SEATTLE (AP) — The top federal prosecutor in Seattle says her office can’t and won’t target every medical marijuana dispensary in Western Washington, but authorities won’t turn a blind eye to flagrant violations of the law either.
U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan tells The Associated Press in an interview that the 10 storefront pot shops raided by the Drug Enforcement Agency on Tuesday were among the worst abusers of Washington state’s law allowing the compassionate use of marijuana.
In addition, the DEA helped coordinate raids of nine other dispensaries in Thurston and Pierce counties. Eighteen people were arrested, all but one of them in Thurston county.
Search warrant affidavits revealed that federal agents are investigating money laundering, bulk marijuana sales, sales of prescription painkillers and gun violations.
