Officers with B.C.B次元官网网址檚 Community Safety Unit once again seized product from the Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club.

Its new location on Quadra Street in North Park was raided Thursday (March 23) at around 10 a.m., after moving just three weeks ago.

The unlicensed medical cannabis store and founder Ted Smith face almost $6.5 million in fines based on previous enforcement.

B次元官网网址淭hey werenB次元官网网址檛 even here an hour this time, it was just a hit-and-run,B次元官网网址� Smith said. He estimated anywhere from $80,000 to $100,000 worth of merchandise was seized in this latest raid.

CSU officers attended the clubB次元官网网址檚 previous 826 Johnson St. location on Nov. 14, 2019, and July 15, 2020, after the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch learned and confirmed there was no provincial licence associated with the address. Cannabis products and club documents were seized on both occasions.

After operating at the Johnson Street location for nearly 22 years, the club moved to Quadra Street in late February.

Without the usual backup stash at the new location, Smith said the club has now been left with little choice but to apply for an injunction from the province that would allow his business to operate until he can have a full hearing.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been stuck in a bureaucratic nightmare trying to fight the fines that were issued from the first raids, and we havenB次元官网网址檛 gotten in front of a real judge,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e literally been in a kangaroo court and now that the club is clearly in jeopardy, weB次元官网网址檙e going to go for an injunction because we have significant constitutional arguments that have been successful in other courts in other provinces.B次元官网网址�

According to Smith, the club serves about 3,000 members every month B次元官网网址� providing medical cannabis to people afflicted by a range of illnesses and conditions, from cancer and chronic pain to epilepsy and arthritis.

Member William Holenchuk was surprised to see the raid taking place when he arrived to pick up medical marijuana for chronic pain from an occupational injury. The 65-year-old said heB次元官网网址檚 been a regular at the club since obtaining his federal licence 10 years ago.

B次元官网网址淭his is the only unlicensed facility that IB次元官网网址檓 aware of,B次元官网网址� said Holenchuk. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 sad. The stuff from government stores is too expensive and I canB次元官网网址檛 afford it on my pension.B次元官网网址�

The Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club is the countryB次元官网网址檚 oldest compassion club and has openly sold medical cannabis products since 1996. In January 2020, Victoria city council passed a motion supporting the clubB次元官网网址檚 request for an exemption to the provinceB次元官网网址檚 cannabis regulations.

The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General confirmed that CSU officers were active in the capital March 23, but could not comment further on the raid.

READ MORE:

READ MORE: