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South Dakota tribe burned pot crop for fear of federal raid

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - A South Dakota American Indian tribe that sought to open the nation's first marijuana resort says it burned its crop after federal officials signaled a potential raid.

Flandreau Santee Sioux President Anthony Reider told The Associated Press the tribe had three weeks of discussions with authorities that culminated with a meeting in Washington that included a Justice Department official and U.S. Attorney for South Dakota Randolph Seiler.

Reider says the tribe wasn't told a raid was imminent - only that one was possible if the government's concerns weren't addressed.

Reider says the main holdup is whether the tribe can sell marijuana to non-Indians, along with the origin of the seeds used for its crop.

Calls by the AP to the Justice Department and to Seiler's office weren't immediately returned.

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This story has been corrected to show Seiler's first name is Randolph.

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