Cartels involved in Denver Pot Shops- 4 closed down

[BOMBAYCAT]

These were the same few shops the Feds busted many months back. Supposedly the Columbian cartels were buying everything in sight (also forgetting to pay for them). If they objected the owners were offered a choice between Silver or Lead like the old mexican cartels used to do in Cali. It looks like the state is finally getting around to closing them. I am more worried about all the newbies that eat very many servings of edibles because they don't get high (for the 1st hour). Yesterday a husband shot and killed the wife while she was on 911 for 15 minutes! Supposedly he was smoking or doing edibles.

 

[dddaver]

4 out of the 12 raided were dirty?...wait. Sounds like they just went and turned things upside down and lo and behold something fell out. Crack police work there. Doesn't it just make you feel warm all over knowing they are watching out for YOU?
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[m314]

In more relevant news, ignorance is bliss. Are you too blind to see the actual issue here, or too stupid to understand it?

"raids against stoners..." You have "stoners" and "cartel" mixed up. Cartels dont sit around and get high and do nothing. They chop people up, murder family members, spread terror, etc. all for profit.

On that note, you've never been to any of these dispensarys. You live in Cali. Yal get good shit in your stores. Out here, we get 90% bullshit, with 10% awesome. Seriously, I would say that almost 90% of the dispensaries here have some trash on the shelves. Not just bud, everything. Wax, shatter, edibles, etc. Why? Because basement growers arent competing and putting the best shit on the shelves..That's illegal here---Not in Cali.

Dispensarys grow 70-80-90-100% of their own product. That means 300 light warehouses, with one base nutrient schedule, and a buncha bud that comes out looking like outdoor.

And then, the gangsters running the shops...... You gotta be fucking kidding me m314.

I still say the DEA has destroyed more lives than any cartel. If someone's a real criminal, just arrest them for whatever real crime they've committed. Not for selling weed.

I didn't mean to be a dick about it before. I get that way sometimes if I'm pissed off about some other issue. Like the DEA busting honest growers or sellers just trying to make a living.

 

[MJPassion]

It's part of the process of moving out of the black market, establishing a legal market.

Gangsta's gotta go, or go legit. It's what we have to do, both for ourselves & to keep the feds happy.

Legalize it. Regulate it. Tax it. It's the grand bargain that created retail weed, and the right to grow our own at the same time. It's a good deal.

Pure BS, this is...
As long as there is any kind of profit to be made there will be a black market.

To think that the black market will go away because some ridiculous piece of paper allows you to grow 6 plants is completely absurd.

Taxation is regulation and as long as there is regulation, especially involving governmental/executive controls, a black market WILL exist.

The only way to remove the powers of the cartels is to remove the profit from their products.

Good luck w that.

FREE THE PLANT(S)!
All ethnobotanicals.

 

[PizzaMan5000]

Notice how they're only going after certain ones, and the same ones at that. Its the ones who cant figure out how to read and follow the fucking rules, aka the idiots. Do you really want a bunch of idiot gangsters supplying your bud, or would you rather it be from a professional source?

Who would you rather buy a computer from? Apple, or your neighbor?

I am just sooo pleased to hear that somebody doesn't believe the whole "made in California" bullshit.... I hate apple. I'm going to come off sounding sick but I was in quite a good the day I found out Steve jobs died :/

But more on topic, when I read things like this I really wish we all simply had to pay sales tax, and tax on investments and that's about it.... Then take away 50+ percent of regulations. Then everyone could start and run their own businesses with ease.... If the system worked like that I WOULD ACTUALLY CARE LESS IF WE BECAME A CASHLESS SOCIETY, AND HAD OUR INCOME'S MONITERED.

I would be running my own pizza shop by now if that were how business worked. Like, who cares if your ganja hasn't been inspected by the FDA? We have had un-health-inspected bud since the dawn of time...... How many times have you bought a sack and found a cat hair or something in it? Did it bother you? if not great... If id does, you just PAY MORE MONEY and go to a place where everyone wears a hair net and it's grown in a sterile environment. And buy legal bud for 12 bucks a gram.....

 

[Cool Moe]

I don't see how they'd expect any store operators EXCEPT cartels with existing laws that prohibit prospective store owners from taking out a loan or opening a bank account to conduct business.

Q: Besides the cartels who has millions in cash just sitting around?
A: Just about nobody.

Q: Besides the cartels, who has the soldiers and artillery to protect millions in cash just sitting around?
A: Just about nobody.

Q: Given the legal hurdles and lack of banking services, besides the cartels who is best suited to run the dispensaries?
A: Just about nobody.

 

[PizzaMan5000]

Well said Moe! Yeah for me, I know that with my fucked up credit score and short attention span- I've gotta do illegal shit for a year or two, then I can use that money to go into legitimate business and pay taxes and such. It's a shame. The American dream is to be successful in whatever industry is your calling. There are 3 ways to become wealthy in this country aside from being some sort of celebrity.

1. Be born with money and do something with it.
2. Go to college, and get a great job (that's been tough since I graduated in the middle of the recession)
3. Do illegal things. Then continue the life of crime, or use the money to go legit.

 

[DabOnDabs]

I don't see how they'd expect any store operators EXCEPT cartels with existing laws that prohibit prospective store owners from taking out a loan or opening a bank account to conduct business.

Q: Besides the cartels who has millions in cash just sitting around?
A: Just about nobody.

Q: Besides the cartels, who has the soldiers and artillery to protect millions in cash just sitting around?
A: Just about nobody.

Q: Given the legal hurdles and lack of banking services, besides the cartels who is best suited to run the dispensaries?
A: Just about nobody.

