Police Shut Down Last Pot Shop in Chatsworth

Three people were arrested as police closed down the last remaining medical marijuana storefront in Chatsworth Monday afternoon.

Narcotics officers from the Los Angeles Police Department's Devonshire Division served a search warrant around 3 p.m. at the Herbal Medicine Care facility in the 10100 block of Topanga Canyon Boulevard, police said.

The warrant was served after an extensive investigation into criminal conduct at the store provided detectives with probable cause to serve the warrant and shut down the business.

Three people were arrested for suspicion of possession of marijuana for sale. More than 50 pounds of marijuana, including 156 plants valued at over $600,000, were confiscated, as were the store's medical records.

Police pointed out at 6 p.m. news conference at the police station that although California voters approved Proposition 215 in 1996 allowing the medical use of marijuana, state and federal law continue to make illegal to use marijuana for recreational use.

There were once more than 60 medical marijuana businesses in the Devonshire Division.

Starting in December 2008, members of the Devonshire Division Narcotics Enforcement Detail investigated 37 facilities, found them to be in violation of the state law, and closed them down.

Several of the businesses had plain clothes armed security and guns and assault weapons were also discovered on their premises. Some of the locations not only had marijuana, but cocaine. One facility had more than $500,000 in it.

Since 2008, 74 arrests have been made, $2 million in cash has been seized, 30 guns, including an AK-47 and a Mini 14, seized, and a ton of marijuana as well as LSD, hashish, cocaine and anabolic steroids seized.

Anyone wanting more information or having information to provide related to medical marijuana businesses in the Devonshire Division was asked to call Detective Robert Holcombe at (818) 832-1164.

-- City News Service