See also:

*Marijuana Dispensaries Get Reprieve After Ban is Put on Hold Thanks to Signature Drive.

Even as medical marijuana advocates were successful this week in putting the brakes on a pot shop ban in Los Angeles, the LAPD has continued on its mission to shut down weed retailers in the West Valley.

The latest victim, we were told by a witness, was a place called The Loft at 21146 Ventura Blvd. in Woodland Hills. All that cops would officially say is that a search warrant was served this week at a dispensary in the 21100 block of Ventura Boulevard.

It happened …


View Larger Map

… Tuesday around 3 p.m. as Topanga Area Narcotics Enforcement Detail detectives raided the place and found “a cache of narcotics, money, and other evidence of illegal drug sales,” according to an LAPD statement.

Arrested on suspicion of holding pot for sale were 21-year-old Anna Woods of Thousand Oaks and 22-year-old Carmen Hsieh of Los Angeles. They were held in lieu of $20,000 bail.

One other suspect, who was not named, was being sought, cops said.

Cops found 10 pounds of pot worth an estimated $10,000, according to the department's statement.

Our source says the shop was known as an “after-hours” dispensary. At least one listing had it staying open until midnight.

Credit: DEA

Credit: DEA

So selling weed, even at a dispensary, is illegal? The City Attorney says yes, and the LAPD in the West Valley has simply been busting dispensaries for exchanging marijuana for cash.

City law enforcers contend that state medical marijuana law only allows the sharing of pot on a nonprofit basis to benefit the “seriously ill.”

So if you think the marijuana ban's temporary demise gives protection to pot shops think again.

In fact City Councilman Jose Huizar, who co-authored the ban, warned that police could still shut down dispensaries.

[Added at 2:29 p.m.]: One of the arrestees called to say that she and the other woman were volunteering at the dispensary part-time and had nothing to do with its management or ownership. She said she's a recent college graduate.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.