RAIDED MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES TARGETED DUE TO ALLEGED PROFITS

A group of five medical marijuana dispensaries, including one in
Covina, raided by authorities Wednesday were targeted because the
operators were allegedly turning a profit from the establishments in
violation of state medical marijuana laws.

Eleven people were arrested in connection with the operation, which
took place Wednesday morning in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San
Diego counties.

The Alternative Medicine Collective of Covina, 20050 E. Arrow Highway,
Suite B, was forced to close its doors after a multi-agency task force
seized its products, along with four other dispensaries in the
four-county operation, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said. No
one at the Covina dispensary was arrested.

Under California's Proposition 215, also known as the Compassionate
Use Act of 1996, medical marijuana dispensaries are only allowed to
operate as non-profits, Capt. Ralph Ornelas of the Sheriff's Narcotics
Bureau said.

"This organization was definitely working outside the law," he
said.

"Our investigation proved they were charging people and making a
profit out of it," Ornelas said. "You're not supposed to make a profit."

Authorities also searched an Alhambra home in the 1600 block of Curtis
Avenue, though no evidence was seized, the captain said.

Erik Andresen, 35, of Seal Beach was arrested as the "primary suspect"
in the case against the five dispensaries, Ornelas said.

He was booked on suspicion of cultivation of marijuana and another
marijuana-related offense at the sheriff's Norwalk Station, according
to a jailer. He was released Thursday after posting $100,000 bail.

Andresen said he serves as an advisor for the organization of patients
involved and denied any wrongdoing.

"We are a group of patients who are together, collectively, to provide
medicine for sick people," he said.

Andresen said the dispensaries did not make a profit.

"You're allowed to be reimbursed for your time," he said. He declined
to say how much money he has received in compensation, but described
it as "piddly."

"I don't own a home," he said.

Andresen added that the collectives generally give excess marijuana
free of charge to their sickest patients.

"We don't turn a profit because be give away any extra proceeds," he
said.

The names of the other 10 people arrested on drug related charges were
not available Thursday, Ornelas said.

In all, the multi-agency task force searched five marijuana
dispensaries, one cultivation site, two processing sites, seven homes
and a sailboat, sheriff's officials said in a written statement.

Ornelas said they were located in Covina, Alhambra, Long Beach, Seal
Beach, Huntington Beach, Fullerton, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside
and Palm Springs, Ornelas said.

In addition to the Covina establishment, the medical marijuana
dispensaries raided Wednesday included the Palm Springs Holistic
Collective, the Riverside Compassionate Wellness Center, the San Diego
Holistic Collective, and the Compassionate Medical Collective in San
Diego, Ornelas said.

Andresen said that as far as he knows, only one dispensary in San
Diego is affiliated with his patient group.

Officials seized 35 marijuana plants, valued at $70,000; 78 pounds of
processed pot, valued at $234,000; seven gallons of concentrated
cannabis oils, valued at $44,800; about 4,000 pre-packaged,
marijuana-laced edible products; hydroponic growing equipment and
chemicals; and about $20,000 in cash, according to the sheriff's statement.

The edible products included, "Lolly pops, ice pops, candy bars,
brownies - all that stuff," Ornelas said.

He said sheriff's narcotics officials are looking into requesting
agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration get involved.

Andresen said he would have no problem cooperating with health
regulations governing edible marijuana products.