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ImmortalZodd
I seek only the strong



Registered: 07/11/11
Posts: 433
Loc: USA
Last seen: 1 year, 9 months
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Colorado pot shops likely targets of cartels, say experts
#19400643 - 01/10/14 06:52 PM (10 years, 20 days ago) |
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As the smoke settles from the first week of legal marijuana sales in Colorado, experts are warning that sanctioned pot dealers could become targets for the very folks they put out of business.
Taking over a trade once ruled by drug cartels and turning it into an all-cash business could make pot shops prime targets for extortion, black-market competition and robbery. One veteran border narcotics agent told FoxNews.com Colorado's legal pot industry will find it hard to keep the criminals from horning in on a lucrative business they once controlled.
"What is quite possible is that cartels will hire straw owners who have clean records who can apply for a license, then sell large quantities both legally and on the black market."
- Denver DEA office spokesman Albert Villasuso
"Mexico is already in Colorado without the risks," the agent, who requested anonymity, said of the state's heavy pre-existing cartel presence. "Legal businesses will likely see a rise in extortion attempts while law enforcement will see a lot of backdoor deals being made."
Cartels, especially the Juarez and Sinaloa, who have a strong presence in Colorado, could not have been happy with the estimated $1 million in sales Jan. 1, the first day of legalized retail sales. In 2012 the Mexican Competitiveness Institute issued a report saying that Mexico’s cartels would lose as much as $1.425 billion if Colorado legalized marijuana. The organization also predicted that drug trafficking revenues would fall 20 to 30 percent, and the Sinaloa cartel, which would be the most affected, would lose up to 50 percent.
Faced with such losses, the violent cartels could force their way in as black market wholesalers or simply rob pot dispensaries, which take only cash and have not been able to establish accounts with banks because of lenders' fears of violating federal laws. But the general consensus is that the Mexican cartels will not quietly relinquish the Denver market.
The owner of the Colorado Springs dispensary told the Denver Post he is planning to get a concealed-weapons permit, for protection when he has to move money out of the store.
"Any way you plan it out, there's going to be a large amount of cash around," he said. "And that's extremely scary."
Denver police are taking a wait-and-see posture as to what may emerge.
“It’s only been a week, so we still have to sit back and see how this will play out,” Denver Police spokesman Sonny Jackson told FoxNews.com. “We’re a police department, we’re always concerns about what may happen.”
Jackson said he would not speculate as to if or which cartels may decide to infiltrate the legitimate businesses or how.
“We’re concerned with the public consumption right now,” Jackson said.
The Marijuana Enforcement Division of the Colorado Department of Revenue, the primary enforcement office responsible for overseeing the production and sale of the retail marijuana, did not return repeated attempts by Fox News.com for comment.
Denver DEA office spokesman Albert Villasuso said with some 50 retail outlets in operation, the agency can only monitor if, how and when the cartels decide to move in to the legalized retail industry in Colorado.
"What is quite possible is that cartels will hire straw owners who have clean records who can apply for a license, then sell large quantities both legally and on the black market," Villasuso said. "We still don't know what the fall out will be but when there is this much money involved the potential is great for groups to want capitalize."
Villasuso also said that even if legal stores do face extortion efforts by cartel groups it is unlikely law enforcement will even be made aware of it if merchants are too frightened to come to police. Extortion has proven to be a lucrative ancillary enterprise for cartels in Mexico resulting in thousands of businesses closing rather than pay the quota, as it is called, or the store owners face the threat of death, which too has occurred.
One group who hopes to mitigate any risks is the Blue Line Protection Group, which specializes only in security for the marijuana stores.
Seeing a growing market, Ted Daniels started the company and uses ex-military and law enforcement to provide security for the stores' money and supply shipments, and the growing operations. The highly-trained and combat-experienced guards are heavily-armed with assault rifles and protective vests.
"This was an industry here that created a lot of challenges," Daniels told WDVR television news in Denver Jan. 7. "This group I put together is designed specifically to protect product, people, and money."
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/01/10/colorado-pot-shops-likely-targets-cartels-say-experts/
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...the illegality of cannabis is outrageous, an impediment to full utilization of a drug which helps produce the serenity and insight, sensitivity and fellowship so desperately needed in this increasingly mad and dangerous world. Carl Sagan
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HardTrippin
The Ambivalent



