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East County News Service
March 22, 2018 (El Cajon) – Nine employees and two security guards were arrested today after El Cajon Police Department officers, aided by the San Diego County Integrated Narcotic Task Force, served a search warrant at Cloud 9 Wellness, a non-licensed marijuana dispensary operating illegally in the city of El Cajon.
A large amount of cash and marijuana was seized as evidence. All of those arrested are adults, according to ECPD.
“This is the second search warrant served on Cloud Nine Wellness for selling marijuana within the City of El Cajon this month,” says Lt. Walt Miller with ECPD’s investigative division. “Prior to these warrants being served, Cloud 9 Wellness was warned repeatedly by the El Cajon City Attorney’s office to cease and desist its sales of marijuana,” he adds.
Although California voters have legalized sale of medical and recreation marijuana, the same law allows cities to regulate or to prohibit marijuana sales. The City of El Cajon enacted a municipal code that prohibits the sale of marijuana in all parts of the city and does not issue permits or a business license for the sale of marijuana.
“This law will be strictly enforced, in part, to help prevent the type of activity these illegal businesses often bring to nearby neighborhood residents, such as discarded drug paraphernalia, excessive loitering, robberies, and burglaries,” Lt. Miller says.
The problem with crime and dispensaries in East County has involved illegal dispensaries, where issues have ranged from armed robberies to unsafe storage of flammable fuels. The plethora of unlicensed dispensaries has created a situation tantamount to whack-a-mole, with heavy law enforcement resources being expended to raid or close down illegal operators.
The only legally licensed dispensary currently in East County is in the unincorporated part of El Cajon overseen by the Sheriff’s department and governed by County Supervisors.
Interestingly, no crimes have been reported since that sole legal dispensary opened several years ago, other than one break-in attempt that the dispensary reported, and the suspects were caught by Sheriff’s deputies. Security cameras, metal detectors and inspections help prevent illegal activities.
While the crackdowns have backing from some community members and anti-drug groups opposed to legalized marijuana, other community members have a different view.
Some El Cajon residents, posting on our prior story, objected to their city cracking down on illegal dispensaries and refusing to create a legal process for licensing any – a choice that puts El Cajon at odds with La Mesa and Lemon Grove, where those cities’ residents voted to legalize medical marijuana dispensaries and licensing of applicants is in process.
One poster concerns over residents seeking medical cannabis “as a last hope” for treatment of medical conditions.
An El Cajon resident calling himself Grandfather wrote, “The voters overwhelmingly wanted weed to become a recreational substance, yet certain people with the power to do so, continue in the creation of laws that We The People don't want. Remember everyone, they work for us. We voted then in, and can vote them out.”
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