COVELO FARM RAID LEAVES MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS

Why the DEA targeted the 99-pot plant collective farm owned by Joy
Greenfield in a Covelo raid earlier this month remains a mystery that
is unlikely to be enlightened soon. Until an arrest is made, the DEA
and US Attorney's office are not required to share any information
while it remains "under court seal."

Greenfield followed the Mendocino County rules; registering her grow
as a collective supplying the Light the Way dispensary in San Diego;
paying her $1,050 registration fee; buying zip ties for each plan;
and having the site inspected by Mendocino County Sheriff's deputies
prior to the raid. She was the first to take advantage of the new
Mendocino County pot-growing ordinance approved in March.

During the raid the DEA and other federal agents, some reportedly
from the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, eradicated the 99
plants and took and undisclosed amount of cash and a computer.
Greenfield was not present at the time and no arrests were made.

The raid has sent a chill through medical marijuana community, who
have scheduled a strategy meeting from 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday in Ukiah
at the Saturday Afternoon Club on 107 S. Oak Street in Ukiah.

Speculation on why Greenfield was targeted range from an attempt by
the DEA to undermine the Mendocino County program to the raid only
coincidentally involved the county program and was based solely an
ongoing investigation initiated out of San Diego.

Although the raid may not have purposefully targeted the county
program regulating collectives (although the DEA has neither
confirmed nor denied this) it will likely be a major setback for the program.

"I can say emphatically that no one in the federal government has
seen any paperwork turned in by these collectives," says Mendocino
County Sheriff Tom Allman. "I believe this was an isolated incident
and that we will know more once the court seal has been lifted.
Everyone has not lost trust in the process; we have five other
collectives registered and another four in the process."

Mendocino County Sheriff's deputies accompanied the federal raiders
but were provided no information about the reasons for it, says Allman.