Registered: 11/05/09
Posts: 1,303
Loc: Canada
Last seen: 7 years, 4 months
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Re: Colorado pot shops likely targets of cartels, say experts [Re: ImmortalZodd] 3
#19400649 - 01/10/14 06:55 PM (10 years, 20 days ago) |
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Oh no! The cartels are losing money. Better repeal marijuana legalization and give it back...
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dark3st
Stranger


Registered: 08/02/13
Posts: 3,332
Last seen: 8 years, 3 months
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Re: Colorado pot shops likely targets of cartels, say experts [Re: HardTrippin]
#19400743 - 01/10/14 07:20 PM (10 years, 20 days ago) |
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1.425 billion... oh my... the USA would love to rake that in I don't know what point I'm trying to make.
It always worse before it gets better. We just have to hold on through it.
-------------------- Back.. I'm going to do it...I'm getting sober from opiates ... I got weed, gabapentin, propranolol, and GHB, I have 100mg tramadol left. I can do this. I can do this. OFINTQWGVGAKGCYKBUBX free dark P. Tampanensis prints to ODD members.
no stamps atm FREE SEEDS for ODD WCA members ONLY I have these seeds: Orange, red, and yellow sweet peppers, Purple poppies, White Habanero, Yellow Thai, Bolivian rainbow peppers, milk thistle, red chilly pepper, HBWR.
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Repertoire89
Cat



Registered: 11/15/12
Posts: 21,773
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Re: Colorado pot shops likely targets of cartels, say experts [Re: HardTrippin]
#19400778 - 01/10/14 07:29 PM (10 years, 20 days ago) |
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Quote:
HardTrippin said: Oh no! The cartels are losing money. Better repeal marijuana legalization and give it back...
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LSDylan
bass music enjoyer



Registered: 05/26/10
Posts: 4,992
Loc: Michigan
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Re: Colorado pot shops likely targets of cartels, say experts [Re: Repertoire89]
#19400821 - 01/10/14 07:40 PM (10 years, 20 days ago) |
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-------------------- DanceSafe | Voluntaryism
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DebuteMachine

Registered: 09/29/06
Posts: 6,457
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Re: Colorado pot shops likely targets of cartels, say experts [Re: LSDylan]
#19400825 - 01/10/14 07:41 PM (10 years, 20 days ago) |
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heres an idea, how about the media STFU and let local law enforcement do their jobs.
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LuSiD enthusiast
Stranger

Registered: 03/14/13
Posts: 4,325
Last seen: 4 years, 9 months
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Re: Colorado pot shops likely targets of cartels, say experts [Re: DebuteMachine]
#19400968 - 01/10/14 08:14 PM (10 years, 20 days ago) |
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Thanks for the advertisement media, if no cartel members thought of robbing a shop there you go. This makes me think of practically every teen fad i've heard of, an exaggerated story of an isolated incident, that will inspire people to do stupid shit.
-------------------- I'm addicted to coke, weed, booze, ludes and speed. Not LSD, you can't get addicted to LSD, it was built by scientists. I ain't got no demons that gonna get woke. In erowid we trust. Just take your damn pills and don't ask any questions, you'll be fine.
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my3rdeye



