Drug Bust or Not! Setting the Record Straight on Waller Texas Seizure of Federally Legal Hemp Products

Press Release

(Waller/San Marcos, TX) The Big Drug Bust That Was Not A Big Drug Bust. The Austin County Sheriff’s Department, Waller County Sheriff’s Department, and the Houston Police Department raided Zour Stash, a hemp provider that complies with both federal and state laws and regulations. The justification of the raid was based on misinformation and faulty intelligence. The business owners object to the likely illegal search and demand the return of their products.

“No seizure documents were provided to Zour Stash. There were no gummy or edible products, no raw or bulk flower products, and no vape cartridges taken. Even the cited weight of 6,500 lbs is wrong. The correct weight of the product taken is 520 lbs according to the packaging, and the shipping weight was 3,000 lbs as listed on the bill of lading,” said a representative from Zour Stash. “This seems to be more about appearing on the nightly news than a bona fide police action. Due process has not been conducted. This is a legal action by Facebook posting.”

Law enforcement shared erroneous information on Facebook about the questionable search and seizure of federally legal hemp products from a distribution warehouse in Waller, Texas. Every box contained a hemp license, a letter to law enforcement, and certificates of analysis (also known as COAs), which included contact details for obtaining additional information.

According to the 2018 farm bill, hemp is not a controlled substance. Federal law defines hemp as any part of the cannabis plant or its derivatives containing no more than 0.3% delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9 THC) on a dry-weight basis.

The products taken in this illegal seizure are all legal hemp products according to federal and Texas standards. The products have certificates of analysis from independent testing laboratories confirming they are legal hemp.

“This dubious seizure is part of an alarming trend in Texas, targeting legitimate, hard-working, American businesspeople who are selling legal products to veterans, cancer patients, and the elderly, as well as those people who simply need the product for things like sleep. We are involved with several similar cases,” said David Sergi of San Marcos-based Sergi & Associates. “Overzealous law enforcement seizes federally and Texas legal hemp products, but never moves to either forfeit the products or charge anyone criminally. This is essentially theft, and we will no longer tolerate it.”

“The products must be returned, or we will have no choice but to pursue litigation. We would rather educate than litigate, and we hope that most responsible enforcement agencies will not engage in Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Senator Charles Perry’s vendetta after Governor Greg Abbott vetoed SB3. Local law enforcement needs to stop relying on faulty testing and problematic legal procedures and allow these businesses to continue to provide hemp products that help so many Texans,” concluded Sergi.

To arrange interviews, please contact Kevin Lampe at (312) 617-7280 or [email protected].