High Times Advertisement Representative Pinched in Pot Sting
October 18th, 2010 | 
Author: 
Matthew Stang (left) preceded byKareem "Biggs" Burke and alleged ringleader "Manny" Perez
So much for the high life.
Cops busted a senior representative for the infamous marijuana magazine High Times along with 45 other people, including a man behind a major hip-hop label, for allegedly operating a multi-million dollar pot ring. Matthew “Woodstock” Stang, known as “Magazine Guy” to his cohorts, whose title in High Times is Senior Advertising Representative, has sold advertising for High Times since 2003.
Dubbed operation “Green Venom,” the feds arrested Kareem (Biggs) Burke , who co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records with Jay-Z and Damon Dash, after intercepting telephone conversations. According to a federal complaint, Burke and alleged ringleader Geovanny (Manny) Rodriguez Perez discussed “potential marijuana suppliers” in California.
“In the case of the High Times employee, it’s a case of art imitating real life,” said Jim Hayes, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The ring allegedly manufactured the marijuana hydroponically in the greater Miami area and shipped it to New York in tractor trailers that also contained legal merchandise.
“Right now we are focused on taking down the network and, as the investigation continues, we want to make sure that other rival networks or other co-conspirators cannot use the same tools,” Hayes said.
“They dominated the wholesale marijuana market in New York for 20 years,” claims Hayes. It was taken down in an 18-month probe.Federal agents say they seized $2 million and more than 360 pounds of marijuana in the bust.
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Tags: "Woodstock", Cannabis News, green venom, High Times, Homeland security, hydroponically, Kareem Burke, magazine guy, Manny Perez, marijuana, Matthew Stang, Miami, network, NYC, pot ring, wholesale