Officers carried out raids at seven Canna Clinic marijuana dispensaries this morning, resulting in the arrest of at least six people.
Toronto Police spokesperson Mark Pugash said five searches also took place at residences in Toronto.
Police in Vancouver also raided three homes in connection with the same investigation. Canna Clinic’s headquarters are based in B.C.
Six people have been arrested, but police did not provide details about the charges they will face.
A customer who was inside the Canna Clinic on Broadview Avenue at the time of the raid told CTV News Toronto that a dozen customers were inside the store when Toronto police stormed in.
The man, who did not want to be identified, said all customers and employees were handcuffed while police conducted the raid.
Pugash said the six people charged in the raids are expected to appear in court at Old City Hall tomorrow morning.
The raids come on the heels of comments made by Toronto Mayor John Tory, who reiterated calls last week to shut down illegal marijuana dispensaries.
“I’m much more concerned about what’s going on with people who are assuming that there are new rules in place or that there aren’t going to be any rules and that these shops continue to pop up in neighbourhoods,” he said.
He did, although, show support for the Toronto Board of Health’s motion to decriminalize marijuana in small amounts “as soon as possible.”
