This past week had Denver police officers kept busy with an operation referred to as “Operation Sweet Leaf” that has sixteen people charged with racketeering, marijuana distribution and money laundering. Police swept the city and raided dozen of homes across the metro Denver area thought to be part of a large marijuana growing operation.
The homes were found in Adams County, Weld County, Broomfield, Erie, Breckenridge and Denver. Multiple agencies were involved in the planning and investigations, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service and local police forces. The North Metro task force was the head of the investigations.
Officers involved in the raid served search warrants at 25 houses, in addition to the sixteen arrests. Over 1,000 marijuana plants were confiscated. While police are stating that there is no link to the state’s medical marijuana system, some people are skeptical.
There are rumors that some of the arrested people may be medical marijuana caregivers. In Colorado, a medical marijuana caregiver is a small provider that serves approximately five patients at a time and grows the marijuana in the home. There is confusion surrounding the legalities and requirements for caregivers, and this confusion may put the providers in the cross hairs of the investigations.
More arrests are expected as the investigations unfold. If you or someone you care about is a medical marijuana caregiver and concerned about the current investigations in the Denver metro area, speak with an experienced Colorado criminal defense attorney to understand your rights.
