Police have charged four teenage boys and two adults in connection with a series of violent armed robberies of marijuana dispensaries throughout downtown Toronto.
Toronto police said four marijuana dispensaries were held up by suspects armed with handguns and wearing disguises between March 17 and April 7.
The dispensaries were located at 1506 Dundas Street West, 350 Broadview Avenue, 1363 Dundas Street West, and 333 Spadina Avenue.
READ MORE: Violent armed robberies of Toronto marijuana dispensaries not getting reported: police
Police said the armed suspects “took physical control of the employees” before stealing undisclosed amounts of marijuana and money.
On March 15, police said two of the suspects and a third unidentified male also robbed a convenient store near Rexdale Boulevard and Islington Avenue.
Police said an employee was tackled to the ground in that incident and cash and lottery tickets were stolen.
A man, a woman and four teenage boys, who cannot be identified under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, were arrested Thursday and charged with the following offences:
- Nejahwan Grant, 20, of Mississauga, was charged with use of an imitation firearm, possession of stolen property and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
- Kayla Couto, 24, of Mississauga, was charged with possession of stolen property.
- A 16-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy, both of Pickering, were charged with four counts each of robbery and use of an imitation firearm, two counts of disguise with intent and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
- A 16-year-old Toronto boy faces four counts of robbery, four counts of use of an imitation firearm, two counts of disguise with intent, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence and four counts of failure to comply with recognizance.
- A 17-year-old Pickering boy was charged with four counts of robbery, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence and three counts each of use of an imitation firearm and failure to comply with recognizance.
All of the suspects appeared in a Toronto court Friday. Police said some of the robberies were not reported by the alleged victims and that some dispensary owners did not cooperate with the investigation.
Investigators are still seeking several outstanding parties in connection with the robberies but did not comment further.
In January, Toronto police said violent armed dispensary robberies were a growing “public safety issue” made worse by the lack of reporting by owners.
VIDEO: Toronto police disturbed by lack of reporting on robberies by marijuana dispensary owners
Toronto police Supt. Bryce Evans said that between June 2016 and January 2017 there were 13 robberies of illegal marijuana dispensaries in the city. Suspects were armed with handguns in 10 of those incidents.
On Dec. 21, police said four or five masked suspects armed with firearms “stormed” the Canna Clinic marijuana dispensary located at 213 Ossington Ave. and ordered employees and customers to the ground as they stole an undisclosed amount of marijuana products and cash.
Evans said police then attended the dispensary and were met with employees who were “not forthcoming,” “refused to answer any questions” and declined to share surveillance video with investigators.
READ MORE: Toronto marijuana dispensary robbed, employee pistol-whipped: police
In May 2016, Toronto police raided dozens of marijuana dispensaries in the city, seized hundreds of kilograms of marijuana and laid more than 250 charges under an investigation dubbed Project Claudia.
Evans said in January he suspected the targeted robberies could be related to gang activity due to the involvement of guns and masked suspects.
The Toronto Dispensary Coalition said dispensaries across the city were being stigmatized by “violent” police raids and that the rash of robberies at the time were linked to the storefront crackdowns by officers.
READ MORE: Toronto marijuana advocates link dispensary robberies to ‘violent’ police raids
The group representing dispensaries across the city said the businesses were being unfairly targeted by police and that city officials should move towards regulation to improve community safety.
Alleged victims of previous unreported robberies or anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7350 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477).