Tobique pot shop raided by RCMP reopens within hours
RCMP raided a marijuana dispensary on Tobique First Nation on Thursday, prompting a community protest, but within hours, it was back open for business, according to the acting manager.
Jacob Perley said about 50 people turned up to protest while police were executing a search warrant at Tribal ReLeaf, located on Route 105 in northwestern New Brunswick.
Police removed "pounds" of product, he said, but the self-described pain management centre "always has a backup supply."
No charges have been laid and the investigation is continuing, said RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Jullie Rogers-Marsh.
Officers executed the search warrant after issuing a warning to the business in September, she said.
"We visited this dispensary last month to explain the potential ramifications related to business practices which do not comply with the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and they continued to operate," said Rogers-Marsh.
"It is illegal and unregulated, so people who may have purchased from this location need to be aware that it's unknown as to where they were getting the marijuana from."
RCMP are trying to determine who the supplier is, she said.
Rogers-Marsh declined to say if anyone was arrested.
Saw police coming
Perley, who is a server, known as a "budtender," and acting manager this week, said he was one of three people initially arrested.
He, another server and a guard were all given promises to appear in court at a later date, but those were later rescinded, he said.
No patrons were there when police showed up around 11 a.m., said Perley.
He saw one marked marked police cruiser and four unmarked vehicles approaching on the security cameras but said he didn't get to the door quickly enough to lock it.
About 10 officers conducted the search, he said.
The federal government is expected to legalize recreational marijuana use by July 2018.
