Two illegal marijuana dispensaries in Ottawa were raided by police and an unspecified number of people were arrested and taken into custody. The warrants were issued under the new cannabis law which gives law enforcement authorities the ability to raid any illegal establishment that sells marijuana. This law led to the Friday raid of the Hemp Company shops which were illegally selling recreational marijuana.
Ottawa’s police force has been on a rampage with an effort to close the few dispensaries still operating within the state. On November 6th two more shops were raided with six people being arrested and charged. Those selling marijuana outside the legal framework are liable and open to being fined and imprisonment up to 2 years or both. Ottawa police are working to educate landlords as they can also be charged for leasing or renting out their property to illegal marijuana businesses.
The landlord at the Clarence Street Hemp Company
Toni Azzi who’s building hosted the illegal marijuana dispensaries in an interview on Friday claimed that he was aware of the raid at Clarence Street Hamp Company. He refused to talk more about the situation and hung up the call.
Statements from the police indicate that they had warned Mr. Toni Azzi of Azzi Realty about the dispensary that was operating illegally. The police statement continued to state that Mr. Azzi claimed that he could not just lock the door and throw them out because of the lease between him and his tenants.
Toni Azzi was quoted saying, “What I care about most was that they pay their rent and if the authorities don’t like it, they can come shut them down themselves. It is not my job.”
Another dispensary opened its doors to the public earlier this week, Mary Hanes on 866 Merivale Rd. However, it did not take long for the authorities to get wind of it and it was shut down by close of business Friday.
