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Three Medical Pot Clubs in San Francisco Raided by Federal Agents

KCBS

San Francisco, CA June 22, 2005 --Federal drug agents aided by the San Francisco Police Department this afternoon raided three medical marijuana clubs in San Francisco confiscating bushels of marijuana and patient records but making no arrests.

KCBS reporter Doug Sovern is on Ocean Avenue in San Francisco where he says two clubs just two blocks apart were raided by the Drug Enforcement Administration with the support of the San Francisco Police Department. A third club called the Sunset Medicinal Resource Center at 9th and Judah was also raided.

Agents raided the Herbal Relief Center at 1545 Ocean according to some people who worked there. The agents cut the padlocks off the gates and began hauling out sacks of evidence. Bags of cut marijuana and marijuana plants were confiscated along with financial and patient records plus computers. The second club that was raided was just a few blocks away.

The people who operate the club tell KCBS they're upset over the raid saying they have followed the state law but admit that what they are doing is illegal under federal law.

Agents from the Secret Service, the Internal Revenue Service, the Treasury Department as well as the DEA and San Francisco Police Department all participated in the day long series of raids that also involved warrants served on private homes.

The authorities say the day of raids was planned long before the Supreme Court decision two weeks that federal drug laws trump state law when it comes to the medical use of marijuana.

Some protestors arrived on the scene as the agents were gathering evidence.

Some other shopkeepers near the clubs are applauding the agent's moves saying the clubs are proliferating.

The Drug Enforcement Administration plans a news conference Thursday to release more information on the raids.