Reply #39: 8 Federal government agencies organized the raids! Here's the government news release on the raids. [View All]

[Better Believe It]

But, do you think President Obama knew about planned raids or do they keep him in the dark on such matters? If he knew, this should help President Obama get three or four more votes from "conservatives" in the 2012 election. Way to go! BBI

U.S. attorney outlines medical marijuana raids in 13 towns
March 15, 2011

U.S. Attorney Michael W. Cotter,announced today the culmination of a 18-month multi-agency investigation into the drug trafficking activities of criminal enterprises operating throughout the State of Montana.

In a news release, Cotter said 26 criminal search warrants were executed Monday in Belgrade, Big Sky, Billings, Bozeman, Columbia Falls, Dillon, Great Falls, Helena, Kalispell, Miles City, Missoula, Olney and Whitefish.

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20110315/NEWS01/110315011/U-S-attorney-outlines-medical-marijuana-raids-13-towns?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFrontpage

The U.S. Attorney news release on medical marijuana raids:

U.S. Department of Justice
Michael W. Cotter
United States Attorney
District of Montana
NEWS ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 15, 2011
Contact:
Victoria L. Francis
Assistant U.S. Attorney
District of Montana
(406) 247- 4633

THE U.S. ATTORNEY FOR THE DISTRICT OF MONTANA ANNOUNCES
THE EXECUTION OF 26 CRIMINAL SEARCH WARRANTS
AND 4 CIVIL SEIZURE WARRANTS IN MONTANA.

The United States Attorney for the District of Montana, Michael W. Cotter, announced
today the culmination of a 18-month multi-agency investigation into the drug trafficking
activities of criminal enterprises operating throughout the State of Montana. In furtherance
of that investigation, a total of 26 criminal search warrants were executed on March 14,
2011, at premises in the following communities: Belgrade, Big Sky, Billings, Bozeman,
Columbia Falls, Dillon, Great Falls, Helena, Kalispell, Miles City, Missoula, Olney and
Whitefish. Items seized by law enforcement may be disclosed after search warrant returns
are filed with the United States District Court.

In addition, Civil Seizure Warrants for financial institutions in Bozeman, Helena, and
Kalispell seeking up to $4,000,000 were executed.

Search warrants and civil seizure warrants were issued based on judicial findings that
probable cause exists to believe that the premises located in thirteen Montana towns are
involved in criminal enterprises that have violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA)
related to marijuana, a Schedule I controlled substance. Specifically, it is alleged in the
search warrants, civil seizure warrants and related documents that the premises or property
identified were involved in some or all of the following violations of federal law: manufacture
of marijuana and possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and distribution of marijuana
in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841, conspiracy to commit the offenses of manufacture of
marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and distribution of marijuana in
violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846, structuring or assisting in structuring any transaction to evade
currency reporting requirements or causing or attempting to cause a domestic financial
institution to fail to file Currency Transaction Reports in violation of 31 U.S.C. §§ 5324(a)(1)
and (3).

Congress placed marijuana in Schedule I of the CSA. Under federal law, growing,
distributing and possessing marijuana (other than in a federally authorized research
program) is a violation of the CSA. A substance listed under Schedule I has: (a) a high
potential for abuse, (b) no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States,
and (c) a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical
supervision. Because of the danger posed by Schedule I substances, the Department of
Justice continues to focus its enforcement and investigative efforts in targeting large-scale
drug organizations that cultivate, manufacture, distribute, or sell marijuana.
United States Attorney Cotter said that “Twenty-six search warrants were carried out
yesterday where there is probable cause that the premises were involved in illegal and largescale
trafficking of marijuana. When criminal networks violate federal laws those involved
will be prosecuted."

Individuals with illnesses who are in clear and unambiguous compliance with state
law are not the focus of this investigation.

The following federal, state and local law enforcement agencies participated in the
execution of the search warrants and the seizure of the civil assets at multiple locations
across the state of Montana: the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service,
the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, the Environmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigation Division, U.S.
Customs and Border Protection-Border Patrol, and the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration. These federal agencies were assisted by the Montana Division of Criminal
Investigations, and local High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task forces, the Northwest Drug
Task Force, the Kalispell Police Department, the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, the
Missoula Police Department, the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, the Missoula High
Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the Great Falls Police Department, the
Cascade County Sheriff’s Office, the Central Montana Drug Task Force, the Billings Police
Department, the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, the Eastern Montana High Intensity
Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the Dillon Police Department, the Beaverhead
County Sheriff’s Office, the Park County Sheriff’s Office, the Bozeman Police Department,
the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, the Missouri River Drug Task Force, the Helena Police
Department, the Lewis & Clark Sheriff’s Office, and the Eastern Montana Drug Task Force -
Miles City.

The information contained in the search warrants, civil seizure warrants and related
documents are based on the information discovered during the course of ongoing
investigations. To date, no federal criminal charges, indictments, informations or complaints
have been filed against any of the named individuals identified in the search warrants, civil
seizure warrants and related documents. All named individuals and locations identified in
the search warrants, civil seizure warrants and related documents are presumed innocent
until proven guilty.
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