I described how the raids are carried out by the local Sheriff. When the DEA gets involved there’s much more theater involved because the audience is taxpayers, politicians,and the media at large. Here’s an angle on how they work that I like:
The DEA arrests everyone at a raid site, including women and children. The children are taken to Child Protective Services downtown until either of their parents can get out of jail, usually a day or two. To prepare, mothers take their children downtown just to visit CPS so the kids can meet the staff there and explore the play areas and such. That way there isn’t near the trauma from the kids when they get taken there by surprise. Neighboring mothers in high-risk areas join in mutual assistance pacts so the kids are always supervised.
I don’t like the DEA methods (they’re completely unnecessary and counter-productive) so I get a lot of enjoyment at how the farmers have learned to compensate for their tactics. Of course, if you never change your tactics after 50 years, the adversary is sure to catch on.