High Times Advertisement Representative Pinched in Pot Sting

kanaman — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 10:29:52 +0000

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.

Stang was freed on $500,000 bail, $100,000 of which had to be cash. He was allegedly the guy who supplied the marijuana to ringleader, and also was ordered to wear a monitoring bracelet. High Times declined to comment on the arrest.

Source: The NYPost

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High Times Advertisement Representative Pinched in Pot Sting