DEA Briefs & Background, Law Enforcement, Major Operations, Operation Green Clover

On August 30, 2001, DEA, along with state and local authorities arrested 55 people in Colorado and California involved in distributing "club drugs." The arrests were the result of a one year investigation called "Operation Green Clover," named after a specific type of Ecstasy tablet. The club drug distribution network was thought to have been a primary source of Ecstasy in Colorado.

photo - MDMA laboratory
MDMA Laboratory.

MDMA Tableting Machine.

During the course of the investigation in Colorado and California, authorities seized approximately 85,000 Ecstasy tablets, 2.5 kilograms of cocaine, 320 pounds and 4100 plants of marijuana, 5 pounds of methamphetamine, 40,000 dosage units of LSD, $1,360,000 in U.S. currency, 13 vehicles and 36 weapons.

photo - MDMA tablets with various logos

MDMA Logos

Producers and traffickers of MDMA seek to differentiate their product from others by imprinting the tablets with “brand” logos or symbols. The logos are generally popular images, such as smiley faces and cartoon characters, or brand names, such as “Rolls Royce” and “Mitsubishi.” These recognizable logos contribute to the notion that Ecstasy is a relatively harmless drug. Operation Green Clover got its name from the four-leaf clover (top photo) on certain MDMA tablets.

When one “brand” of Ecstasy develops a reputation of quality, other MDMA producers will utilize the same logo-punch in order to gain market-share. This does not, however, ensure that the chemical composition or active ingredients of the tablets are the same.

Numerous law enforcement agencies participated in the case, which started as several individual investigations, and culminated in one comprehensive investigation. Assisting the DEA and the U.S. Attorney’s Office were: the U.S. Air Force Academy, Peterson Air Force Base, Ft. Carson, Boulder County Drug Task Force, Larimer County Drug Task Force, West Metro Task Force, Front Range Task Force, Colorado Springs and Denver Police Departments, El Paso County Sheriffs Office, and the Boulder District Attorney’s Office.

The organization, which distributed several types of drugs, including Ecstasy, Ketamine, LSD, and marijuana, was led by John Sposit, 26, of Lakewood, Colorado. The arrest of Sposit and several other leaders crippled the organization, which was the primary source of Ecstasy in Colorado.

Operation Green Clover called public attention to the extreme dangers of club drug abuse and to the serious consequences of trafficking these potentially deadly drugs. Brittney Chambers, a 16 year-old from Colorado, died after taking Ecstasy distributed by the organization. Sposit and two others were charged with distributing an Ecstasy pill, the use of which resulted in a death. The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Operation Green Clover also uncovered an example of drug trafficking and use in the military. This investigation led to the arrests of cadets at the Air Force Academy and airmen at Peterson and Schriever Air Force Bases and the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station. Some of those arrests resulted in courts martial.

This investigation was yet another example of the cooperative efforts of federal and local law enforcement, particularly because of the involvement of Air Force authorities and local district attorney’s offices. At the news conference announcing the arrests, DEA Administrator Asa Hutchinson said, “This remarkable effort highlights law enforcement’s commitment to the safety of our children and young adults and to bringing to justice those individuals who wish to destroy the lives of their families and friends.”