3 Arrested In Medical Marijuana Raid

[Ganjarden]

For the third time in a week, the Los Angeles Police Department has raided a medical marijuana facility.

Police arrested three people during the raid Thursday night at the Royal Temple of Zion in Echo Park.

Authorities say the facility has not applied for a hardship permit like all the other medical marijuana dispensaries, so selling the marijuana is illegal. About two pounds of marijuana were seized.

The raid came after nearby residents told police illegal drugs were being sold at the location.

Those associated with the temple say it is a Rastafarian ministry, and it has the legal right to sell marijuana to the sick.

"This is a church run medical marijuana club providing medical marijuana for sick people, but we do it as a church," said Pastor Craig Rubin.

"We don't just provide marijuana, we provide for their safety, their security. Every day we give everyone a place to congregate," said Nathan Wade, a member of the Royal Temple of Zion.

Los Angeles police say they acted on several complaints. An officer walked into the facility and watched marijuana stored in mason jars being distributed.

"Once the officer made the observation he notified the northeast station, where the narcotics officers came out, took a look at the location and secured a search warrant," said LAPD Lt. Joseph Satow.

Pastor Rubin believes police are targeting those that have been vocal about legalizing the drug.

"They seem to be particularly picking out people who have applied for these hardships who speak out," said Pastor Rubin.

Members say because this is a place of worship they have not done anything illegal.

"It's because we believe a cannabis from Revelations 22 is a plant for the healing of all nations and that people should have access to this plant. It's not only benign, it's benevolent," said Pastor Rubin.

Police say they are simply being proactive and responding to complaints.

Last week, the LAPD raided two businesses in west Los Angeles that also claimed to be medical marijuana dispensaries.


News Hawk- Ganjarden 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: abc7.com
Contact: abc7.com
Copyright: 2009 KABC-TV/DT.
Website: 3 Arrested In Medical Marijuana Raid

 

[Bonehead]

It this the same Craig Ruben from Weeds? He also had the same type of situation happen before?

 

[420]

yes, same Craig X Rubin from Temple 420

 

[BWC BayArea]

Is there no constitutional protection? Whatever happened to freedom of religion? This sounds bogus. I can relate, rastas don't get the religious respect they deserve in this country. A devout, pious rastafarian is an asset to humanity. This is a shame to see.

 

[Weed420]

And what kind of assholes would have called the police on him?

 

[tronix]

I love the line...

"Police say they are simply being proactive and responding to complaints."

Really, you're just out there doing good in the hood, when some concerned law abiding citizens called in and demanded this church cease it's religious practices, so you did what any decent, protector of the Bill or Rights would do, and went out of your way to shut them down, and arrest people for trying to help the sick, feel better.

just wow.

 

[greenisland]

Of course Tronixs! what else would you expect from our government? Understanding and the acknowledgment that they are contradicting everyones personal rights on a daily basis...never. I and everyone else I know would like to see those cops (and the person making illegal false phone calls to 911 of illegal drugs being dispensed) to be the ones sitting in jail. Personally I would give everything I owned to see such a thing! I just wish for once the law protected us and was on our side like its supposed to be and do. These kind of reports make me so damn mad. Those cops are assholes and the person calling is a prejudice racist asshole too..... Im gonna call the cops and say the church down the street from me is "reading the bible" and "giving comunion to youngsters" and well see if they go raid their church and send them all to jail for practicing their religion..... oh wait thats right you can only practice religions that the government says is ok and apparently christian is fine, rastafarian is not. I wonder who decides which religion is ok and which isnt now that Bush and Cheney are gone? It sounds like its up to the local police departments to decide which ones they dont like.
I think its so funny they say their just out on patrol... not usually do they send an undercover into a church, call for a 24hr warrant, and have the place raided for a regular "checking up on phone calls" kinda of a sitiuation. I can tell you this, I got in a really bad car accident a few years back and I sat on the corner of the street and waited for 5 hours for a cop to show up and write the guy who hit me a ticket and to see if I was alright, which they didnt care about in the least.... and if I had been hurt worse than I was I wouldve probably already been dead after the 5 hr wait . In the meantime I saw about a dozen cops just drive right by me. And I tried to wave them down and everything, ...hell! they had to drive around my car which was stuck in the street! so obviously they knew I was there and were ignorring me. I also saw a homeless guy get taken to jail for sitting outside a circle k, which was acrossed the street from me, and I had been waiting 5 hours! and I was hurt! The cop dealing with that guy said he would call it (my accident) in again but he had to take care of the homeless guy right now because he could hurt someone.... yeah right...whatever, he was asleep on the sidewalk when he got there, so I dont thing that was really a huge concern for anyone accept him. In retrospect I would have been better off calling in and telling them I was a rastafarian church practicing my (apparently now illegal) religion ! They wouldve been there in a second! But someone who was in an accident and hurt...now thats just not important these days... My god! Whats wrong with this country? What happened to freedom of religion? What happened to freedom period?

 

[manster]

don't be fooled. we don't have rights anymore. just a little less intrusiveness than the guy who gets caught until its our turn wahhhh I miss freedom.oh my bad we have the right to house and quarter troops lol

 

[tronix]

I know there was once a war fought over a game of Chess. I also know, there have been wars fought over political posturing. But the war on MJ and the people, that use it, is the most ignorant war mankind has ever engaged in...I grew up with a heavy dose of "American pride and bravado", well, America is disgusting me at this point.. I miss, what this place used to represent..

 

[greenisland]

We all miss it manster. "The war on drugs is the only war I know of where the government has openly waged war on its own people".- Ed Rosenthal
Its sad, really.

 

[Caber1]

don't be fooled. we don't have rights anymore

Very,very true. That is one of the greatest fallacies of North American democracy.
George Carlin said it best when he said"We don't have rights,we have privileges that the government gives or takes when they want to".
The examples are too numerous, but I can certainly tell you I've had many strange looks from folks when they start talking about rights and I start rolling on the floor in uncontrollable laughter.
Your rights go about as far as a fart in a wind storm.