Police raid Marc and Jodie Emery's Hamilton pot shop after couple's arrest
The couple was arrested in Toronto Wednesday night at Pearson Airport
Toronto police have raided a Hamilton pot shop owned by the so-called Prince of Pot, Marc Emery and his wife, Jodie just hours after the couple was arrested in Toronto heading to a marijuana festival in Europe.
About a dozen police officers were inside and around the Emery's Hamilton marijuana dispensary, Cannabis Culture on King Street East, near Jarvis Street at 11 a.m.
Mark Pugash, a spokesperson for Toronto police said the raid was done as part of Project Gator, a Toronto Police Service project targeting marijuana dispensaries across the country.
In total, 11 search warrants were executed in Hamilton, Toronto and Vancouver, including five marijuana activists who were arrested in their homes, according to a Toronto police statement.
Britney Guerra, owner of the Hamilton Cannabis Culture location in the International Village, was arrested at her home in Stoney Creek on Thursday morning.
The 29-year-old faces seven charges for conspiracy and possession.
Staff who were inside the storefront told CBC News, that eight undercover Toronto police officers arrived in unmarked vehicles with a search warrant.
"We weren't expecting anything because we work with the city of Hamilton," said Jake Simopoulos, who works at the marijuana dispensary.
Six staff members were involved in the raid.
According to the store's manager, Dan Peters, police seized employees' cell phones, but no arrests were made.
He estimates that more than $22,000 worth of merchandise and cash was taken.
Peters says they plan to reopen for customers by 5 p.m.
The activist couple, Marc and Jodie Emery, were arrested Wednesday night at Toronto's Pearson International Airport while en route to Spannabis, a cannabis festival in Spain.
They were charged with drug trafficking, conspiracy and possession.
Their B.C.-based lawyer, Kirk Tousaw told CBC News he spoke to the couple after they were taken into custody at Toronto's Pearson International Airport.
"Marc was in good spirits, as was Jodie. Obviously both were disappointed at being in custody," he said.
Tousaw has represented Marc in past legal cases and remains close to the couple, although he is not their lawyer on this case.
The couple run about a dozen marijuana shops in Canada under the Cannabis Culture banner. Marc Emery was released from a U.S. prison in 2014 after spending just over four years behind bars on charges of selling marijuana seeds in the United States.
The pair were represented in a Toronto court Thursday by Jack Lloyd.
Police say all five activists charged with drug trafficking, conspiracy and possession related offences are due to appear in Old City Hall court in Toronto at 10 a.m. on Friday.
