In a series of raids, the DEA has been going to marijuana dispensaries in Washington State, even after the legalization of the substance in November.
"DEA spokeswoman Jodie Underwood confirmed the operation to The Associated Press and said all search warrants had been executed by Wednesday evening. Underwood did not go into detail about the raids," reported The Huffington Post.
One dispensary, Bayside Gardens, wrote on its Facebook page, "We are still open! We may not have meds at the moment but we are still open!" the post read. "They will not keep us down Thank You everyone for ALL of you support and love. We have no Meds, but we still have our dignity and we aren't going anywhere [all sic]."
Reportedly, Bayside Gardens was raided by the DEA. An employee, Casey Lee told King 5 News that around seven cars came and participated in the raid and confiscated documents as well as $2,500 worth of medical marijuana.
"A search warrant affidavit filed in support of the earlier searches said there was evidence that the medical dispensaries were fronts for commercial drug dealing. No federal criminal charges immediately resulted from the 2011 searches of those four shops," reported The AP.
Washington State and Colorado are the only two states in the U.S. that have legalized recreational marijuana use. To date, 18 states allow medical marijuana. The state legalized adult possession of up to an ounce of marijuana. It is however, still illegal federally.
"The Drug Enforcement Administration's enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act remains unchanged," said the DEA in a press statement after the Washington and Colarado legalizations. "In enacting the Controlled Substances Act, Congress determined that marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance. The Department of Justice is reviewing the ballot initiatives and we have no additional comment at this time."
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