Pot Shop Has 'Nothing to Hide' in Wake of Homicide Probe

West Hollywood has no plans to change its ordinance governing licensed medical marijuana dispensaries in the city in the wake of a triple homicide that sheriff's department officials have said may be linked to illegal drug activities.

At a news conference last week, Sheriff Lee Baca said criminal enterprises are buying and reselling pot purchased at local marijuana dispensaries for profit. Two marijuana collectives in West Hollywood were mentioned, but not identified, at the news conference—one on La Cienega Boulevard and another on Sunset Boulevard. Investigators are still in the process of trying to substantiate some information about the marijuana dispensaries involved.

"Nothing is different," said Jeffrey Aubel, the city's code compliance manager. "We are happy with the way the four [clinics] are legally operating in the city." He said City Hall has not heard any new consumer complaints or concerns since the killings.

However, the city is still engaged in legal action against shops it says are unlicensed. West Hollywood limits the number of licensed medical marijuana dispensaries to four. In June, the City Council passed an ordinance making it a misdemeanor to operate a dispensary in the city without a license.

Earlier this year, the city sent a stop order to C.A.R.E Collective from Van Nuys because it began setting up shop on the 7700 block of Santa Monica Boulevard.

West Hollywood is also engaged in a legal dispute with the Sunset Super Shop on Sunset Boulevard, which the city contends is operating without the proper permits. The shop's attorney told West Hollywood Patch in July that the shop has operated since 2004 and changed ownership in late 2007. The attorney argues that a conditional-use permit secured by the shop when it first opened protects the property from new city regulations.

Sunset Super Shop manager "Dub," who didn't want his real name used, declined to directly address the ongoing legal issues with the city. He also didn't want to discuss the triple homicides, which he says the store has not been linked with. He would, however, say the shop's intention has been to comply with all regulations and to run an "extremely legitimate" above-board business. He believes the nonprofit collective has been unfairly targeted both by the city and in a recent spate of vandalisms.

"We are under the microscope, but we have nothing to hide," he said.

He said medical marijuana in general gets a "terrible rap" and that rather than serve "people trying to get high," his store's mission is to help legitimate customers, such as HIV and cancer patients. Nansee Lanning, who owns the shop with her husband, George, is a cancer survivor, he said.

"They are not like the young guys driving around in Mercedes looking to get rich," he said.

The city's ordinance governing medical marijuana shops is designed to ensure that they are in compliance with Proposition 215, the voter-approved ballot initiative that legalized marijuana for medicinal use in 1996. Among its terms: Stores must provide adequate security and lighting, licensed guards, neighborhood patrols, operate no later than 8 p.m. (7 p.m. Sundays), and provide no on-site recommendations or more marijuana than allowed for personal use.

As for the current violent climate, Dub said, "The whole thing is screwed up. It's sad that people had to die."

Pirooz Moussazadeh, 27; his brother, Shariar Moussazadeh, 38; and Bernard Khalili, 27, were shot and killed Aug. 26 at a West Hollywood apartment building.

Pirooz Moussazadeh and Khalili were purchasing marijuana from local collectives and then reselling it, the L.A. County Sheriff's Department has said.

A suspect, Harold Yong Park, 31, was arrested last week and now faces murder and robbery charges. He was allegedly found with five pounds of marijuana at the time of his arrest.

Representatives of other pot collectives contacted by Patch declined to comment.