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On February 24th 2003, after an intensive $12 million dollar investigation involving over 2000 law enforcement officers, Operation Pipe Dreams was executed.
The nationwide investigation into illegal drug paraphernalia sales led to the arrests of 55
Individuals who faced various punishments such as fines and at home detention while the glass industry as a whole was characterized as terrorists. However Tommy Chong was the only one who faced any prison time. In a politically motivated move
the us government wrongfully entrapped Tommy and his son Paris, the owner of Chong Glass. In order to protect the ones he loved,
Tommy took a deal and spent 9 months in prison. Paris lost Chong Glass. The business he worked so hard to build was seized and shut down. The beautiful works of art that were once readily available in head shops everywhere slowly became more and more difficult to find.
As a result, collectors continue the endless search far and wide for those relics we have come to cherish.
Now 20 years later, with times and laws changing, we look back on this era as "Pre-Op" or "Pre-Operation Pipe Dreams". If time and Luck were on your side, and you held on to one of those bearded, bandanna bearing, boro badasses, count yourself among the lucky lew.
Enjoy your trip down memory lane, man!!!