Toronto Marijuana Dispensaries Raided by Police

Toronto police betrothed in another restriction on medical marijuana dispensaries in the city. They raided at least two pot shops in downtown Toronto Thursday last month. One marijuana dispensary is on Queen Street West while another is in the Kensington Market area.

Police have not yet released information on how many people were arrested or how much marijuana they seized.

Police Chief Mark Saunders said search warrants were fulfilled at four dispensaries across the city as part of Project Claudia. He also said it’s still illegal to sell marijuana at a dispensary without a license and he sent out a warning to storefront dispensaries.

One of the stores targeted on Thursday was Cannabis Culture on Queen Street West. And according to the owner 0f Cannabis Culture Jodie Emery, they received a letter from police on Wednesday (The day before) saying the store was operating against regulations and that investigations were possible. “I have employees who are bravely working in our shop to demonstrate what legalization looks like and the only harm being done today is not by our store and not by our employees; it is the police, their enforcement and the handcuffs and the criminal charges,” she said. “The police are the ones that need to be called out. These businesses are supported by the community and we just want to be left alone.”

The raids come a month after police, carried out search warrants at 43 locations and arrested 90 people, including shop owners and employees but neither Cannabis Culture nor the Canna Clinic in Kensington Market were directed.

Chief Saunders was asked about the raids at an unrelated press conference Thursday. He said police will continue to investigate marijuana dispensaries following the recent raid Operation Claudia.”I strongly recommend you stop selling marijuana in dispensaries because they’re all illegal,” he said, “This investigation has nothing to do with personal use and everything to do with the people who are entering into this for the sole purpose of making money.”

The federal government is expected to legalize recreational marijuana next year and Chief Saunders said that police are only attentive to those people making profit out-off a still illegal substance.