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Bluelight Crew
Federal agents dubbed the case “Operation Cedar Sweep,” zeroing in on South Florida head-shop owners of mostly Lebanese descent. Some were suspected of selling “cut” for cocaine and sending profits to the Middle East for possible terrorist activities.
But after a two-year FBI investigation with undercover police officers, Miami federal prosecutors lacked evidence to make terrorism support cases. And this week, prosecutors also decided to drop drug-related charges against 27 defendants, many of whom had been detained since their arrests early this year.
“Dropping charges against a few defendants is not that unusual,” said attorney David Weinstein, former chief of the narcotics and national security sections at the U.S. attorney’s office in Miami, who was not involved in the Cedar Sweep probe. “Dropping charges against 27 defendants connected together in one investigation is highly unusual.”
In February, the U.S. attorney’s office issued a press release crediting the investigative work of nearly a dozen federal and local enforcement agencies that led to the 13 narcotics-related indictments of 27 defendants, all owners or employees of head shops in South Florida. Among the targeted shops: Mushroom Novelty & Gifts, Hip Hop Gift Shop and Rainbow 7 in Miami-Dade, as well as head-shop operators at the Oakland Park Flea Market in Broward.
The defendants were accused of selling “cut” — mixtures containing regulated pharmaceutical products such as lidocaine, tetracocaine or benzocaine — to drug dealers who would use it to bolster their production of cocaine or heroine to maximize street profits.
Prosecutors charged the head shop owners and employees with conspiring to aid and abet the manufacture and distribution of controlled substances, attempting to aid and abet the manufacture and distribution of controlled substances, and selling and offering to sell narcotics paraphernalia, such as beakers, baggies and cocaine compressors.
Convictions carried penalties up to life in prison.
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/05/...p-major-drug-cases-against.html#ixzz1MIj1UVbC
But after a two-year FBI investigation with undercover police officers, Miami federal prosecutors lacked evidence to make terrorism support cases. And this week, prosecutors also decided to drop drug-related charges against 27 defendants, many of whom had been detained since their arrests early this year.
“Dropping charges against a few defendants is not that unusual,” said attorney David Weinstein, former chief of the narcotics and national security sections at the U.S. attorney’s office in Miami, who was not involved in the Cedar Sweep probe. “Dropping charges against 27 defendants connected together in one investigation is highly unusual.”
In February, the U.S. attorney’s office issued a press release crediting the investigative work of nearly a dozen federal and local enforcement agencies that led to the 13 narcotics-related indictments of 27 defendants, all owners or employees of head shops in South Florida. Among the targeted shops: Mushroom Novelty & Gifts, Hip Hop Gift Shop and Rainbow 7 in Miami-Dade, as well as head-shop operators at the Oakland Park Flea Market in Broward.
The defendants were accused of selling “cut” — mixtures containing regulated pharmaceutical products such as lidocaine, tetracocaine or benzocaine — to drug dealers who would use it to bolster their production of cocaine or heroine to maximize street profits.
Prosecutors charged the head shop owners and employees with conspiring to aid and abet the manufacture and distribution of controlled substances, attempting to aid and abet the manufacture and distribution of controlled substances, and selling and offering to sell narcotics paraphernalia, such as beakers, baggies and cocaine compressors.
Convictions carried penalties up to life in prison.
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/05/...p-major-drug-cases-against.html#ixzz1MIj1UVbC
They are far from enemy number one when it comes to these things.