OXFORD, MI – Two Oxford business owners are facing trouble with the law, with both accused of selling products that exceed the legal limit for THC. FOX13 spoke with one of the owners and he said his product is legal.
Antonio Barragan runs a CBD shop and medical cannabis dispensary in Oxford. He said law enforcement conducted a sting operation to test the company's products. The products reportedly returned more than the legal limit, but Barragan said it was not his fault.
“As soon as I entered the pharmacy, they handcuffed me and told me I was under arrest.”
Barragan was taken into custody Monday on charges related to violating Mississippi's medical marijuana law. He said his store was raided by police for selling products that violated the law.
“They conducted a year-and-a-half investigation and obtained search warrants for my business and home,” Barragan explained. “They purchased products from my store four times and sent them for testing.”
In Mississippi, THCA is only legal if the THC level is below the 0.3% threshold. Barragan said its product label says 0.3%, but law enforcement agencies tested the product during the investigation and notified them that the product tested above the legal limit. .
Barragan told FOX13 he believes the proper steps were taken. He says outdoor temperatures often have the effect of changing the THC content during transportation, causing THC levels to spike.
“These products can be legally shipped and sold, so we do our due diligence by checking to see if the testing facility has actually tested the specific product of the company we are purchasing. We are doing it and that is the best we can do.”
According to Barragan's warrant, he is charged with criminal conspiracy, sale of medical marijuana, and manufacture and sale of a controlled substance.
“I think they're trying to prove a point. I think they want to get THCA out of their cities and communities.”
Barragan said he has used his manufacturer for the past seven years and trusts it.
In a statement to FOX13, the Mississippi Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, the lead agency in the investigation, said multiple warrants were issued in Lafayette County stemming from this investigation. See the agency's full statement to FOX13 below.
