This week, the Vanguard reported on a raid that took place on the business of Ted Hicks and Ryan Mears, occurring on September 14, 2016, by a group of law enforcement agencies known as TRIDENT.
TRIDENT is described as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Drug Task Force and consists of instigators from cities and counties, the state, and Federal Law Enforcement Agencies. It stands for Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team.
Yolo County Supervisor Don Saylor in September, at a “State of Marijuana” conference aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, discussed this raid while serving on a panel focusing on how cities and counties dealt with cannabis regulation.
“TRIDENT is described as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Drug Task Force and consists of instigators”
An apt, if unintentionally so, job description.
“Terrorism” describes it very well.
Ahhh… always was fascinated by Freudian slips…
That IS an interesting video. I don’t get who the woman at the podium is — a lawyer it seems. I must commend Saylor for his strong stance on this.
” I must commend Saylor for his strong stance on this.”
Me, too.
Nice place to have “State of Marijuana ” conference .Abroad Quin Mary in Long Beach .
The Homeland Security under the Obama’s administration. Prison, detention centers , militarized police forces , corrupted justice system , and Gestapo or Soviet’s Cheka type units in the form of TRIDENTS or the Tax Recovery and Criminal Enforcement (TRaCE). Task Force is a pilot program facilitated by California Assembly Bill 576
Thanks for supplying the link to the Assembly Bill 576. It seems to focus on tax evasion in connection with the generalized underground economy. I hope Don Saylor and the rest of our Board of Supervisors looks into contacting the new state Attorney General and the Governor’s Office to get some immediate relief in terms of heading off any new raids by these Trident cowboys and some kind of restitution for Hicks and Mears so they can get back on track and back in business. Placer and Eldorado Counties are Trump country and I’m afraid this presages the future of law enforcement in like-minded counties with more federal backing for this kind of thing.
Dave
The Attorney General and Governor’s Office created these special task forces in cooperation with the federal law enforcement agencies .
TASK FORCE PROGRAM
The Department of Justice continues long tradition of inter agency cooperation with the Task Force Program. The task forces are lead by experienced commanders from the Bureau of Investigation who are responsible for training, supervising and leading local agents in major investigations throughout the State of California. The task forces act as force multipliers, aiding agencies in their crime suppression efforts.
Each task force commander works closely with police chiefs, sheriffs and chief probation officers as well as a myriad of other local, state and federal agencies from Oregon to the Mexico border. Task forces work primarily on assisting them with major incidents of crime, preventing transnational gangs from infiltrating communities and dismantling clandestine drug smuggling, manufacturing and distribution networks. DOJ commanders along with their law enforcement partners have been responsible for solving complex homicide investigations, violent crimes against persons and the seizure of tons of illicit drugs such as methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and marijuana.
This program will allow the Department to continue our partnership with local jurisdictions to coordinate and concentrate efforts against drug traffickers and major crimes. This program will consist of the following task forces:
Central Valley Marijuana Investigation Team (CVMIT)
Fresno Methamphetamine Task Force (FMTF)
Inland Crackdown Allied Task Force (INCA)
Los Angeles Clearing House (LACLEAR)
Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Team (LA IMPACT)
Madera County Narcotic Task Force (MADNET)
Mendocino Major Crimes Task Force (MMCTF)
Merced Multiagency Narcotic Task force (MMNTF)
North State Marijuana Investigation Team (NSMIT)
Placer County Special Investigation Unit (Placer SIU)
San Diego Regional Pharmaceutical Narcotic Enforcement Team (RxNET)
Santa Barbara Regional Crime Apprehension Team (SBRCAT)
Santa Clara County Special Enforcement Team (SCCSET)
Siskiyou Major Investigation Team (SUMIT)
Southern Alameda Major Crimes Task force (SAMCTF)
Tulare County Regional Gang Enforcement Team (TARGET)
Unified Narcotic Enforcement Team (UNET)
Let’s bring Trump into it even though the raid happened under Obama’s watch.
I agree with Dave Hart, I think this is only going to get become more common under the next administration. My biggest concern is that while county officials signed off on the licensing for this facility, county law enforcement appears to have worked with the outside agencies to conduct this raid.
You guys can project all you want but the fact is the administration that this incident actually happened under was Obama’s.
I agree which again is of no comfort to me.
Keith has a valid point about the timing of the raid.
Of course, but my concern is that while Obama was not good on these things, Trump will be worse. Will I be wrong? Time will tell.