HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — THC Club, a cannabis company with 18 stores in Harris County, was raided on suspicion of selling real marijuana and money laundering.
The bust was the result of a joint infiltration operation between Constables' 4th and 5th Precincts.
Nine people have been charged, including owners, managers and investors, according to court documents.
On September 25th, investigators seized nearly 30 pounds of cannabis products from a THC club store.
The company's website claims that all products it sells are legal under the Texas Farm Bill.
THC Club promotes itself as Houston's number one spot for recreational cannabis.
We operate 18 locations throughout Harris County, from the Galleria to Cypress.
ABC13 visited some of the locations believed to be closed following law enforcement raids.
The investigation began in January, according to a lengthy charging document. Undercover detectives from the Harris County Constable's Fifth Precinct are said to have entered all 18 locations and made 22 purchases.
The document claims the product tested positive for marijuana. Investigators also allege that $4.5 million in illegal proceeds were generated through money laundering over a four-year period.
A lawyer for the company said in a statement to ABC13:
“THC clubs have operated legally and openly since their inception. Their owners have appeared in the media and testified before Congress, and none of them have broken the law. This allegation is fundamental to the THC clubs. We look forward to confirming the law and facts and hope for a speedy resolution in court. ”
Some types of cannabis products are legal in Texas if they contain 0.3 percent or less of THC, the chemical that gets you high.
Although the company's website says it sells products that are legal in Texas, police said tests conducted show that is not the case.
So-called “legal marijuana” is a controversial and confusing issue in Texas, and the state Supreme Court is likely to rule on its legality in the future.
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