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RCMP breaks up Montreal cannabis seed ring
Updated Tue. Feb. 28 2006 11:22 PM ET
CTV.ca News
The RCMP has busted a Montreal-based drug ring that dealt marijuana seeds over the Internet.
In doing so, they arrested seven people, seized 200,000 cannabis seeds, $300,000 in U.S. and Canadian cash, three gold bricks and several computers that formed the guts of the operation.
The RCMP said Tuesday this is the first time they've targeted seed sales over the Internet.
Last year, Marc Emery, leader of the B.C. Marijuana Party, was arrested after police raided the store where he sold mail-order cannabis seeds.
Police call the investigation Project Courriel (the French word for email). The RCMP's Marijuana Grow Operations Enforcement Team began it in November 2004.
The company in this case, Heaven's Stairway, set up six websites to allow customers to order cannabis seeds over the Internet, the RCMP said at a news conference.
Buyers from around the world paid between seven and 10 dollars per seed.
Sgt. Maj. Andre Potvin said the company did about $3,000 per day in business.
"The investigation confirmed that Heaven's Stairway operated in Quebec, Canada, North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere in the world from at least 1997 to January 31, 2006," Potvin said.
In the last week of January, the RCMP carried out raids in Montreal and the nearby suburb of Laval.
The amount of seed seized would allow someone to operated 500 cannabis greenhouses of 400 plants each, the RCMP said.
Potvin said the accused face 49 charges, including possession of cannabis seeds for the purpose of trafficking.
The accused ringleader is Richard ****** , a 38-year-old Montreal man.
Natalia B******, his 40-year-old wife, is among the other six charged.
Not all cannabis seeds are illegal.
"Some cannabis seeds are non-viable, which means they will not produce a level of THC, the reactive substance in marijuana plants," Potvin said.
"If it's below I think something like 1.5 per cent, basically it's not considered a viable seed. Obviously that would not be considered a criminal infraction in Canada," he said.
Potvin said some operations in Quebec grow marijuana plants to produce hemp clothing.
"There is the impression that seeds are legal in Canada and this case is unprecedented," marijuana activist Marc-BorisSaint-Maurice, who attended the news conference, told reporters.
"The upcoming court case is going to be important to try to figure out the actual status of seeds."
With a report from CTV Montreal's Herb Luft
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060228/rcmp_drugring_060228?s_name=&no_ads=
This is the link.
This is why Montreal Seed Banks are hard to find now!
Updated Tue. Feb. 28 2006 11:22 PM ET
CTV.ca News
The RCMP has busted a Montreal-based drug ring that dealt marijuana seeds over the Internet.
In doing so, they arrested seven people, seized 200,000 cannabis seeds, $300,000 in U.S. and Canadian cash, three gold bricks and several computers that formed the guts of the operation.
The RCMP said Tuesday this is the first time they've targeted seed sales over the Internet.
Last year, Marc Emery, leader of the B.C. Marijuana Party, was arrested after police raided the store where he sold mail-order cannabis seeds.
Police call the investigation Project Courriel (the French word for email). The RCMP's Marijuana Grow Operations Enforcement Team began it in November 2004.
The company in this case, Heaven's Stairway, set up six websites to allow customers to order cannabis seeds over the Internet, the RCMP said at a news conference.
Buyers from around the world paid between seven and 10 dollars per seed.
Sgt. Maj. Andre Potvin said the company did about $3,000 per day in business.
"The investigation confirmed that Heaven's Stairway operated in Quebec, Canada, North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere in the world from at least 1997 to January 31, 2006," Potvin said.
In the last week of January, the RCMP carried out raids in Montreal and the nearby suburb of Laval.
The amount of seed seized would allow someone to operated 500 cannabis greenhouses of 400 plants each, the RCMP said.
Potvin said the accused face 49 charges, including possession of cannabis seeds for the purpose of trafficking.
The accused ringleader is Richard ****** , a 38-year-old Montreal man.
Natalia B******, his 40-year-old wife, is among the other six charged.
Not all cannabis seeds are illegal.
"Some cannabis seeds are non-viable, which means they will not produce a level of THC, the reactive substance in marijuana plants," Potvin said.
"If it's below I think something like 1.5 per cent, basically it's not considered a viable seed. Obviously that would not be considered a criminal infraction in Canada," he said.
Potvin said some operations in Quebec grow marijuana plants to produce hemp clothing.
"There is the impression that seeds are legal in Canada and this case is unprecedented," marijuana activist Marc-BorisSaint-Maurice, who attended the news conference, told reporters.
"The upcoming court case is going to be important to try to figure out the actual status of seeds."
With a report from CTV Montreal's Herb Luft
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060228/rcmp_drugring_060228?s_name=&no_ads=
This is the link.
This is why Montreal Seed Banks are hard to find now!