Feds go after medical marijuana businesses
A dozen criminal search warrants regarding drug trafficking in Montana were executed Nov. 16, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Warrants were issued in Whitefish, Kalispell, Missoula and Somers as part of the culmination of a yearlong multi-agency investigation. Four civil seizure warrants for Missoula financial institutions seeking an unspecified amount of money also were executed.
The warrants allege violations of federal law, including the manufacturing of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and distribution of marijuana, and structuring or assisting in structuring any transaction to evade currency reporting requirements.
"Twelve new search warrants were carried out today because sufficient probable cause was established to support that the premises were involved in illegal and large-scale trafficking of marijuana," said Michael Cotter, the U.S. Attorney for Montana, in a press release. "When criminal networks violate federal laws in Montana those involved will be prosecuted."
The release stated that "individuals with illnesses who are in clear and unambiguous compliance with state law are not the focus of this investigation."
It also explained that "no federal criminal charges, indictments, informations or complaints" have been filed against anyone who was targeted by the search warrants, civil warrants or related documents.
The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Criminal Investigation Division of the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, the Missoula Police Department, the Missoula County Sheriff's Office, the Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the Ravalli County Sheriff's Office.
The searches were aided by Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations, the Montana Division of Criminal Investigations, the Flathead County Sheriff's Office, the Kalispell Police Department and the Northwest Montana Drug Task Force.