RIVERSIDE POLICE RAID POT DISPENSARY

Riverside police raided a medical-marijuana dispensary Tuesday that
was filled with prepackaged pot stored in a 6-foot-high safe with
humidity control.

The business also sold tea cakes, truffles and cookies with
"proprietary spices." Some had "double strength" stickers. All said
"medical cannabis."

Riverside police officials said it was the first medical marijuana
dispensary found within the city limits.

Prop. 215, approved by the state's voters in 1996, decriminalized the
use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. But the sale and use of
marijuana is illegal under federal law.

Follow-up state legislation in 2003 allows for nonprofit farming
cooperatives and requires identification cards for patients using
marijuana for medical purposes.

This operation did not fit that model, according to police.

Sales for profit are not allowed under either state law, said county
Deputy District Attorney Mike Quesnel. Police did not arrest anyone
at the site Tuesday, but operators could face charges of possessing
and selling marijuana.

In January, the district attorney's office filed felony charges
against three men in connection with a Palm Desert dispensary.

Police watched the Riverside business and discovered it served 20 to
30 customers in an hour, said Lt. John Carpenter.

The store, at 7201 Arlington Ave., had a business license for
unclassified retail registered under ET Investment Corp. of
Riverside. It operated as California Caregivers Association --
Riverside or C.C.A.R. Paperwork indicates the business tried to have
customers designate the store as a caregiver that then would be
legally allowed to provide medical marijuana.

Clerks asked customers for written recommendations from doctors or
identification cards, said Steven Frasher, police spokesman. If a
patron did not have that, the store had a list of doctors prospective
customers could see.

A board inside the storefront operation listed the type of marijuana
for sale, including Trainwreck and Maui Wowie.

Display cases held spice bottles full of dried marijuana as well as
paraphernalia such as glass pipes and bongs.

Narcotics investigators counted 120 labeled and full pill bottles
discovered in one of the white coolers.

The office had a ventilation system, small marijuana plants under
grow lights and scales.