So I went to our local hydro shop this week to pick up some gear for my small medical grow. I'd only been there once before to check the place out, but hadn't made a purchase. ( I'm in a non-legal area) I picked up a cfl grow light, and some soil and nutes. The owner was nice, and helpful. He rung my order up on a print calculator, and gave me the only receipt ( I paid in cash). After he bagged up my order, which was well hidden within brown bags, he cocked his head down and asked me if I'd prefer to carry my things out the back door and not the front. I politely told him, no need and left the store, but it seemed strange to me.

I called my best friend who lives in a legal area and when I told him about the experience he freaked. He told me I'd made a terribly stupid mistake...he said NEVER buy anything at a hydro shop ever...or even walk inside one for that matter, that they were often placed by the DEA to sting growers, he said that even though he was legal, he'd still never go to one, even in his area. He pretty much assured me that I'd most likely been marked and followed and can expect to be raided now whether I set the stuff up or not, he told me to expect it, that it IS going to happen. He said get rid of everything while I still can.


My question for the group is this.

Does this really happen? Could this shop owner have been trying to politely hint to me that I was being watched by asking me if I wanted to use the back door, or possibly trying to ascertain my intentions?....and if I'd agreed and snuck out the back...wouldn't that have looked like I indeed had something to hide? How could one be raided by simply making a legal purchase in a legal store regardless of one's intentions? To me it sounds nuts.

Cfl's don't produce enough heat to be detected by these fly over radars do they?.. All I was planning was a simple soil grow of only two small plants at a time to be used as medicine for myself and a friend with cancer. As a matter of fact I didn't even drive my own car, but got a ride from another friend...I paid cash....and then made five more stops before being dropped off at home. I carried my purchase out in brown bags, I can't beleive that my friend and I could have been marked and then followed for over five hours without noticing anything.

Anyway, now my head is ruined. I'm not a paranoid person, but my buddy was so sure of himself, and is genuinely worried. He has called four times since yesterday to make sure I haven't set any gear up, and has said i should get rid of my personal stash and bong immediately.


I'm completely discouraged now, and am shocked that any of this could be possible.


thoughts?

my hydro store is on a busy main street. i use the front door and rarely get a bag. i park at the curb right out front.
been going to hydro stores for 4 years now.
i'm in a legal area.

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i'm the guy i've always wanted to be

Our hydro store is in a semi-busy shopping center in the middle of town. I find it hard to believe that they'd check out everyone that goes in there, but it would be just my luck...lol. I mean geez...it's the only place that carries FoxFarm soil and nutes. don't folks that grow other things need supplies too...I'm not hearing of any of them being raided falsly for buying dirt and fertilizer ( I don't imagine that sort of thing would get out if it did happen...wouldn't want our local law enforcement dept. embarrassed now would we?) Wouldn't our local stoner community be hip to this stuff anyway?.....the place has been there for two years.

In a city of over a million people I can't be the only personal grower who goes to this shop, and even small-time grow busts make the news here occasionally....I've heard nothing of the like. I hate this, I've been so excited...I've even got some seeds on the way....I think...lol.

My sick friend is starting chemo soon...and she needs some good medical buds. For Pete's sake...I refuse to beleive that buying buds from some punk dealer ( at $130 per quarter), and driving with them back to my home is safer than a small grow where most of the harvest will never even leave the house, but my buddy says that is indeed the case and his sincerety is scaring me..... I guess I'll have to sleep on it and either take the risk...or not.........sheesh.

Sounds like a lot of work for law enforcement...plus they cant just assume anyone going in to a hydro store is a marijuana grower...I wouldnt be worried.
My local hydro store is on the busiest street(literally) in the city, park right out in front...and I never have seen any indicators that it may be under surveillance...I go in there and ask about products and shit...they know most of the people in there are getting things for growing cannabis and they dont act wierd about it...its all good.

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also if your a med patient then you really have nothing to worry about.

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smokin some noid ganji huh lol.

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"If you really want it u can holla dog,theres only 2 things i fear... the feds and my babies moms."-MAINO
http://www.rollitup.org/grow-journal...-buds-2-a.html

I guess I'm just letting others infect my thinking...lol. I've noticed nothing strange as far as anyone watching me. I've told the 2 people that know my plan ( my patient...and my paranoid friend ) that I've decided not to do it.....to which they've both said they are releived. I'll wait around for a couple months to be safe.....then.....maybe.....but if I do then NOONE will know...including my "patient"...I'll just gift her with buds and tell her I bought them....thanks everyone....you all rock!

Sometimes some growers try to discourage others from growing their own stuff because it cuts into their profit machine.

If you are going to wait you may as well get set up and running. grow something else first. That would help get your conditions dialed in etc. Plus it would be a great way to see if you really are being watched. Try to get raided for growing herbs and tomatoes, they would think twice about going back ever.

I live in a small town and my dads house got raided when I lived there!
We were not growing. My dad had a bedroom filled with FL light and fish tanks for breeding with an exhaust out the street facing window because of all the humidity. You know how this looked to the leo...Even better the look on thier faces when they went storming straight to that room. Havn't had a prob with them in a while... knocks on wood.

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I am a very giving person. I'll throw my 2 cents in.
SideWazeDaze!!!!!

I don't think you have anything to worry about.