Authorities work to shut down medical pot collective

VISALIA, Calif.

Officials say this medical marijuana collective near Cutler is violating several sections of the county's medical marijuana ordinance.

The collective is growing marijuana on agriculturally-zoned property and outside. The county gave the collective a 10-day notice to pull out their plants, but after failing to do so, county officials are now seeking an injunction against the group so they can pull them out for them.

Supervisor Phil Cox says the injunction should send a clear message to the dozens of other medical marijuana grows in the county that are out of compliance.

Supervisors recently approved an amendment to the ordinance allowing them to shut down illegal grows in less than 40 days. The process used to take up to 120 days.

An attorney for the collective in Cutler says the county's ordinance is unconstitutional and impossible for many people to comply with.

Tulare County filed a similar injunction against another collective back in 2010. They won their case in court.

The injunction for the Cutler collective will be decided before a judge next Tuesday.

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