Toronto police raid 2 more Cannabis Culture marijuana dispensaries

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Toronto police have raided two more Cannabis Culture medical marijuana dispensaries in the city, almost two weeks after search warrants were executed at several of Marc and Jodie Emery’s locations in Ontario and B.C.

Police would not comment on the amount of drugs seized, charges laid or specific locations of the dispensaries. But officers were seen confiscating large bags of marijuana and former owner Jodie Emery said one of the locations was 711 Queen St. E.

“It breaks my heart knowing that good people are being arrested and jailed,” she told Global News from Vancouver.

“It’s scary seeing so much brute force used against peaceful non-violent people and to know that this government is simply trying to stomp out the dispensaries in advance of the very prohibitionist regulations that they will be introducing.”

The Emerys were forced to divest from the 19 Cannabis Culture marijuana dispensaries they own across Canada after Toronto police said executed raids on seven dispensaries and four homes in connection with an investigation dubbed Project Gator on March 9.

Five Cannabis Culture locations in Toronto, one in Hamilton and one in Vancouver were raided and police said a total of five people had been charged across the country in connection with the investigation. Toronto police said search warrants were also executed on two Toronto residences, one in Vancouver and one in Stoney Creek, Ont.

“I saw that on the same day the raids happened at Cannabis Culture, when I was arrested, the city was using bylaw enforcement against another chain — so they received the soft gloves we received a stomping to the face,” Jodie Emery said Wednesday.

“The Toronto police and the federal government don’t want Cannabis Culture to exist.”

The couple were arrested at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport March 8 and were released on bail March 10.

Marc Emery faces 15 charges, including conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, trafficking, possession for the purpose of trafficking, and possession of proceeds of crime, while Jodie Emery is charged with five similar counts.

Cannabis Culture franchise owners Chris Goodwin, 37, Erin Goodwin, 31, and Britney Guerra, 29, were also arrested and charged with similar offences.

All five were released on $30,000 bail with strict instructions not to have contact with each other, with drugs, the dispensaries or to leave the province.

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