RCMP in Nova Scotia say they’ve seized “thousands” of illegal cannabis products, some of which claim to have THC levels that far exceed legal limits.
A photo released by police shows several products that are packaged to look like popular chocolate bars, candy and chips.
“Product packaging indicates that chocolate bars containing 2,000–8,000 mg of THC each and candy containing 5,000 mg per package were among the illegal products seized,” RCMP said in a Tuesday release.
“The legal limit in Canada is 10 mg of THC per package, well under what’s being marketed at illegal cannabis storefronts. Samples of the seized items are currently being tested.”
The products were seized during inspections of illegal storefronts since March 3. Police note that on March 27, officers raided a storefront on Sweetgrass Lane in Eskasoni First Nation, where cannabis and shatter were seized and a person was charged under the Cannabis Control Act for operating a store that sells cannabis.
“The Nova Scotia RCMP continues to enforce cannabis laws with a focus on public safety and the aim to have illegal cannabis storefronts cease operations,” RCMP added.
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“Their products are often sourced from organized crime groups, are unregulated, and may pose health risks.”
The province has been cracking down on unlicensed cannabis stores over the past few months, especially in Mi’kmaq First Nations.
After the federal government legalized recreational cannabis in 2018, the province brought in the Cannabis Control Act, which makes the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC) the exclusive legal retailer of cannabis in the province.
In December 2025, the province issued a directive for police to “intensify enforcement” to stop illegal cannabis operations.
Justice Minister Scott Armstrong also sent a letter to 13 Mi’kmaq chiefs to ask for their “co-operation.”
In response, Mi’kmaq chiefs have criticized the Houston government, saying the order undermines relations with Indigenous Peoples, and have banned the premier and ministers from their land.
Earlier this month, the council of Cape Breton’s Membertou First Nation passed a new resolution saying the provincial government and RCMP have no right to carry out enforcement on its lands.
The document says the community has a right to regulate cannabis and tobacco sales, and that the province is using the RCMP and government inspectors to “assert their unlawful authority” on the community.
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