Michigan AG authorizes warrants for 12 suspected marijuana break-ins

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Michigan AG authorizes warrants for 12 suspected marijuana break-ins

The Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has authorized warrants for 12 people suspected of committing 20 break-ins at marijuana dispensaries throughout the state.

The majority of defendants are facing charges of safe breaking, a felony that can result in a life sentence, as well as a criminal enterprise, which has a 20 year felony charge. A 10 year felony charge is imposed on a person entering a building with the intent to commit a crime, per an official press release.

Nessel believes that Congress needs to pass the reform of cannabis banking, because the incident is an example of why Congress must pass the Secure and Fair Enforcement SAFE Banking Act, according to Marijuana Moment.

The cannabis industry is at risk of criminal activity because of the lack of access to mainstream banking. She said that all lawful enterprises deserve equal access to banking services to ensure the safety of their operations, workers, and the general public.

Two defendants were arrested in March 2022 in a separate case involving an attempted theft from a dispensary in Bay County. The investigation, which is separate from these charges, is handled by the Bay County Prosecutor's Office.

Recently, at a U.S. House Financial Services Committee hearing that discussed a range of pressing banking and debt ceiling issues, Republican Committee Chair Patrick McHenry stated that cannabis banking was not a priority.

During the American Bankers Association ABA Washington Summit, Sen. Steve Daines R-MT, who is working with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer D-NY and other lawmakers to advance SAFE, said the cannabis banking act has the potential to pass through the regular order and that there is a chance for it to pass in the Senate. He urged bankers to organize a group of lobbyists to promote the passage of the marijuana banking bill in the current Congress.

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