Feds to crack down on pot dispensaries

Feds to crack down on pot dispensaries

SACRAMENTO, Calif.

Federal prosecutors announced an aggressive crackdown on California pot dispensaries Friday, vowing to shut down dozens of growing and sales operations and saying that the worst offenders are using the cover of medical marijuana to act as storefront drug dealers.

Officials described it as the first coordinated statewide offensive against marijuana dealers and suppliers who use California’s 15-year-old medical-marijuana law as legal cover for running sophisticated drug-trafficking ventures in plain sight.

111 charged in identity-theft ring

NEW YORK

Bank tellers, restaurant workers and other service employees in New York lifted credit-card data from residents and foreign tourists as part of an identity-theft ring that stretched to China, Europe and the Middle East and victimized thousands, authorities said Friday.

In total, 111 people were charged, and 86 are in custody; the others still are being sought. Five separate criminal enterprises operating out of Queens were dismantled. They were hit with hundreds of charges, said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown, calling it the largest fraud case he’d ever seen in his two decades in office.

US outposts attacked on war anniversary

KABUL

A suicide bomber and rocket fire struck U.S.-run outposts near the Pakistani border as the war in Afghanistan hit the 10-year mark Friday. The Afghan president said there will be no end to the war until militants can no longer operate freely in Pakistan.

No deaths were reported among U.S. service members at the three outposts in Paktika province, and it was unclear if the attacks were timed to coincide with the anniversary of the start of the war. But the continued violence was a reminder of the resilience of the insurgency, which thrives in part because of sanctuaries in Pakistan.

‘Simpsons’ renewed for 2 more seasons

LOS ANGELES

Fans of “The Simpsons” can breathe a “d’oh” of relief: The animated series has been renewed for two more seasons.

A contract dispute with the show’s voice cast had threatened to end the series, but Fox announced Friday it has been renewed for an additional two years, through season 25. Further details were not provided.

The animated series about the Simpson family, including dad Homer and his familiar “D’oh!” is the longest-running scripted series on TV.

In its announcement, the network gave Homer a celebratory quote: “Woo hoo! I outlasted Andy Rooney!”

Rooney retired from “60 Minutes” Sunday after 33 years with the CBS news magazine.

3 accidents kill 56 in 1 day in China

BEIJING

Three major road accidents in China killed 56 people on the last day of a weeklong holiday, including 35 people who died after a bus collided with a car on a northern expressway, state media reported today.

The official Xinhua News Agency said that the bus flipped over after crashing into a car in the port city of Tianjin on Friday afternoon, injuring 18 others.

Serious traffic accidents are common in China due to often overloaded vehicles and poorly trained drivers who often ignore traffic laws.

Friday was the end of a weeklong holiday to mark China’s National Day.

Associated Press