Q: Besides the cartels who has millions in cash just sitting around?
A: Corporations, Wealthy individuals, small businesses, Angel investment groups, etc etc etc. Similarly, it is also possible to get 10 people to invest $100,000. Not exactly unreasonable.

Q: Besides the cartels, who has the soldiers and artillery to protect millions in cash just sitting around?
A: Any business owner who feels their assets are worthy of protecting.

Q: Given the legal hurdles and lack of banking services, besides the cartels who is best suited to run the dispensaries?

A: I would suggest that given the legal hurdles, cartels would be the least suited to run dispensaries. Banking services are coming. Shit takes time when the rules are unclear. Despite lack of banking services, I'm sure just about anybody with a brain would be interested in running a profitable dispensary.... Those that understand the risk/reward relationship in money.


At least try to think about the opposite side of the argument before asking silly questions. Unfortunately, the stereotype regarding stoners and brainpower is often highly accurate.

 

[DabOnDabs]

Well said Moe! Yeah for me, I know that with my fucked up credit score and short attention span- I've gotta do illegal shit for a year or two, then I can use that money to go into legitimate business and pay taxes and such. It's a shame. The American dream is to be successful in whatever industry is your calling. There are 3 ways to become wealthy in this country aside from being some sort of celebrity.

1. Be born with money and do something with it.
2. Go to college, and get a great job (that's been tough since I graduated in the middle of the recession)
3. Do illegal things. Then continue the life of crime, or use the money to go legit.

4. Entrepreneur
5. Save. Compound interest is your friend.

 

[Cool Moe]

Unfortunately, the stereotype regarding stoners and brainpower is often highly accurate.

You seem to have missed the broader point I was making that without legitimate lending and banking services the vast majority of people who might be inclined to become involved in the cannabis business are currently prohibited.

 

[DabOnDabs]

No, i addressed your point, and so has the A.G. Rome wasnt built overnight

 

[PizzaMan5000]

Dabs, I agree on your entrepreneurship and saving points.... Trust me I am WAAAAAYYYY ahead of the curve on those point for somebody my age. I have an invention that went into production after it was STOLEN from me at the tender age of 10 due to my mother not having the money to get me a good patent attorney. I can't name the invention but it was moderately successful and it really was my idea and prototype. And yes, I have a small Roth IRA growing, and yes I own a rental property that I bought and am fixing up with 100% legit money I made being a pizza guy. - I've been old enough to drink for a year btw.

For me, I dug my own grave. I am fiercely independent and NEVER ask for money from my well off father, he didn't even pay for my college.... I got VERY sick about 2 years ago and became a couple months late on EVERYTHING and fucked my credit up.... My dad isn't the kind of guy who co-signs ANYTHING. But my point is, the more money you have before the age of say 30- the more you will have down the road, it doesn't matter if you use that money to accrue interest, invest, or simply pay off your primary mortgage..... The more you will have when you're getting along in age.

In all seriousness.... If everyone had a lump sum of $10k at around my age and were told to invest it into something they know well, that chunk of money can mean millions in a matter of ten years. I'm not a republican, but when it comes to money- I'm so conservative, I shit flat taxes.

Getting started is the toughest part of going into business on your own, and every single day the assholes in congress just come up with new rules and regulations with 500 pages of fine print that simply keep people with fresh ideas from being able to get started without major financial backing.

I just want to build up a fleet of rentals, grow enough herbs to keep myself and my close friends supplied... Work my way down to simply maintaining my properties, then smoke bud and invent things all day..... With enough $$$$ to implement and produce my "best" ideas. That's the American dream to me. Not just sitting around and waiting for my interest to compound..... I want new investments and ideas that come and go with the rest of society as we know it.

 

[buttbrain]

That really suckz but was BOUND to happen, whether it's true or just a "reason" to raid ... it was inevitable.

 

[armedoldhippy]

the bad apples in the barrel will get the whole thing thrown out. do not make the mistake of defending crooked fuck-ups just because they sell weed. Al Capone was a "liquor dealer". if we do not help police ourselves, then we go back to prohibition. do you want to keep having doors kicked in & people shot/ going to jail ? really???

 

[swaggersdlite]

who cares where the money comes form if u have paid all licensing and follow the rules as much as u can. LET THE PEOPLE GROW!!! IMO

 

[Jhhnn]

the bad apples in the barrel will get the whole thing thrown out. do not make the mistake of defending crooked fuck-ups just because they sell weed. Al Capone was a "liquor dealer". if we do not help police ourselves, then we go back to prohibition. do you want to keep having doors kicked in & people shot/ going to jail ? really???

I'm not going to "help" the police enforce cannabis law at all. I will, however, follow it myself here in CO, encourage others to do the same. My compliance is voluntary, and I'm grateful to the people of Colorado for the legal opportunity to be part of it all. It's a victory, a coming to terms, and an obligation for the Cannabis community that's far reaching & worthy of respect.

It's a whole new world, a new paradigm, like the end of Alcohol Prohibition. Expect LEO's to keep doing their re-defined jobs to keep the industry in compliance.

As you say, it's a helluva improvement over the old way. The only thing that threatens it is if outlaw growers exporting from CO get too big & too notorious, tempting federal intervention with the whole legalization scheme. CO authorities & the DEA clearly have no intention of letting that happen, each for their own reasons.

The connection between these guys & the Florida underworld is what brought the Heat. Don't want the Heat? Don't play the game, and don't expect people to feel sorry for you when you lose at it.

Don't expect the Colorado community to cover your gangster ass. We're done with gangsters- we don't have to put up with them to get and do what we want.

More states should join us, and they will if we can make this work well. For that to happen, gangsters gotta go.

 

[JumpKickYerGunt]

The Russians are in on this shit too. These people have to go. They're not from Colorado and they make us look like low quality assholes.