Charges allege that a Forest Lake man ran an online marijuana business from his home before authorities shut it down, seizing more than $754,000 in products.
The West Metro Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at Gregory Allen Colbert’s home in December and uncovered a store-style setup in the basement with hundreds of boxes and packages of marijuana products, according to a criminal complaint against the 37-year-old.
The complaint says they seized nearly 200 pounds of loose flower; 8,671 vape cartridges; 6,733 pre-rolls; 344 packages of edibles; and nearly 11½ pounds of concentrate/wax.
“Detectives reported that Colbert is not listed to sell cannabis products in Minnesota,” the complaint states.
The Washington County Attorney’s Office charged Colbert this month by summons with two counts of first-degree drug possession. He has yet to appear in court on the charges, and the case file did not list a date as of Wednesday.
Colbert’s attorney, Tom Sieben, said he could not comment on the case “because I have not yet seen the discovery from the prosecutor.”
According to the complaint, a confidential informant told the drug task force last October that Colbert was selling large amounts of marijuana products. The informant said he made orders through Colbert’s website — topnotchexoticsmn.com — and that they would meet up at a Speedway gas station in Forest Lake. Purchases were made with cash or through Cash App.
“(Colbert) also told the (informant) that he or an associate would drive back and forth to Michigan to purchase trailer loads of marijuana products,” the complaint states.
Law enforcement discovered the website displayed a “live menu” of products through a Google Docs link. Colbert’s phone number was the point of contact.
Law enforcement monitored Colbert, who made multiple sales of suspected marijuana at the Speedway, the complaint says.
Colbert also sold a half-pound of marijuana during a controlled buy in November, the complaint alleges. The pot was in a plastic shopping bag that had a Top Notch Exotics logo, and the packages also had the logo along with the website address and Colbert’s phone number.
The December search of Colbert’s home also turned up a ledger, packaging, a scale and a computer “that was actively displaying the live menu from (Colbert’s) website,” according to the complaint. Law enforcement also seized a large amount of gold coins, gold bars, cash and expensive jewelry.
Forest Lake police Capt. Jon Glader said this week that he cannot recall a previous marijuana bust of that size in the city. He called the alleged operation “definitely rare, and pretty brazen.”
Personal use and possession of marijuana became legal in Minnesota in August 2023 for people 21 and older. Non-tribal retail sales launched a year ago following the setup of the state’s licensing and regulatory framework under the Office of Cannabis Management.
The OCM reports that 369 cannabis businesses now hold state licenses, and combined adult-use and medical cannabis sales topped $250 million over the last year.
