Agents: Pot clubs fronts for drug crime

Three San Francisco medicinal marijuana clubs raided by federal agents were being used as fronts for a major drug trafficking operation, authorities alleged Thursday as more details emerged about the two-year federal probe that led to this week's raids.

Federal drug enforcement agents Wednesday seized more than 9,000 marijuana plants with an estimated street value of $5 million from three cannabis clubs located in San Francisco's Ingleside and Sunset neighborhoods, U.S. Attorney Kevin Ryan said during a press conference in San Francisco.

Fifteen people were arrested, including two South Bay men, Minho Thomas Cho, 25, of Santa Clara, and Faisal Mansoor Aly Gowani, 32, of San Jose. Cho and Gowani were among those charged with conspiracy to cultivate, possess and distribute marijuana over a four-year period.
Arrest warrants also have been issued for five others. All 20 were indicted last week by a federal grand jury on various charges, including money-laundering and international bulk-cash smuggling

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Like Louie Armstrong
Played the trumpet
I'll hit dat bong and break ya off something soon
I got to get my props
Cops
Come and try to snatch my crops
These pigs wanna blow my house down
Head underground
To the next town
They get madWhen they come to raid my pad
And I'm out in the nine deuce Cad'
Yes I'm the pirate pilot
Of this ship if I get
Wit' the ultraviolet dream
Hide from the red light beam
Now do you believe in the unseen
Look, but don't make your eyes strain
A nigga like me is goin' insane