Two arrested in Winnipeg Halloween cannabis incident

Two people face numerous charges in connection with cannabis edibles found in kids’ Halloween candy Monday night.

Police said Wednesday their ongoing investigation into a small area of south Tuxedo proved fruitful after reports of the items — designed to resemble ‘Nerds’ candy, but containing a high dose of THC — from neighbourhood parents ballooned to more than a dozen.

The suspects, A 53-year-old woman and a 63-year-old man, were arrested after police searched a house in the first 100 block of Coleraine Crescent.

They each face 13 counts of causing bodily harm by criminal negligence, administering a noxious thing with intent to endanger life or cause bodily harm, adult distribution of cannabis to a young person, and adult distribution of known illicit cannabis — totalling 52 charges apiece.

Police said the trick-or-treaters who received the edibles ranged in age from six to 16, and there may be more potential victims out there.

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Const. Dani McKinnon told media Wednesday morning that investigators don’t believe any of the children were intentionally targeted, but police are still looking into what the suspects’ motive may have been.

“I think the community as a whole wants a definite answer, the police want a definite answer,” she said.

McKinnon said the work by members of the south Tuxedo community helped lead to fast arrests in this case.

“My reaction is two-fold: I’m a parent and I’m a police officer. I’m upset that it happened as a parent. As a police officer, unfortunately I’m not surprised, but I’m really glad that the community worked together so quickly.

“That’s not often the case — sometimes social media is used to report to the social masses but not to the police.”

Because the items recovered by police appear to have been purchased on the black market, the suspects — who have been released on a promise to appear — are facing the additional charges related to illicit cannabis.

Prohibitions set out in the federal Cannabis Act ban products that have an appearance that could appeal to young people.

According to the act, it’s prohibited to sell products that incorporate “colour, lettering or design that evokes a food product associated with young persons,” or to sell a product that evokes, including through similar branding elements “popular toys or games related to young persons, sporting equipment or candies, etc.”

Packaging for legal cannabis products also requires a standardized Canadian cannabis symbol, as well as a bilingual health warning and associated product information.

McKinnon said the edibles have yet to be drug-tested, as it’s a lengthy process for edible cannabis.

“They’re gummies, so there’s not a dropper or something with have with opioids or cocaine where we can do a test,” she said.

“These have to go to Health Canada and it’s a very long process.”

2:08 Winnipeg police investigating ‘small area’ of Tuxedo after reports of cannabis edibles in Halloween candy