Registered: 08/10/12
Posts: 4,354
Loc: Canada
Last seen: 2 years, 8 months
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Re: Colorado pot shops likely targets of cartels, say experts [Re: DebuteMachine]
#19400979 - 01/10/14 08:17 PM (10 years, 20 days ago) |
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Do the cartels own bars in the USA? Probably they own lots of shit, but how many alcohol serving establishments are owned by organized crime? A few not many. The cartel will get into other things, just like how the alcohol industry legitimized after prohibition and the mob just got into drugs. The cartels exist because of prohibition, CO just took away their power. They might have cheaper pot, but it won't be better. Anyway how much money did they lose when California went medical 10 years ago? Alot I bet, BC growers lost huge market too there too. Do the cartels control Cali dispensaries? No. They have some US outdoor grows, but I have never heard of them being invloved in US med pot industry. Ending prohibition will make the cartels disapear, this article is a scare piece for DEA agents who are afraid they might need to find real jobs.
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Kizzle
Misanthrope


Registered: 08/30/11
Posts: 9,855
Last seen: 14 hours, 22 minutes
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Re: Colorado pot shops likely targets of cartels, say experts [Re: my3rdeye] 3
#19401134 - 01/10/14 08:55 PM (10 years, 20 days ago) |
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If anyone is going to extort them it'll be the DEA.
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CaptainAhab


Registered: 12/25/09
Posts: 1,875
Last seen: 5 years, 11 months
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Re: Colorado pot shops likely targets of cartels, say experts [Re: Kizzle]
#19401831 - 01/11/14 12:19 AM (10 years, 20 days ago) |
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I don't care how many businesses the cartels prop up, or how many shakedowns they do, that's pennies on the dollar for what they used to be making.
The cartels will be looking outside of the Colorado marijuana industry for new sources of revenue. I wonder where it will be?
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DebuteMachine

Registered: 09/29/06
Posts: 6,457
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Re: Colorado pot shops likely targets of cartels, say experts [Re: CaptainAhab]
#19401845 - 01/11/14 12:24 AM (10 years, 20 days ago) |
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Quote:
CaptainAhab said: I don't care how many businesses the cartels prop up, or how many shakedowns they do, that's pennies on the dollar for what they used to be making.
The cartels will be looking outside of the Colorado marijuana industry for new sources of revenue. I wonder where it will be?
The Cartels do things to each other that are far worse than anything they do to non ethical members (I really can't phrase this properly). We need to start eliminating cartels because of the violence they case in THEIR OWN countries.
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36fuckin5
Alchemycologist


Registered: 08/11/03
Posts: 12,079
Loc: Diving into Mystical Territori...
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Re: Colorado pot shops likely targets of cartels, say experts [Re: DebuteMachine]
#19403505 - 01/11/14 12:03 PM (10 years, 20 days ago) |
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It's a scare tactic by Fox News. Somebody there doesn't like legal pot and is paranoid. This whole article is ridiculous.
-------------------- Redd Foxx said: If you're offended I don't give a shit and don't come see me no more. Pat The Bunny said: A punk rock song won't ever change the world, but I can tell you about a couple that changed me. bodhisatta said: i recommend common sense and figuring it out. These are the TEKs I use. They're all as cheap and easy as possible, just like your mom.
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Ogla



Registered: 02/16/04
Posts: 11,314
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Re: Colorado pot shops likely targets of cartels, say experts [Re: 36fuckin5]
#19404048 - 01/11/14 02:08 PM (10 years, 19 days ago) |
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The people who wrote this article are experts
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huffinglue
tryin to stay sober


Registered: 09/26/08
Posts: 450
Loc: Texas
Last seen: 9 years, 5 months
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Re: Colorado pot shops likely targets of cartels, say experts [Re: Ogla]
#19404185 - 01/11/14 02:42 PM (10 years, 19 days ago) |
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We can't win for loosin.... Wait... I totally thought that made since before I typed it. I like that phrase. Maybe it's a southern thing.
-------------------- I fucking hate grammer nazis! Yes, I can't spell. Yes, I don't have perfect grammer. I post from my phone and dont give a shit about people whose lifes are so boring they get off on putting people down for not having perfect fucking grammer, even though they know excactly what there saying.. Fuck You. It's just a ride mang...
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