Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) agents raided several hemp businesses on Monday.

According to multiple sources, the raids were targeting hemp stores allegedly selling marijuana.

According to Jennifer Boozer, hemp shops in Enterprise, Troy, Clanton, Wetumpka and Pelham were raided by ALEA on Monday.

The Alabama Legislature passed and Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law legislation that, among other things, bans the sale and possession of smokable hemp products starting July 1.

“We’re trying to figure out why in the world eight days before HB 445 goes into effect after some of us have been in business for seven years, I was the first one in the state. I’ve seen it all, why now one week before we lose, some of us, 80% of our income, they’re coming in and doing this? They’re coming in with a warrant, saying they think they’re selling weed and they’re only taking the flower and their cash. They’re not worried about the vapes or gummies or anything else. They’re taking their smokeable flower which they know is our money makers and they’re taking the money. I don’t know why or how this will stand up but (Alabama Attorney General) Steve Marshall seems pretty determined which he usually is,” Boozer told 1819 News in an interview on Monday.

Boozer, owner of CannaBama in Mobile, said she was going out of business due to the new law.

“Most of us will be out of business. I’m losing mine,” Boozer said. “Anything smokeable and vapable is supposed to be banned as of July 1st. We’re literally trying with two weeks time, trying to sell what we can because hey we’ve got bills and leases to pay, utilities, employees, all the things and we’re trying to get rid of what we can because none of us is going to break the law. We haven’t broken the law this whole time. The ones of us who have never broken the law are the ones who are losing the most. I don’t see them raiding a single gas station right now and gas stations were completely cut out and we know that the gas stations are where the kids are buying beer, cigarettes, and now hemp products. That’s the frustrating part, you know, they kept saying, ‘We’re creating this law for the bad actors.’ But, sir, bad actors don’t follow laws. That’s why they’re bad actors so it doesn’t matter if you have a shiny new one, they’re not going to follow it. We are. Following the law means we lose everything and we just have to accept that and that’s not okay.”

Boozer said agents were raiding hemp stores with warrants searching for marijuana. 

“They’re going in and saying, ‘We think you’re selling weed’ with warrants. They’ll take all the products and test it which makes it evidence. If they get it back in a year or two, it’s been sitting in an evidence locker and ruined, you know what I mean? The first store that got raided, they took 60 pounds. Do you have any idea how much of an investment that is? It’s a lot, a couple thousand (dollars) per pound. Minimum $1,200 to $1,500 per pound. That’s if they bought it all in bulk and got a great deal. They just took that much in flower, I have no idea how much money and they left. They haven’t arrested anyone. Why would you pick 60 pounds of ‘marijuanna’ out of a business and not take the owner with you. They know it won’t stand up in court. This is the last week we have to try to get rid of this inventory and salvage some money so we can pay our bills and try to figure out what we’re going to do,” Boozer said. “The ABC Board still has not given us any direction whatsoever as to what the bill actually even says. What are the rules? There are so many vague areas of this bill. We have a thousand and one questions. Nobody will answer any of them except that they were telling us, ‘You’ll be good until January 1st.’ Then two weeks ago Steve Marshall got up and said we’re going to enforce flower July 1st and then all hell has broken loose.”

A spokesperson for Attorney General Steve Marshall referred questions about the raids to ALEA. An ALEA spokesperson said late Monday that the agency would be releasing more details soon.

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