Three arrested during closure of illegal cannabis operation

A suspected illegal cannabis operation in the Mid-City area is boarded up Thursday after Los Angeles Police Department narcotics officers arrested three people and served the business with a notice of unauthorized commercial cannabis activity.

Courtney Osowski, 24, Christopher Nieto, 22, and Alan Renteria, 22, were arrested for suspicion of operating or maintaining a drug house, police said.

The closure of the operation in the 5300 block of Pico Boulevard, between Fairfax and La Brea avenues, was the first “board up” in the city, police said.

Officers from the Wilshire Narcotics Enforcement Detail arrived at the building at approximately 3 p.m. Wednesday with a search warrant after a task force conducted a long-term investigation of illegal businesses selling marijuana and posted a notice of intent to padlock, barricade and fence the building.

It was the fourth time the property had been served with a search warrant, authorities said. The property and business owners had been given over 10 days to request a hearing with the Office of Public Safety.

While serving the warrant Wilshire Division narcotics detectives recovered 71 pounds of cannabis, a 9mm “ghost” handgun and an unknown amount of money from the alleged illegal business, police said.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Detective Marla Kiley with Wilshire Narcotics Detectives at 213-473- 0250 or email 32556@lapd.online or the Wilshire Division watch commander at 213- 473-0459.

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