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U.S. NEWS Saturday 25 May 2019

Dave Young, 17th Judicial District Attorney, center, makes a
point while U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn, left, and George Brauchler,
18th Judicial District Attorney, listen during a news conference
to announce the arrest of 42 people this week in one of the larg-
est black market marijuana enforcement actions in the history
of Colorado Friday, May 24, 2019, in Denver.
Associated Press In this aerial image, homes are inundated with flood waters from the Arkansas River near South
Authorities raid 247 145th West Ave near Highway 51 on Thursday, May 23, 2019, in Sand Springs, Okla.
Associated Press
Co. homes growing Bodies in submerged Missouri

black market pot vehicle bring storm toll to 9

By DAN ELLIOTT are equal partners in this," OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — gineers on Friday began Engineers warned residents
DENVER (AP) — Authori- Brauchler said. The bodies of a man and increasing the amount of to stay off the river through-
ties said Friday they raided State and federal officials a woman were discovered water being released into out the Memorial Day holi-
hundreds of black mar- said the nearly three-year Friday in a submerged ve- the river from the Keystone day weekend.
ket marijuana operations investigation showed that hicle near the Mississippi Dam northwest of the city "We hope people are get-
in Colorado that flouted illegal marijuana trafficking River in Missouri, bringing of about 400,000. ting to safer areas now,"
the state's cannabis law mushroomed after voters the death toll to nine from "The dam is doing what it said Aric Mitchell with the
by growing tens of thou- approved recreational use storms that have ravaged is supposed to do. It has Fort Smith, Arkansas, police
sands of plants in Denver- in 2012. the central U.S. this week maintained the flood to a department.
area homes and selling the Dunn said Colorado has and threaten major flood- manageable level," U.S. The Arkansas River is ex-
drugs out of state. become the epicenter for ing through the holiday Sen. James Lankford, R- pected to reach 41 feet
Investigators seized more a nationwide black market weekend. Oklahoma, said following (12.5 meters) by Sunday
than 80,000 plants and in marijuana. John Reinhardt, 20, and an aerial tour of the region. near Fort Smith, which is
4,500 pounds (2,040 kilo- Brauchler warned that Caitlin Frangel, 19, both of The river in Tulsa was just the state's second-largest
grams) of harvested mari- Colorado is becoming "the Hazelwood, Missouri, were above 22 feet (6.71 me- city with nearly 89,000 resi-
juana, state and federal wild West of weed." He said reported missing May 15. ters) Friday, four feet (1.22 dents. That's nearly 20 feet
prosecutors said at a news the provision in the law that Their bodies were found meters) above flood stage, (6 meters) above flood
conference. Officers raid- allows small-scale home around 4 a.m. on a flooded and was expected to re- stage and 3 feet (0.9 me-
ed 247 homes and eight marijuana cultivation rural road that runs along main at that level through ters) above the record of
businesses and arrested 42 opened the door to big, il- the river at Portage Des Tuesday. Riverside residents 38.1 feet (11.61 meters) set
people in Denver and sev- legal operations. Sioux, about 40 miles north were urged to leave their in 1945.
en nearby counties. Brauchler warned that oth- of St. Louis. homes and at least one oil "Nearby business, residenc-
State law allows up to 12 er states considering allow- Missouri State Highway Pa- refinery suspended opera- es could be flooded ... it's
marijuana plants per resi- ing home marijuana plants trol Trooper Dallas Thomp- tions. going to be a mess," said
dence for personal use, but could expect the same but son said an autopsy deter- "The most disturbing thing National Weather Service
some of the homes had added he was not trying to mined they both drowned. that I've heard in the last 24 meteorologist Pete Snyder.
more than 1,000 and many discourage them from do- "We believe they went into hours from our first respond- "We've not seen it get this
had hundreds, U.S. Attor- ing so. it in the dark, not knowing ers are reports of parents high before. It's a different
ney Jason Dunn said. "I think states are entitled the roadway was flooded, letting their kids play in the situation than we've ever
Colorado and nine other to do whatever they want," and they were unable to river," said Tulsa Mayor G.T. seen."
states have broadly legal- he said. "But they need to get out," Thompson said. Bynum. "If you're a parent The concerns in Oklahoma
ized marijuana use but it re- know the reality of this." Heavy rain in recent weeks that's letting your kid play and Arkansas follow days
mains illegal under federal Mason Tvert, a spokesman has spurred major flooding in this river right now, you of severe storms that ex-
law. That has created ten- for the Marijuana Policy in several states. Flooding ought to be ashamed of acerbated spring flooding
sion between some state Project, which advocates along the Arkansas River yourself." throughout the Midwest
and federal officials. for decriminalizing marijua- will threaten communities Meanwhile, Arkansas of- and spawned dozens of
But George Brauchler, dis- na, questioned how pros- from Tulsa into western Ar- ficials braced for record tornadoes.
trict attorney for the south ecutors know that Colo- kansas through at least the flooding as the water More rain is likely through
and east Denver suburbs, rado's law attracted illegal holiday weekend, officials moves downstream. the weekend from west-
stressed the investigation growers. said Friday, as water re- Gov. Asa Hutchinson or- ern Texas through Illinois,
was a joint state-federal "Did they conduct a survey leased from an Oklahoma dered the state's National according to weather ser-
operation, not the U.S. De- of illegal marijuana cultiva- dam combines with addi- Guard to station high- vice meteorologist Matt
partment of Justice impos- tors to determine why they tional rain in the forecast. water rescue teams in the Mosier with the Storm Pre-
ing its will on Colorado. decided to operate where To control flooding in Tulsa, western part of the state by diction Center in Norman,
"Make no mistake, we they did?" he said. q the U.S. Army Corps of En- Saturday and the Corps of Oklahoma.q