A two-year effort to make it harder to get baked in Lake Forest might finally have ended when federal officials shut down the city's last remaining dispensary.
Officials raided Charles Café, known for its weed-infused goodies, on Friday, the Orange County Register reports. The feds not only confiscated the weed and the pot-filled food, but also arrested both of Charles Café's owners, the story says.
Lt. Pat Higa, the city's chief of police services, tells the Register the eatery broke a federal law. “They were selling edibles, which are in violation of a federal mandate.”
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Friday's closure marks the end of a tumultuous process–a collaborative effort between city and federal officials–aimed to close down every medical marijuana dispensary in Lake Forest. There were 38 in total. But, the success–as some city officials are touting it–didn't come without a cost. In fact, the city accrued almost $900,000 in legal fees, the Register reports.
But, according to what he told the Register, Mayor Peter Herzog thinks its worth it:
“We're thrilled they're all closed now. These were operations that knew from the beginning they were in violation of our zoning laws. Even after several reminders they ignored the law. We undertook efforts to enforce the law. The city has achieved an important step in protecting the community.”
There are, of course, lots of people who aren't happy about the sweeping closures. Just last month, hundreds of people gathered outside city hall to protest the city's cannabis crackdown.
