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Canada's "Prince of Pot" says he's surprised it took the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) so long to investigate his Internet business that sold hundreds of thousands of marijuana seeds to Americans for 11 years.
"They claim I'm responsible for seeds that produced 1.1 million pounds of marijuana worth $3 billion, so if it's true, I'm so happy about that," Marc Emery told a Saskatchewan Marijuana Party rally in Saskatoon on Saturday.
"If I were the DEA, I would have targeted me, too."
Emery, 50, is charged in the U.S. with conspiracy to distribute marijuana, conspiracy to distribute marijuana seeds and conspiracy to engage in money laundering. His business partners, Gregory Keith Williams and Michelle Rainey-Fenkarek, are also charged. The U.S. Attorney's Office has filed a request with Canada that all three be extradited to Seattle to stand trial. The charges carry penalties of 10 years to life in prison.
Emery, who has been arrested 22 times and jailed 17 times, faces an extradition hearing Nov. 5. During an 18-month investigation, the DEA traced the marijuana seeds Emery sold over the Internet to illegal marijuana crops in Indiana, Florida, California, Tennessee, Montana, Virginia, Michigan, New Jersey and North Dakota. An estimated 75 per cent of the seeds Emery sold were transported to the United States.
Emery is a well known in Canada as publisher of Cannabis Culture magazine and leader of the BC Marijuana Party. He claims to have made more than $3 million annually through his Internet business, which he says stocked the largest supply of marijuana seeds in the world.
About 100 people gathered in front of Saskatoon city hall Saturday afternoon to show their support for Emery and listen to his views on government, police and the legalization of marijuana. Longtime pot crusader Grant Krieger, who was recently jailed on drug-trafficking charges, came from Calgary to hear Emery speak and to look for donations.
"If a person has a lot of money to pay for a lawyer and use the legal system, they can change it," said Krieger while sucking back on a fat joint.
"But if you have no money, what can you do? Lawyers are expensive and we need money to defend ourselves."
Krieger suffers from multiple sclerosis and is one of the only people in Canada allowed to cultivate and possess cannabis to alleviate his pain. But he says the problem with his constitutional exemption is that he can't get home insurance or a mortgage because companies are afraid he will burn his house down with his marijuana-growing equipment.
Krieger was convicted in March of two counts of drug trafficking after two packages containing 801 grams of marijuana were sent by the Grant Krieger Compassion Club to Manitoba for distribution to people with similar neurological problems.
But Krieger and Emery are surprisingly optimistic, especially Emery, who could face life in prison in the U.S.
"I'm very proud of what I've done, but I don't fear the consequences of taking on the Goliath of the U.S. federal government," he said. "It's going to be tough, miserable and not in my favour but I love this war I'm in."
News Mod: CoZmO - 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: The Saskatoon StarPhoenix (Canada)
Author: Kenyon Wallace
Contact: spnews@sp.canwest.com
Copyright: 2007 CanWest News Service
Website: "Prince of Pot" optimistic in face of trafficking charges
"They claim I'm responsible for seeds that produced 1.1 million pounds of marijuana worth $3 billion, so if it's true, I'm so happy about that," Marc Emery told a Saskatchewan Marijuana Party rally in Saskatoon on Saturday.
"If I were the DEA, I would have targeted me, too."
Emery, 50, is charged in the U.S. with conspiracy to distribute marijuana, conspiracy to distribute marijuana seeds and conspiracy to engage in money laundering. His business partners, Gregory Keith Williams and Michelle Rainey-Fenkarek, are also charged. The U.S. Attorney's Office has filed a request with Canada that all three be extradited to Seattle to stand trial. The charges carry penalties of 10 years to life in prison.
Emery, who has been arrested 22 times and jailed 17 times, faces an extradition hearing Nov. 5. During an 18-month investigation, the DEA traced the marijuana seeds Emery sold over the Internet to illegal marijuana crops in Indiana, Florida, California, Tennessee, Montana, Virginia, Michigan, New Jersey and North Dakota. An estimated 75 per cent of the seeds Emery sold were transported to the United States.
Emery is a well known in Canada as publisher of Cannabis Culture magazine and leader of the BC Marijuana Party. He claims to have made more than $3 million annually through his Internet business, which he says stocked the largest supply of marijuana seeds in the world.
About 100 people gathered in front of Saskatoon city hall Saturday afternoon to show their support for Emery and listen to his views on government, police and the legalization of marijuana. Longtime pot crusader Grant Krieger, who was recently jailed on drug-trafficking charges, came from Calgary to hear Emery speak and to look for donations.
"If a person has a lot of money to pay for a lawyer and use the legal system, they can change it," said Krieger while sucking back on a fat joint.
"But if you have no money, what can you do? Lawyers are expensive and we need money to defend ourselves."
Krieger suffers from multiple sclerosis and is one of the only people in Canada allowed to cultivate and possess cannabis to alleviate his pain. But he says the problem with his constitutional exemption is that he can't get home insurance or a mortgage because companies are afraid he will burn his house down with his marijuana-growing equipment.
Krieger was convicted in March of two counts of drug trafficking after two packages containing 801 grams of marijuana were sent by the Grant Krieger Compassion Club to Manitoba for distribution to people with similar neurological problems.
But Krieger and Emery are surprisingly optimistic, especially Emery, who could face life in prison in the U.S.
"I'm very proud of what I've done, but I don't fear the consequences of taking on the Goliath of the U.S. federal government," he said. "It's going to be tough, miserable and not in my favour but I love this war I'm in."
News Mod: CoZmO - 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: The Saskatoon StarPhoenix (Canada)
Author: Kenyon Wallace
Contact: spnews@sp.canwest.com
Copyright: 2007 CanWest News Service
Website: "Prince of Pot" optimistic in face of trafficking charges
