Katelyn Baker
Well-Known Member
The hits keep coming for Toronto's pot shops.
Cops raided four marijuana dispensaries on Thursday - the blitz comes almost one month after Toronto Police raided dozens of shops across the city.
And Chief Mark Saunders delivered a blunt warning to any Hogtown bud businesses still operating when asked about these latest raids.
"It's an ongoing investigation. I've never minced my words," Saunders said. "This is a result of what I said. If you have a dispensary open, your chances of going to court and being charged are very high, so I highly recommend that you stop."
Saunders also took aim at those operating the dispensaries.
"This investigation has nothing to do with personal use, this has everything to do with people that are entering into this for the sole purpose of making money, using it as a guise under medical marijuana - this is a falsehood."
At Cannabis Culture on Queen St. W., police arrested three people from inside the store Thursday afternoon and plainclothes officers were seen leaving with two large bags of evidence.
Jodie Emery, who owns the Cannabis Culture chain with her husband Marc Emery - the so-called Prince of Pot, called the raids a "waste" of police resources.
Emery called for a moratorium on arrests for marijuana-related offences and the acceleration of planned federal marijuana legislation.
"This inequality is unjust when Canadians will be buying pot legally in the near future," Emery said. "If Canadians are not going to be arrested in the future for pot, they shouldn't be arrested today."
Emery acknowledged marijuana distribution is illegal, but said she and others are engaging in peaceful disobedience.
"We believe that in this case breaking the law to demonstrate the injustice of the law is essential to change the law," she said.
"Civil disobedience is the only reason legalization is happening after 20 years plus of heavy activism."
Police carried out Project Claudia in May. That operation saw 90 people arrested and 186 charges laid as officers executed search warrants on 43 storefront locations. Those charges have yet to be tested in court.
Outside of the Queen St. location, customer Mike Smith was upset by the closure.
"It's a very big disappointment," Smith, 35, told the Sun.
Smith said he uses medical marijuana to deal with chronic pain following a collision that left him with a serious leg injury.
"I come here to get medicine so I don't have to get other painkillers that are opiate-based," Smith said.
"The staff is friendly. The facility is clean. The product is great."
A police spokesman said an update on the raids will be released Friday.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Cops Raid More Pot Shops
Author: Nick Westoll
Contact: 416-947-2222
Photo Credit: Lucas Oleniuk
Website: Toronto Sun
Cops raided four marijuana dispensaries on Thursday - the blitz comes almost one month after Toronto Police raided dozens of shops across the city.
And Chief Mark Saunders delivered a blunt warning to any Hogtown bud businesses still operating when asked about these latest raids.
"It's an ongoing investigation. I've never minced my words," Saunders said. "This is a result of what I said. If you have a dispensary open, your chances of going to court and being charged are very high, so I highly recommend that you stop."
Saunders also took aim at those operating the dispensaries.
"This investigation has nothing to do with personal use, this has everything to do with people that are entering into this for the sole purpose of making money, using it as a guise under medical marijuana - this is a falsehood."
At Cannabis Culture on Queen St. W., police arrested three people from inside the store Thursday afternoon and plainclothes officers were seen leaving with two large bags of evidence.
Jodie Emery, who owns the Cannabis Culture chain with her husband Marc Emery - the so-called Prince of Pot, called the raids a "waste" of police resources.
Emery called for a moratorium on arrests for marijuana-related offences and the acceleration of planned federal marijuana legislation.
"This inequality is unjust when Canadians will be buying pot legally in the near future," Emery said. "If Canadians are not going to be arrested in the future for pot, they shouldn't be arrested today."
Emery acknowledged marijuana distribution is illegal, but said she and others are engaging in peaceful disobedience.
"We believe that in this case breaking the law to demonstrate the injustice of the law is essential to change the law," she said.
"Civil disobedience is the only reason legalization is happening after 20 years plus of heavy activism."
Police carried out Project Claudia in May. That operation saw 90 people arrested and 186 charges laid as officers executed search warrants on 43 storefront locations. Those charges have yet to be tested in court.
Outside of the Queen St. location, customer Mike Smith was upset by the closure.
"It's a very big disappointment," Smith, 35, told the Sun.
Smith said he uses medical marijuana to deal with chronic pain following a collision that left him with a serious leg injury.
"I come here to get medicine so I don't have to get other painkillers that are opiate-based," Smith said.
"The staff is friendly. The facility is clean. The product is great."
A police spokesman said an update on the raids will be released Friday.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Cops Raid More Pot Shops
Author: Nick Westoll
Contact: 416-947-2222
Photo Credit: Lucas Oleniuk
Website: Toronto Sun
