CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Investigators say two would-be robbers were shot and killed at a marijuana pop-up shop last May.
Now, a newly filed search warrant says the shooting started an investigation into pop-up shops.
The documents say police have uncovered a "complex criminal conspiracy" dating back to 2016 that's led to pop-up shops in Chesapeake, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach.
Eight people have already been federally charged with marijuana related offenses.
The search warrant says members of the group had been traveling to California and then marijuana was mailed back to Virginia.
Police recently searched two homes connected to a man named Amadeo Classen, who now faces state marijuana related charges.
The court documents say Classen had received 14 packages from California since last April for a total weight of 267 pounds.
Legalization advocates have been sounding the alarm about crime connected to illicit market in Virginia. News 3 spoke with the president of the Virginia Cannabis Association earlier this month about a marijuana drug deal that turned into a shooting at the Oceanfront.
"We're faced with an untenable situation right now, where we've got a legal product in Cannabis, where somebody can grow four plants at a home and possess up to an ounce, but there's no way to buy and sell it safety," said Jason Blanchette from the Virginia Cannabis Association.
Possession of small amounts of marijuana has been legal in Virginia since 2021, but lawmakers have failed to reach an agreement on establishing retail sales.
"We have a public safety nightmare on our hands. We attempted to get some legislation through the General Assembly, but that fell on deaf ears," said Blanchette.
Last week, Portsmouth Police busted a pop-up shop on High Street and say they found 100-pounds of marijuana.
"Unfortunately, it's a loop hole that needs to be addressed and it's going to require our legislative leaders to address it," Police Chief Stephen Jenkins told News 3.
Jenkins said police are trying to make sure people understand marijuana remains illegal to sell recreationally and they have to enforce the laws on the books. "You have members of the public who are uneducated, but also individuals who are taking advantage of people's naivety of people's knowledge of the law and selling it illegally," he said.
Police also recently found marijuana, cocaine, fentanyl in a separate drug bust.
