Hopland Band submits claim for county raid of marijuana operation


A tribal police vehicle. Photo: Hopland Band of Pomo Indians

The Hopland Band of Pomo Indians has filed a claim in connection with a raid on its marijuana operation in California.

Authorities in Mendocino County destroyed 847 marijuana plants during the raid last September, according to a press release from the sheriff's office. The tribe is now seeking more than $25,000 in damages in the claim, which was first reported by The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat.

The tribe's partner in the operation, Therafields, also filed a claim seeking more than $25,000 in damages. The marijuana was being cultivated for medicinal purposes, the paper reported.

“I think the claim is self-explanatory,” tribal attorney Lester Marston told the paper.

The county was previously hit with a claim from the Pinoleville Pomo Nation, whose marijuana operation was raided in September 2015, a year prior to the raid on the Hopland Band.

Both tribes entered the industry after the Department of Justice, during the Obama administration, seemingly opened the door for cultivation of the marijuana in Indian Country. But only a small number of tribes, all located in Washington state, have successfully joined the industry.

Read More on the Story:
2nd Mendocino County tribe files claim over pot eradication (The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat 3/21)

Department of Justice Document:
Policy Statement Regarding Marijuana Issues in Indian Country (October 2014)

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