How to Keep the DEA far away. (for MJ growers)

[jkolt89]

Here are some of the investigative techniques used by the DEA to bust people. It's a good guide as to things that can be done to lower the chances of getting in trouble with them. Please add anything might be missing.

The following info is from Vol. 11 "Best of" High Times magazine. The article is an excerpt from The Pennsylvania Crime Commission's 1991 Annual Report on Drug use.

INDICATORS
~~~~~~~~~~

* Suspect appears on the DEA Green Merchant list
* Suspect is a member of the Hydroponic Society of America, PO box 6067, Concord, CA 94524
* Suspect receives frequent calls from known marijuana growers or distributors
* Suspect's phone tolls reveal contact with outlets that sell equipment related to marijauana growing, IE Dansco or Hamilton
* Suspect uses a business front for money laundering
* Suspect buys property and places someone else in it, or "straw purchase"
* Suspect has a lease with an option to buy, or has no credit but makes large cash payments
* Suspect buys a ranch or farm, but does not operate it in a norm matter
* Neighbors indicate that the ranch is supporting more people than normal
* Suspect has guard dogs, such as rottweilers, pit bulls, Doberman pinschers, or German Shepherds
* Suspect is unfriendly and acts paranoid toward neighbors and others, e.g. public utilities, telephone service, or power service
* Suspect has large outbuildings on the property that are kept closed, i.e. barns, sheds, excavations, etc.
* Windows that would normally be open are always covered
* Outbuildings have swamp coolers or air conditioners
* Excessive water usage, or water lines or electrical cords running to basement or outbuildings
* Unusual number of roof vents, exhaust-fan, ballast noise or windows sweating in outbuildings or house
* Meter seals broken or tampered with, or access to meter denied
* Backline feed
* Potting soil present around outbuildings and flower beds
* Lava rock or other hydroponic medium scattered around outbuildings
* Suspect uses outside contractors to construct buildings
* Suspect request that underground power lines going into newly constructed building be left uncovered
* Property posted for no trespassing, or presence of security gates and alarm systems
* Eratic or sudden increase/decrease in power consumption
* Delivery of large amounts of propane, diesel, or wood
* Suspect purchases a power generator
* U-Haul or delivery trucks arriving late at night
* Suspect tells conflicting stories aobut how he earns his money, claiming it is from inheritance, lottery, etc
* Suspect frequently observed using pay phone
* Suspect has a portable or car phone
* Suspect has a beeper
* Suspect goes on unexplained trips
* Suspect deals in cash, and request receipts made out to "cash"
* Suspect avoids leaving paper trail
* Suspect buys a large amount of Baggies, Seal-a-Meal, or other packing materials
* Increased activity at the suspects location every 45-90 days
* Suspect purchases a large quantity of 3 and 5 gallon buckets or PVC pipe, fans, vents, pumps, mylar, etc
* Companies delivering potting soil and fertilizers to any location other than site where soil is to be used
* Suspect owns only a few items of furniture
* Suspect indicates taht he is self-employed on rental applications
* Suspect rents or leases property, such as a single-family home with attached garage, or a single-family ranch/home with attached garage, or outbuildings
* Houses rented under an assumed name
* Boxes, bags, or suitcases often carried in or out of residence
* Suspect may leave a PO box or paper telephone number as contact point
* Presence of packaging material from 400 to 1000 watt metal halide or high pressure sodium bulbs

POSSIBLE INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* Obtain phone tolls of businesses that sell marijuana-growing equip.
* Obtain suspect's power bills for the last 6 months to a year
* Obtain suspect's water bills for the last 6 months to a year
* Surveil outlets that sell marijuana growing equipment
* Educate utilty companies and establish contact person within the company
* Check with companies that sell sea-freight containers, semitrailers, vans, 55 gallon poly drums or 3 and 5 gallon plastic buckets
* Check with companies that sell generators, propane, diesel, or wood
* Check with hardware stores for large purchase of fans, dehumidifier pruning shears, etc.
* Check with nurseries for sales of potting soil and fertilizers
* Consider thermal imager or FLIR surveillance to confirm the presence of "grow lights" and active vents

SOURCES: "Profiles of Indoor Cannabis Growers", Drug Enforcement Administration, compiled by DEA S/A Charles A. Stowell, and detective Rob Ringsage, Oregon State Police.

[Euphoric]

Maybe add to the title that this is specifically for marijuana growers.

[fnord]

Potting soil present around outbuildings and flower beds

What you cant add potting soil to your flower bed nowadays?

[Coconut]

Just goes to show how idiotic police guidelines like these are. Any non-grower could easily fit any or all of these criteria, so innocent people get arrested.

[bman1]

That’s what swib is wondering. swib grandmother buys special soil mixes and tills it in with her outdoor garden that has a varity of vegetables and flowers. Are the targeting little old ladies now?

• Suspect has a portable or car phone
* Suspect has a beeper

Do they still make beepers? And now a days who does not have a cell phone. Many children in elementary schools where swib lives have there own phone to keep in contact with mommy and daddy?

Also swib might have missed this on the list but to swib the most important things would be light leaking out of windows and smell. Or a rented house that no one lives at yet people visit often

[doggy_hat]

Originally Posted by bman1

That’s what swib is wondering. swib grandmother buys special soil mixes and tills it in with her outdoor garden that has a varity of vegetables and flowers. Are the targeting little old ladies now?

• Suspect has a portable or car phone
* Suspect has a beeper

Do they still make beepers? And now a days who does not have a cell phone. Many children in elementary schools where swib lives have there own phone to keep in contact with mommy and daddy?

Also swib might have missed this on the list but to swib the most important things would be light leaking out of windows and smell. Or a rented house that no one lives at yet people visit often

The article was written in 1991, So back then Cell Phones and Pagers were uncommon.

I've also heard that undercover cops will follow suspicious people home from Hardware Stores/Nurseries, when they buy large quantities of fertilizer or other potential Cannabis growing supplies. Does anybody know if there is any truth behind this?

[Dark_Man_Of_Peace]

Umm...... If you want to keep them away don't do it!

[jkolt89]

DEA will usually watch and monitor a person to gather evidence so if person goes to hardware or garden store they will definately follow them their. Don't know if DEA would randomly follow people from hardware store or garden store just for buying some items but I wouldn't be surprised.

[Felonious Skunk]

I think every man, woman, and child in Amerika is on that list. Way to go DEA.

Thank God they're so stupid, I mean they would have to be to only stop 1% of all the crap flowing into, and/or manufactured/grown within the borders of this forlorn country...

[jkolt89]

Felonious Skunk - You are probably sooooo right