning after being summoned to the house by neighbors to do a security check. Police said neighbors were concerned because they had not seen the residents for a few days and noticed a broken window and torn curtain. After realizing the amount of marijuana present, police notified the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, which took charge of the investigation and served a search warrant Tuesday afternoon. DEA Agent Jason England said one person who had been staying at the residence arrived during the afternoon investigation and was released without being cited pending further investigation. Inside the home, authorities found posters and fliers in the home indicating the residents may have belonged to the Oakland Cannabis Club and that the marijuana was for medicinal purposes. "I understand people's needs to feel better from terminal illness and stuff," England said. "How one justifies medical use for that much pot, I'm really not sure." England said the $100,000 price tag was a "very conservative" estimate. Petty said there were at least 100 marijuana plants in the basement and upper floor of the three-level home. Most were at least 2 feet high "and extremely healthy," he said. He said the plants were being grown in one of the most elaborate setups he had seen. He said the lighting and irrigation and pumping systems, which worked on timers, could be worth thousands of dollars. Additionally, he said a ventilation system that included huge blowers had been constructed, which ran from room to room. Still, Petty said, the smell of the plants was overwhelming when officers entered the home. Besides the plants, police found pounds of marijuana in plastic bags and other packaging throughout the home, including some in a refrigerator as well as in closets. Authorities were trying to identify exactly who lived at the home. Neighbors said the residents had lived there less than a year, but were not sure if they were renting or had bought the home. Jeff Jones, executive director of the Oakland pot club, said the address didn't "ring a bell" with him. "If it was a patient garden, I hope that they don't cut it all down and save some for the patient," Jones said. Source: Alameda Times-Star (CA) Author: Harry Harris & Mike Martinez, Staff WritersPublished: November 22, 2000Address: 66 Jack London Sq. Oakland, CA 94607 Copyright: 2000 MediaNews Group, Inc. and ANG Newspapers Contact:  triblet angnewspapers.com Website: http://www.timesstar-ang.com/Oakland Cannabis Buyer's Cooperativehttp://www.rxcbc.org/CannabisNews Articles - Oaklandhttp://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=oakland
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #2 posted by Dan B on November 25, 2000 at 15:24:16 PT:
700 or 100: Which is it?
"None of the residents of the two-story home in the 3900 block of Enos Avenue were home at the time of the more than 700-plant discovery but police did find a large German shepherd they said was 'really mellow.'""Petty said there were at least 100 marijuana plants in the basement and upper floor of the three-level home. Most were at least 2 feet high 'and extremely healthy,' he said."Which is it? The $100,000 "price tag" would seem to fit the DEAs inflated notion that one plant equals $1000, which would seem to suggest that the 100 plant figure is more accurate. They certainly did not reduce the estimated profits per plant to a mere $142.85! It sounds to me like the 700 estimate is a gross exaggeration, and the 100 plant estimate is really what they found. 100 plants is not inconsistent with a marijuana growing operation for medical use, especially if, as Dr. Ganj has pointed out, several medical marijuana patients were living under one roof. Dan B
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #1 posted by Dr. Ganj on November 23, 2000 at 22:50:04 PT
Why Call The DEA?
This bust folks, if it happened anywhere else, would be another bummer, but understandable. However, because it happened in liberal Oakland, California, and it was clearly a medical marijuana garden, was really handled badly. Oakland city police protocols concerning medical marijuana gardens stipulate that they only take a sample, and take photos. Then, when the owner(s) of the garden is contacted, and the owner can demonstrate that the garden is for medical use only, no further action is to be taken. Just because there were around 700 plants does not give them the right to assume it is an illegal garden. Four MS patients could have lived in the house. A variety of situations could justify having that many plants.Why they called in the DEA, which typically only gets involved in REALLY big busts, and one household of marijuana does not qualify calling in the Feds, was a bad move, I think.Dr. Ganj 
http://www.champsf.org
[ Post Comment ]

Post Comment


Name: Optional Password: 
E-Mail: 
Subject: 
Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message]
Link URL: 
Link Title: