Halifax police continue crackdown on illegal cannabis dispensaries

Halifax police are continuingto shut down illegal cannabis dispensaries, with the most recent busts in Fairviewand Dartmouth's Main Street.

In a news release Monday, police said officers searched Doug's Place on Alma Crescent lastThursday, seizing 1.3 kilograms of cannabis, about 300 cannabis products and $900 in cash.

They arrested a23-year-old Sackville manand charged him with possession of cannabis for the purpose of distributing, possession of cannabis for the purpose of sellingand obstructing police.

On Friday, police went to theAtlantic Compassion Club Society onMain Street where they seizedabout $7,000 in cash, 2.2 kilograms of cannabis and about2,500 other cannabis products.

Nine people were charged in that bust, three women and six men, ranging in ages from 21-51.

They were all charged with possession of cannabis for the purpose of distributing andpossession of cannabis for the purpose of selling.

The suspectsare scheduled to appear in provincial court at a later date.

Past arrests

There were sporadic search and seizures atcannabis dispensaries in the Halifax area as the Oct. 17 date for recreational pot legalization got closer. TheNova Scotia Liquor Corp. is now the only legal seller of cannabis in the province.

A few days before the legalization, police went to Chronic ReleafMedical Dispensary on Quinpool Road and Canna Clinic on Dresden Row where they seizedmarijuana, edibles and cash. Ten people were arrested in that bust.

Policewarned dispensaries that a crackdown was coming.

In November, three people were arrested and charged with cannabis-related offences at theGreenTree dispensary on the Bedford Highway. Police seizedthree kilograms of cannabis, cannabis resin, 360 cannabis edibles and a knife.