Ordered from any HT advertisers lately? Big Brother may be watching you

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/03/invoice_from_firm_that_adverti.html

If I'm understanding this correctly, the feds are monitoring shipments made from High Times advertisers. I'm interpreting this to mean they are getting their info from usps, ups, fedex.

HowardWCampbell said:

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/03/invoice_from_firm_that_adverti.html

If I'm understanding this correctly, the feds are monitoring shipments made from High Times advertisers. I'm interpreting this to mean they are getting their info from usps, ups, fedex.

Click to expand...

Thats fucking scary. Makes me want to stop visting this site.

Yeah, I know what you mean. Over on IC they were saying that this investigation took place under the Bush administration. I'm hoping Obama brings a little more common sense to the white house.

I dont know why they would be watching just high times advertisers. For the simple fact is the supplys that are needed to grow can be used for other grow such as veggies, just think how fucked thed be for raiding your house for some tomaters, or green beans. plus that would be a shit load of work for them to monitor these places. cops only work hard when there is a gerontee of a bust. most bust's happen outa pure luck for the cops. waliking into your home and smelling the grow operation.
I think that were ok, just keep your wits about you.

They dont have enough time or manpower to monitor that stuff. Total paranoia going on. Smoke another bowl and say "feck it"

~Boneman

Unfortunately it wouldn't be hard for them at all to do this with the cooperation of the shipping carriers. All they would be interested in in large volume /repeat buyers /big big big shipments.

Those that dropped 20k on a whole setup are not growing tomatoes most likely, and if they were you'd see them outside in greenhouses.

I guess if you just did order gobs like that you might be shaking in your boots but I still woldn't worry about it, what are the odds really. There still has to be probable cause for a warrant which requires more than just ordering legal growing equipment, you'd have to have crap outside your house that also gives them cause or some snitch or something.

If someone snitches on you they do run credit card records looking for growing supplies to get that second item needed for a warrant if they can't find an easier way to get you.

Could be the credit card companies letting them search too not just shippers but there are always pre paid cards that don't have your name if that's something you wanted to look into.

I think that oregon is 100% correct, they dont want the peeps that grow a couple of plant, the peeps that only grow for them self's are the people that are responsible with ther meds or recreational drugs. they want the big time growers makeing thousands of dollors and the dealers.

Maybe it's just a scare tactic, but this is a quote from the article:

"Operation Green Thumb has access to shipping invoices from suppliers who advertise their indoor marijuana-growing equipment in magazines such as 'High Times.' David Mayo bought his hydroponic equipment from one of the suppliers that do, in fact, advertise in this (manner)."

While it's unlikely they are going to investigate everyone that orders a hps bulb through the mail, I'd still be a little bit nervous making any sort of a large order. Here's a couple more threads if anybody is interested:

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=115488
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=118861

After doing some more googling, I found two different "Operation green thumb" references, one is the same article I linked to in my OP, the other refers to a bust of a vietnamese owned growhouse in new england. Anyone else find something I missed?