Colorado Medical Marijuana: Officials Say MMJ Used As Cover For Illegal Pot Ring

The Colorado Attorney General's office and the Northern Colorado Drug Task Force have arrested 9 people for allegedly selling pot in the Northern Front Range. Authorities are accusing the group of using state medical marijuana rules as a cover for their illicit operation.

The suspects are currently in custody, accused of illegally cultivating marijuana in Erie, Fort Collins, Longmont, and Westminster, and selling it throughout Colorado and New Mexico. KDVR reports that police seized 110 pounds of processed pot.

The Denver Post reports that the organization kept binders of medical marijuana patient records to make themselves look like legal medical-marijuana caregivers

In a statement, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers--a staunch opponent of of the Medical Marijuana Industry--should be taken as an example of the risks associated with the medical cannabis industry.

"This case, while disturbing, should come as no surprise to Coloradans who have been concerned that there is a nexus between Colorado's booming medical marijuana industry and illegal distribution of the drug... This case counters the contention among marijuana advocates and some public officials that a regulated medical marijuana system will undercut the illicit market for marijuana."

Medical marijuana has been legal in Colorado since 2000.