The Gazette (Colorado Springs): Federal Department of Justice and drug policy officials met privately Wednesday with Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers, local police and other community leaders as part of an apparent statewide, closed-door tour focusing on Colorado’s burgeoning legal marijuana industry.
The visits aimed to “find out what law enforcement and other regulatory agencies’ view is toward marijuana regulation in Colorado,” Suthers said. And it marked the second such day of meetings – setting off concern among marijuana advocates of federal interference from Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a strident marijuana opponent.
On Monday, Department of Justice and White House Office of Drug Control and Policy officials met with Gov. John Hickenlooper’s staff, state marijuana regulators, the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Suthers said.
A day later, they met in Suthers’ office for an hour, while also speaking with Colorado Springs police commanders and the Drug Enforcement Agency’s resident agent, he added.
Suthers’ input centered on the “huge” black market that still exists across Colorado, and much of it concerned “sensitive case investigations” that cannot be discussed publicly, he said.
He added the federal officials were interested in the “nature and extent” of black market activity here.
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