DEA Refuses Research Request for Pot
January 13th, 2009 by Perry
A University of Massachusetts professor was denied a petition by the DEA to grow medical marijuana strictly for research purposes. The professor failed to prove that the government’s monopoly on the drug’s growth was inadequate in creating supply for study.
Lyle Craker, a horticulturalist, applied for the permit in 2001, citing government-grown pot as not being potent enough to conduct accurate studies of the drug’s effects.
His cause has gained support from local legislators, Massachusetts Sens. Edward Kennedy and John Kerry, have supported his cause, and the state recently decriminalized possession of the drug. DEA attorneys defended governmental pot, saying a Mississippi growing center provides strong enough weed for valid research across the country.
It’s interesting to see Massachusetts as such a hotbed for marijuana activity. If only this doctor was allowed to grow his own Christmas Kush, he’d know just how potent marijuana can get.
Mississippi Drug Ring Busted by DEA
November 23rd, 2006 by Alex
In Mississippi, a large and extremely sophisticated drug ring has been busted by the DEA. Spanning from Mexico to Texas to Mississippi, Operation Central Hub made some concrete headway in linking Mexican cartels to legitimate, local business leaders in the Hattiesburg and Jackson areas.
So, what’s the score on this bust? Try $15 million in drugs and another $2.9 million in cash / assets. Not exactly the neighborhood dealer sellings grams to all the college kids. Every arrest was a result of nearly 2 years of coordinated work between multiple government agencies.
DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Stephen Luzinski had this to say about the operation:
Operation Central Hub targeted and successfully dismantled one of the largest drug trafficking operations ever known to operate in the State of Mississippi. It was especially significant in that agents were able to successfully trace the movement of both drugs and money from the hands of high level Mississippi traffickers into the hands of some of Mexico’s most powerful drug traffickers.
Not bad at all. The drugs were trafficked using either 18-wheelers or specially converted gooseneck trailers (pictured above). The trailers have a custom hydraulics system that lowers and raises the trailer bed, revealing thousands of pounds of narcotics.
Multiple indictments were handed out as a result of the investigation – criminal forfeiture of drug related assets, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. In other words, an all included, paid vacation at the nearest federal prison is in many guys’ futures.
