Following a series of raids at Cannabis Culture pot shop across the country, including the chain’s headquarters at 370 West Hastings Street, owners Marc and Jodie Emery have been arrested and charged with a long list of offences by the Toronto Police Service.
Marc Emery has been charged with conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, three counts of trafficking, five counts of possession, five counts of possession of proceeds of crime, and fail-to-comply recognizance.
Jodie Emery has been charged with conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, trafficking, possession, and two counts of possession of proceeds of crime.
Shop owners from two Ontario Cannabis Culture stores have also been arrested and charged with similar crimes.
According to the Criminal Code of Canada, offenders found trafficking in a Schedule II controlled substance (e.g. Cannabinoids) in an amount greater than three kilograms are liable for an indictable offence with a maximum penalty of life in jail.
Where the amount is equal or less than three kilograms, the offender is liable for an indictable offence with a maximum penalty of five years in jail.
Shameful @VancouverPD ransacked our #CannabisCulture HQ – ripped art off walls & tossed around furniture. Money & computers siezed #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/dQDbn9tYeb— Cannabis Culture (@CannabisCulture) March 9, 2017
Toronto police have told the Emery’s lawyer, Kirk Tousaw, and media outlets that the Cannabis Culture raids that took place today in Vancouver, Hamilton, and Toronto are part of what has been dubbed Project Gator.
According to Tousaw, the Emerys were arrested at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport on Wednesday, where they were stopped en route to Barcelona to attend a pot festival called Spannabis.
I just spoke to Marc Emery. He and Jodie Emery have been arrested in Toronto and are both being held for a bail… https://t.co/XwwzMxEA3z— KirkTousaw (@KirkTousaw) March 9, 2017
Tousaw told Facebook followers that the Emerys are being held for a bail hearing at Old City Hall, and were expected to appear in court this morning. That appearance is now scheduled for Friday.
Cannabis Culture stores across Canada being raided at behest of Toronto Police. Get out and protest, call your MP/MLA/TPS and have your say.— KirkTousaw (@KirkTousaw) March 9, 2017
Cannabis Culture shops in Montreal were raided in December 2016, and Marc was charged with drug trafficking.
The Emerys operate approximately 20 Cannabis Culture shops across the country, with four in Vancouver and three in Toronto.
