Green Essence has been openly selling marijuana to anyone off the street, said police, prompting RCMP to execute a search warrant at the downtown Penticton business on Thursday.
“They were selling the drug to anyone, whether they had a medical licence or not,” Const. James Grandy said.
Police said Green Essence did not possess a licence to sell marijuana.
During the raid at 409 Martin St., 15 pounds of bud marijuana was seized along with a large amount of cash and cannabis-laden edibles, “such as cookies and honey, along with oils and waxes.”
“Many of these packaged products were infused with potent amount of THC, namely ‘Shatter’,” Grandy said.
“Even if marijuana was legal today, the kinds of THC-infused products they were openly selling would not be legal even in that framework,” he said.
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Staff and customers in the store were identified by RCMP but not arrested.
Charges under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act are being considered, according to Grandy.
Green Essence was originally granted a temporary operating permit in 2017 which was not renewed.
The owners were given numerous warnings to stop selling the drug, according to RCMP.
Global News has reached out to owner Ryan Burghall for comment on Thursday’s raid.
Recreational cannabis use in Canada is set to become legal on Oct. 17.
In B.C., the Liquor Distribution Branch will become the wholesale distributor of non-medical marijuana.
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