Some of the more than 40 people arrested during a Denver area pot raid on suspected illegal marijuana grows face charges including racketeering, money laundering and tax evasion as well as drug counts.
Court records show the charges stem from offenses beginning in 2014.
Denver area pot raid: More from around Colorado
Who’s using Colorado as a base? ‘Pirate grows’ traced to organized crime with out-of-state ties
The big sweep: Federal, local authorities target illegal grows across the Front Range
Piling up: Southern Colorado marijuana raids keep on keepin’ on
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Authorities say Thursday’s raids were the result of a yearlong, multi-state investigation into the illegal distribution of marijuana outside Colorado. A law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation says it involves people who relocated to Colorado from Texas specifically to grow marijuana that would be illegally exported.
The official says the probe began after residents living near the grows complained about the smell. The official was not authorized to talk about the investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
