Phat Stuff’s Mat Boardman, the employee that was there when the DEA came to rob the place on Wednesday, spoke to me today via facebook and informed me that the local smoke shop plans to rebuild, saying, “we are going to use this tragedy as motivation to rebuild…bigger and better than it already was”.
Today, activists chalked on the sidewalk in front of Phat Stuff in protest of the DEA’s aggression and later gathered for a 420 in remembrance of lost liberties.
It will be interesting to see – out of 200 warrants served by the DEA yesterday in their nationwide crackdown, how many other areas had the response that Keene did. How many of them are on video? Union Leader reporter Meghan Pierce was on the scene yesterday and made Keene liberty activists the other focus of her story about the raid. Thanks, Meghan!
KEENE — Downtown head shop Phat Stuff was included in a Drug Enforcement Administration nationwide synthetic drug raid Wednesday.
“We’re targeting every level of the designer synthetic drug market in the U.S., wholesalers, retailers, manufacturers, the whole gamut,” said DEA spokesman Rusty Payne. (more…)
Criminal syndicate members calling themselves “DEA” destroy the peaceful business.
Reports in national media claim the DEA has raided synthetic drug suppliers in 25 states, but Keene’s Phat Stuff hasn’t sold synthetic drugs since mid-2013. According to the sealed warrant, which you can see here, the agents were taking all smoking devices, as well as sales records from 2011-today.
Masked Man Exits Heist Vehicle
The approximately dozen agents spent five hours boxing up thousands of dollars in various pipes, water pipes, hookahs, and accessories. After 4pm, they loaded it all in the back of a Uhaul and took off with the loot at approximately 4:20pm.
During the raid, one agent stood out back smoking a cigarette. I asked him if he found it ironic that he’s smoking a cigarette while he and his fellow thieves are stealing tobacco-smoking devices from the store.
At least two agents had balaclavas on outside the store, but not inside. The cowardly man exiting the heist vehicle in the picture on the right, a Uhaul truck, will be seen in the videos without his mask on. Stay tuned for that!
In response to us recording video through the storefront windows which had already been mostly obscured by newspaper and black tarp, agents papered over as much of the remaining viewable area as possible, in desperate attempts to avoid accountability for their craven actions. Keene police officers Jason Short and Todd Lawrence took turns guarding the front door.
The gang members load the last few boxes before likely driving off to consume some alcohol in celebration of the successful heist!
As the agents loaded the getaway vehicle with dozens of DEA-branded cardboard boxes full of thousands of dollars worth of pipes and accessories, an angry group of Keene inhabitants gathered to give the agents a piece of their minds. The agents were informed that they are not welcome in Keene or NH.
In a very special installment filling this week’s AKPF #1 timeslot, a hit new series Canine Controversies episode 1 airs on Cheshire TV at 7pm. Canine Controversies is a loosely organized compilation of controversial canine assortments from the internet, including a specially censored version of a segment which premiered on the locally produced after hours program Black Sheep Rising. Joining the action across the expanses of the cloud, our very own New Hampshire official state vodka bottles are demonstrated for their abilities in concealing and capturing canine scat as need be collected under municipal jurisdiction. A second episode nears completion and is slated for the airwaves soon. Enjoy this complimentary program, Canine Controversies, and many more to come.
KEENE, N.H. — In most places, the parking enforcement officer reflects the municipal compact. Armed only with a gadget that can spit out a ticket at the forgotten drop of a dime, the officer quietly serves civic and commercial life by ensuring that meters are fed.
In most places, yes. But not here in charming Keene, where parking officers figure in a philosophical tug of war between a small band of activists who live by the motto “Free Keene,” and the great majority of residents who were unaware that their city was in bondage. (more…)
Phat Stuff’s Mat Boardman, the employee that was there when the DEA came to rob the place on Wednesday, spoke to me today via facebook and informed me that the local smoke shop plans to rebuild, saying, “we are going to use this tragedy as motivation to rebuild…bigger and better than it already was”.
![the-new-york-times[1]](https://i0.wp.com/freekeene.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/the-new-york-times1-300x240.jpg?w=150)
