Police carried out raids on several Cannabis Culture outlets across Canada on Thursday, one day after the dispensary chain’s founders, Marc and Jodie Emery, were arrested.
As of press time, five Cannabis Culture locations had been raided in Toronto, and one in Hamilton, Ont., as well as the flagship location in Vancouver, BC.
Canada’s self-described “Prince of Pot” and his wife were taken into custody at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport as they were about to depart for the cannabis expo Spannabis in Barcelona, the Vancouver Sun reports.
The Toronto raids were part of a city police operation called Project Gator.
“The City of Toronto has consistently pursued enforcement actions against marijuana stores in the city. These operations are illegal under federal law and also operate in contravention of the City’s zoning by-laws,” municipal authorities said in a statement, according to the Toronto Star.
Police said five have been arrested in the Toronto raids, although it is uncertain if this includes Marc and Jodie.
The couple’s attorney, Kirk Tousaw, said in a statement: “This latest salvo in Canada’s senseless war on cannabis and cannabis consumers is a moral outrage and has no place in a free and democratic society.”
“Make no mistake, this is not about public safety,” Tousaw continued. “This is not about protecting the public. There is no harm being done by the production and sale of cannabis, for medical or recreational purposes, in storefront dispensaries.”‘
