Six Arrested in Los Angeles Marijuana Dispensary Raid

Los Angeles - Six people were arrested for conspiracy to sell cocaine and marijuana after a dispensary raid in the Devonshire area of Los Angeles turned up drugs and weapons on Wednesday, according to authorities.
The LAPD Devonshire Narcotics Enforcement Detail set up to serve a search warrant at the White Oak Healing Center, a so-called medical marijuana dispensary. This was the location of an attempted murder investigation late last year wherein the owner's son, Elias George, was shot multiple times in what had all the appearances of an organized crime style hit. The resulting attempt murder investigation by LAPD West Valley Area Homicide led to information that the store owner, Raymond George, was involved in the interstate transportation and sales of marijuana and cocaine to the Midwest.
A High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Team (Joint Federal and State Narcotics Task Force) in Ohio in coordination with LAPD Devonshire Narcotics Enforcement Detail investigated Mr. George and his associates. Over the next few months investigating officers learned Mr. George maintained residences in Los Angeles and the Cleveland, Ohio area. He ran the White Oak Healing Center as a retail storefront for the cultivation and sale of marijuana and as a location to facilitate the wholesale sale and distribution of cocaine. Devonshire Narcotics Enforcement Detail Detectives conducted their side of the investigation on the White Oak Healing Center including undercover purchases of marijuana determining it was being operated in violation of state law. They obtained a search warrant for the location and Mr. George.
While set up and staged to serve the warrant Devonshire, West Valley and Ohio HIDTA Officers received last minute information that Mr. George was inside the location armed with an AK 47 assault rifle, a .380 auto and his pet Pit Bull. Officers were aware the location was fortified with steel security doors front and rear, numerous security cameras and other interior fortifications. Further, it was located in a strip mall of other legitimate businesses and directly across the street from Pinecrest Elementary School. It had opaque windows with three large green crosses adorning its storefront location.