RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Illegally operated marijuana dispensaries were served with search warrants by the Riverside District Attorney’s countywide Cannabis Regulation Task Force Thursday morning.
Ten search warrants were served this morning after months of investigation into the alleged illegal operations. None of the ten locations were licensed to sell cannabis or cannabis products DA officials said in a news release.
The ten locations included:
Hidden Gem
125 E. Stetson Avenue
Hemet
Herbs and Essential Oils
207 E. Mayberry Ave
Hemet
Hemet Healing
207 E. Florida Ave.
Hemet
Valley Ice Cream
125 N. Tahquitz Ave.
Hemet
Green Empire
72911 Ramon Road
Thousand Palms
Green Garage
19065 Grand Ave.
Lake Elsinore
Cannabis Castle
27645 Jefferson Ave.
Temecula
Reefer Shop
6058 Mission Blvd.
Jurupa Valley
The Mission Greens
9646 Mission Blvd.
Jurupa Valley
Supreme Cannabis Club
4186 Ramsey St.
Banning
The searches lasted until around 4:30 p.m. Around 90 pounds of finished cannabis product and a large amount of cannabis edibles were seized from eight of the ten locations. Two arrests were made – one felony arrest for possession of a stolen handgun and one misdemeanor warrant arrest for driving on a suspended license.
“The purpose of the Cannabis Regulation Task Force is to protect properly licensed legal cannabis businesses and enforce regulatory requirements which protect the environment and consumers,” officials said. “The aim of the task force is not to shut down legally operating facilities, but rather to ensure fair business practices and keep criminal activity out of the legal cannabis industry and out of our communities. When dispensaries operate without following the law or regulations, their unfair business practices impact those dispensaries which are obeying the law. Illegal or unlicensed dispensaries also may be providing customers with untested and potentially harmful products. “
Final information is unknown at this time, but additional information will be made available on Friday, February 1, 2019.
