HOME, OFFICE OF MARIJUANA ADVOCATE RAIDED ON BIG ISLE

HILO, Hawai'i - Marijuana advocate Roger Christie said his home and
offices have been raided by federal agents and Big Island police.

The founder and director of The Hawaii Cannabis Ministry said
records, cash and marijuana he uses as a sacrament were seized Wednesday.

Christie said he knows of about half a dozen similar raids on the Big Island.

He told The Advertiser yesterday that he does not know what prompted
the raid, which he said involved Internal Revenue Service officials.

Deputy U.S. Attorney Tom Muehleck said Thursday no one was arrested
and that no charges were filed.

Christie maintains the cultivation and enjoyment of cannabis is a
fundamental human right provided by God and protected by the First Amendment.

The day before the raids, a member of the ministry was convicted in
Colorado of misdemeanor drug charges. The judge in the case said teh
man's beliefs didn't rise to the level of a religion.

The Hawaii Trubune-Herald reported that a police log for Wednesday
showed 12 report numbers indicating police assistance to outside law
enforcement agencies between 4 a.m. and just past 3p.m. Five
incidents occurred in Puna, four in South Hilo, and one each in North
Hilo, Hamakua and Ka'u.

A police spokewoman confirmed that all were related to the federal operation.