Thread: Dozens of indictments in largest illegal marijuana trafficking ring bust since legali

Dozens of indictments in largest illegal marijuana trafficking ring bust since legalization

POSTED 10:19 AM, JUNE 28, 2017, BY CHUCK HICKEY, UPDATED AT 07:55PM, JUNE 28, 2017
Watch video report at link.

DENVER -- Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman announced Wednesday the largest illegal marijuana trafficking ring bust since pot became legal in the state in 2014 that victimized two former Broncos players.

Coffman said 62 people and 12 businesses were indicted in the bust, dubbed Operation Toker Poker, which spanned five states.

Forty-three of the 62 people charged in the bust have been arrested, with the other 19 still on the run, Coffman said.

More than 20 law enforcement agencies across the state participated in the bust, including the Denver Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Agency.

Coffman said the bust is a prime example of the marijuana black market that continues to flourish despite legalization.

Coffman said former Broncos players Erik Pears and Joel Dreessen were swindled out of money by the defendants. The two thought they were investing in a legal grow, Coffman said.

Many of the defendants knew each other from high school and played poker together before going into illegal marijuana trafficking, Coffman said.

The defendants are accused of operating a massive illegal interstate marijuana distribution and cultivation network that laundered millions of dollars.

The operation operated across the Front Range as well as in Kansas, Texas, Nebraska, Ohio and Oklahoma.

The dismantling of the operation led to the seizure of 2,600 illegally cultivated marijuana plants and another 4,000 pounds of marijuana.

"We believe these seizures only scratch the surface of the illegal drugs produced by this organization over time," Coffman said.

The operation is estimated to have produced about 100 pounds of marijuana a month. It's estimated the going rate for a pound of marijuana on the black market is $2,000.

The defendants have been charged with 31 felony counts and those in custody are awaiting court dates in Denver District Court.

The charges include violating the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act, illegal marijuana distribution, money laundering, tax evasion, mortgage fraud, theft, securities fraud and attempts to influence public officials.

http://kdvr.com/2017/06/28/62-people...orado-history/

Wow. Don't abuse your marijuana rights, you might lose them.

Coffman said the bust is a prime example of the marijuana black market that continues to flourish despite legalization.

This was predicted to happen. Legalization was never going to get rid of the black market even though many of those pushing for legalization were saying otherwise.

Originally Posted by Judy

Wow. Don't abuse your marijuana rights, you might lose them.

According to federal law they have no marijuana rights!

We don't care about the "black market." That's like the black market for cigarettes. What legalization proponents are talking about is the illegal market run by foreign drug cartels which until legalization by the states of marijuana was the entire market. A small percentage of dishonest people will always try to black market all types of products to avoid licensing and taxes. But that's an entirely different issue than the one proponents of legalization are concerned about.

Originally Posted by Judy

We don't care about the "black market." That's like the black market for cigarettes. What legalization proponents are talking about is the illegal market run by foreign drug cartels which until legalization by the states of marijuana was the entire market. A small percentage of dishonest people will always try to black market all types of products to avoid licensing and taxes. But that's an entirely different issue than the one proponents of legalization are concerned about.

Wrong again. Legalizing marijuna will not stop the cartels because they will always be able to undercut any price being offered by a legal market. Furthermore, digging into their marijuana profits will just make them expand into other areas. Geez, a little common sense on this issue would be helpful. If your goal is to get rid of the drug cartels, you're following the wrong path.

States know better, because the sales and revenue are pouring in by boatloads. Proof's in the pudding. And the pudding has been served. Customers do not want to deal with these killers in drug cartels, they want to shop in nice safe stores and buy their weed there even if it costs a little more.

Americans are awake now. No one has died from weed while 60,000 Americans are dying ever year from opioid overdose, so with facts and death tolls in hand, they're legalizing pot and going after the medical industry prescribing killer narcotics.

To me, there's no stopping it now. And rightly so. The War on Weed was wrong-headed from the outset.

Just my opinion. We'll see what happens.

Originally Posted by Judy

...

Customers do not want to deal with these killers in drug cartels, they want to shop in nice safe stores and buy their weed there even if it costs a little more.

...

I'd like to see some published numbers on how the price of legal marijuana compares with black market marijuana and how this differs according to region.

Remember the most important market force for black market products of any kind is risk. Remove the risk and the price goes down. The natural price for marijuana is next to nothing. Any fool can grow it, process it and distribute it. It is the cheapest mind altering agricultural product anywhere, cheaper than tobacco which requires a fussy curing process and the plant is very sensitive to weather. Pot can grow anywhere.

National commercialization of marijuana is the death of the marijuana market. The more widespread its distribution, the less people will care about it. Those most passionate about it are nostalgic, it still has that counterculture image. And image counts. As addictive as tobacco is, they still have to market it. Image, image, image.

It will all take care of itself. There will be some adjustment time. States are fully and best qualified to deal with it. Hope more pass it so there's enough for the feds to say, "what's the damn point?" There is no point, there never was. End the War on Weed.