Skunko
Member
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?
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?
operation
