Feds Roll on SoCal Marijuana Stores

SANTA ANA, Calif. (CN) - Federal officials on Thursday "moved against 63 illegal marijuana stores in the city of Santa Ana," the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Federal prosecutors executed two search warrants and filed three asset-forfeiture complaints against Santa Ana properties, "where a total of seven marijuana stores are currently operating," the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement.

"Prosecutors sent warning letters to people associated with 56 other stores not involved in the forfeiture actions. The federal actions involve all known marijuana stores in the City of Santa Ana," according to the statement.

Californians and the federal government have been fighting legal battles over medical marijuana for years. The federal government appears to be winning.

Prosecutors said in the statement:

"The forfeiture lawsuits allege that the owners of the properties knowingly allowed commercial marijuana stores to operate. The buildings named in the asset forfeiture lawsuits currently house:

"GLC (or the Green Love Collective, currently in a suite that formerly housed a store called Old Remedies) and The Dispensary Store, which are operating in a building at 1638 East 17th Street, a property owned by chiropractor Mark Burcaw, and previously have been the subject of administrative citations issued by the city;

"SoCal Compassion, Club Meds and Well Greenz, which are located in a building at 1651 East Edinger, another building owned by Burcaw, and are illegal marijuana operations that prompted Santa Ana to file a civil lawsuit last year seeking injunctive relief against Burcaw and the three marijuana stores; and

"J Pacific Life (which is located in a suite that formerly housed marijuana stores called Saddleback Meds and The Natural Alternative) and Healing OC, which operate out of 1665 East 4th Street and have been the subject of numerous warnings and administrative citations from the City of Santa Ana."

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