---<br /> <br /> Federal agents raided three medical marijuana clubs and more than 20 other=<br /> =20<br /> homes and businesses Wednesday in what law enforcement authorities are=20<br /> calling a sprawling investigation into an alleged criminal organization=20<br /> involved in money laundering and other illegal activities.<br /> <br /> While the details of the investigation will not be officially released=20<br /> until indictments are unsealed today, the probe is focused on three medical=<br /> =20<br /> pot clubs: the Sunset Medical Resource Center at 454 Judah St.; the Herbal=<br /> =20<br /> Relief Center at 1545 Ocean Ave.; and the Alternative Relief Co-Op at 1939=<br /> =20<br /> Ocean Ave.<br /> <br /> Law enforcement authorities say the group, which has ties to Singapore and=<br /> =20<br /> Vancouver, was allegedly laundering millions of medical-marijuana dollars=20<br /> through a number of specialized gardening centers catering to pot growers,=<br /> =20<br /> including one on Filbert Street in North Beach and one on Ocean Ave. Money=<br /> =20<br /> from the pot clubs, which are illegal under federal law, was allegedly=20<br /> funneled through the gardening stores, which police say were essentially=20<br /> fronts.<br /> <br /> "This is not a medical marijuana thing," said a high-ranking law=20<br /> enforcement official who has been working on the case for months. "This is=<br /> =20<br /> an organized, criminal conspiracy to launder money, to make a ton of profit=<br /> =20<br /> utilizing sick people and the medical marijuana laws of the state of=20<br /> California."<br /> <br /> The raids, which netted at least 15 arrests, came just two weeks after the=<br /> =20<br /> U.S. Supreme Court, in a blow to medical marijuana advocates, ruled that=20<br /> the federal government had the authority to prosecute medical marijuana=20<br /> users, although medical use remains legal under state law. California=20<br /> voters approved Proposition 215 in 1996, which allowed the use of marijuana=<br /> =20<br /> under a doctor's prescription for medicinal purposes.<br /> <br /> The City has more than 40 marijuana dispensaries and the Board of=20<br /> Supervisors recently passed a moratorium on new clubs opening until=20<br /> regulations can be established.<br /> <br /> Former District Attorney Terence Hallinan, who is representing the owners=20<br /> of the Sunset Medical Resource Center and the Herbal Relief Center, called=<br /> =20<br /> the raids "a reaction to the Supreme Court decision."<br /> <br /> "I'm just surprised they didn't wait longer," said Hallinan. "These are=20<br /> legitimate medical marijuana clubs that have been operating for years=20<br /> serving thousands of sick people in San Francisco."<br /> <br /> Capt. Tim Hettrich, head of The City's narcotics division, said his=20<br /> investigators were involved in gathering evidence at some of the private=20<br /> residences and businesses, but did not partake in the raids on the cannabis=<br /> =20<br /> clubs and did not serve any warrants.<br /> <br /> Police would not name those arrested Wednesday until federal indictments=20<br /> are unsealed today. Hallinan said one of his clients, an owner of the=20<br /> Sunset club, had been arrested at his home.<br /> <br /> Van Nguyen, 27, the proprietor of the Herbal Relief Center and a City=20<br /> College business student, was not arrested. He stood outside the center and=<br /> =20<br /> watched through the window as federal agents packed up files and bagged=20<br /> marijuana.<br /> <br /> He said he did not know about the raids until an employee showed up for=20<br /> work at 11 a.m.<br /> <br /> "He called me up and said, =91I don't think we should open up today.' I=<br /> said,=20<br /> =91What's the problem?' He said, =91We are already open =97 the DEA is=<br /> here.'"<br /> <br /> Nguyen said he has run the business for more than five years and never made=<br /> =20<br /> a profit.<br /> <br /> "If I was an international drug lord I wouldn't be standing here," he said.=<br /> =20<br /> "I'd be overseas."<br /> <br /> Medical marijuana pioneer Wayne Justman, who worked on getting Prop. 215=20<br /> passed, said he would not judge the merits of the raids until he had seen=20<br /> the evidence the federal government has against the suspects.<br /> <br /> "I hear talk of money laundering and gang activity, I don't hear Prop. 215=<br /> =20<br /> being challenged," he said.<br /> <br /> If marijuana clubs are laundering money, he said he has no problem with=20<br /> their prosecution.<br /> <br /> "If we have a rotten fish in the barrel, let's get that out, too," he said.<br /> <br /> E-mail: jdineen@examiner.com<br /> <br /> <br />Aurora Indica |  B52 |  Big Bud |  California Orange Bud |  Citral |  Four Way |  Haze |  Hindu Kush |  Indoor Mix |  Jock Horror |  K2 |  Maroc x Afghan |  Northern Light x Big Bud |  Northern Light x Haze |  Northern Light x Shiva |  Shiva |  Skunk #1 |  Skunk Red Hair |  Skunk Special |  Papaya |  White Rhino |  Haze 19 x Skunk |  Afghan |  Master Kush |  Northern Light |  Super Skunk |  Top 44 |  Durban Poison |  Early Bud |  Early Girl |  Early Misty |  Early Special |  Hawaii x Maui Waui |  Hawaii x Skunk #1 |  Hollands Hope |  KC 33 x Master Kush |  Mixed Sativa |  New Purple Power |  Swazi |  Swiss Miss |  Northern Bright |  Snow White (fem.) |  Supergirl |  Venus |  Wonder Woman |  Kaya |  PPP (fem.) |  Medusa |  Blue Mystic |  Chrystal |  Ice |  Misty |  PPP |  White Widow |  Nirvana Special |  White Rhino |  Snow White |  AK-48 |  Bubblelicious |  Silver Pearl |  Haze |  Jock Horror |  Northern Light x Haze |  White Rhino |  Haze 19 x Skunk |