In a possible indication of how a similar case in Kansas might end, the government has agreed to return more than $1 million it seized from an armored car company, that was transporting cash from state-licensed cannabis businesses in California. Last year, a Dickinson County, Kansas Sheriff’s deputy stopped one of Empyreal Logistics’ vehicles on I-70 and seized nearly $166,000 it was transporting to Colorado from legal marijuana dispensaries in Kansas City, Missouri. The U. S. Attorney’s office in Kansas later filed a forfeiture action against Empyreal, arguing the seized cash came from sales that violated Federal law.
Empyreal ran into a similar problem in California, where authorities also seized cash it was transporting from legal cannabis businesses. Empyreal sued over the seizures and now the Justice Department has agreed to return the money it seized in California. Empyreal, in turn, has dropped its lawsuit.
In court documents, the U. S Attorney in Kansas says it’s working toward a resolution of the case here.
