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SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
Federal authorities target illegal marijuana storefronts in Santa Barbara County
Posted: May 3, 2012 11:05 AM by Courtney Meznarich
Federal authorities are cracking down on the commercial marijuana industry in Santa Barbara County.
This week, authorities filed three asset forfeiture lawsuits against two operations in Santa Barbara and one operation in Summerland. They also executed search warrants at four locations and sent out warning letters to people associated with 10 other marijuana stores in Goleta, Santa Barbara and Summerland.
Miramar Collective in Summerland and Pacific Coast Collective in Santa Barbara are both under investigation, in addition to an indoor marijuana farm on East Haley Street in Santa Barbara. Authorities say Miramar Collective has been generating annual profits of $840,000, and the owner is currently under investigation by the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office for narcotics charges. The owner of the Pacific Coast Collective is also being prosecuted in state court. Authorities say the business is called a "not for profit," but it's actually incorporated and does not have non-profit status. At the indoor marijuana farm, authorities say substandard and unpermitted electrical equipment is being used.
Federal officials say all known marijuana stores in Santa Barbara County are now the subject of federal enforcement operations.
Back in October, the four United States Attorneys in the state announced coordinated efforts targeting illegal cultivation and trafficking. The Santa Barbara Police Department assisted with the search warrants this week.
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