Police raid 2 Toronto pot dispensaries, including former Cannabis Culture
Police raided two pot shops in Toronto Tuesday evening.
One of the raids was at the former Cannabis Culture at 461 Church Street, now called Village Cannabis Dispensary.
The other raid was at Canadian Green at Bloor Street West and Landsowne Avenue, said Constable David Hopkinson of the Toronto Police Service.
Hopkinson did not provide any information about how much marijuana was seized. He said charges are pending and investigations are still open.
Customer describes raid
Ori Verkovitch, who calls himself a loyal patron of Cannabis Culture and friend of several of its employees, said he heading out of the store when police arrived.
"They stopped people from leaving. They said to the people, 'If you work here, on one side. Anybody else better leave right away, or they're going to be dealt with accordingly,'" he said.
"Everybody went outside, the staff were inside, they were spoken to for a while. They were then released," he said.
Verkovitch said police then went into the shop with a box and left by the back door.
"The staff are all safe; the customers were all safe," he said.
"Knowing the owner they're going to re-open right away, because that's how they operate."
'Prince of Pot'
Canada's so-called "Prince of Pot," Marc Emery, co-owns the Cannabis Culture stores with his wife, Jodie.
The two were charged with drug trafficking, conspiracy and possession earlier this month, after police raided various Cannabis Culture locations in Ontario and Vancouver.
They were each released on $30,000 bail and some of their dispensaries promptly re-opened.
