On May 30, 2018, officers assigned to the Moreno Valley Police Department Special Enforcement Team concluded a lengthy investigation into an illegal marijuana dispensary operating in the 24400 block of Sunnymead Boulevard in the city of Moreno Valley. Search warrants were executed at the location as well as a related residence in the 6500 block of Balzac Circle in the city of Riverside.
To date, the city of Moreno Valley has levied nearly $50,000 in administrative fines related to this illegal criminal enterprise; which the owners, identified as Hadeer Sadik and Najwa Sadik, nearly paid in full as they continued to operate in defiance of state and local laws.
The dispensary was being operated out of a recreational vehicle (RV) parked on a vacant commercial lot. The RV was seized in addition to six firearms, including an illegal assault-style weapon, as defined by the California Penal Code. Additional items of evidence were seized, to include more than $80,000.00 in US currency and the following items of contraband:
1.4 pounds of cocaine
58 pounds of processed marijuana
9.2 pounds of concentrated cannabis
30 edible THC products
The estimated street value of the seized contraband is about $456,696.00. Hadeer Sadik, age 22 and Najwa Sadik, age 46; both of Riverside were arrested. Additionally, Brisa Arellano, age 18 and Aranza Garcia, age 20; both of Moreno Valley were arrested. All four suspects were booked into Robert Presley Detention Center for weapons and narcotic related offenses. The suspects are facing state prosecution and the possibility of federal charges as well. Efforts to identify other suspects involved in this criminal enterprise are ongoing.
In November 2016, California voters approved Proposition 64, which legalizes the recreational use of marijuana for adults over the age of 21. Certain aspects of this new legislation require municipalities to establish regulations codifying the commercial aspect of cultivating, selling and distributing marijuana and other THC products to adults over the age of 21 for recreational purposes.
The city of Moreno Valley is implementing a Commercial Cannabis Business (CCB) program to allow these activities, giving consideration to the public at large as well as potential entrepreneurs and their customers. CCB applicants are currently undergoing a formal review process for vetting and approval. The application deadline closed on May 11, 2018, and as of this writing there are no sanctioned recreational marijuana dispensaries within the Moreno Valley city limits.
Any recreational dispensaries currently operating in Moreno Valley are potentially in violation of federal, state and local laws. All recreational dispensaries open for business in the city of Moreno Valley will continue to be targeted for enforcement action and prosecution of those responsible. Through the cooperative efforts of our City Attorney, Code Compliance Division and the Police Department, more than 20 dispensaries have been closed, resulting in administrative and/or criminal prosecution.
Under current adopted regulations, once the vetting and approval process is complete, Moreno Valley’s CCB program will allow for a total of 27 marijuana related businesses, eight of which will potentially be recreational dispensaries.
The proactive enforcement efforts of the Moreno Valley Police Department will continue with public safety in mind. Members of the public with information regarding illegal marijuana dispensaries are encouraged to contact the Moreno Valley Police Department Special Enforcement Team at 951-486-6856.