Marc and Jodie Emery Have Been Charged with Drug Trafficking Following a Cross-Country Sting

Marc and Jodie Emery's weed dispensary empire may be in trouble after the couple was charged with a host of drug trafficking offences following a Toronto police operation called Project Gator.

The Emerys, who own Cannabis Culture, a chain of dispensaries with locations across Canada, were charged Thursday after being arrested at Toronto Pearson airport Wednesday night.

Marc Emery, 59, is facing:

• Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence 
• three counts of Trafficking Schedule II 
• five counts of Possession for the Purpose Schedule II 
• five counts of Possession Proceeds of Crime 
• Fail-to-Comply Recognizance

Jodie Emery, 32, has been charged with:

• Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence 
• Trafficking Schedule II 
• Possession for the Purpose Schedule II 
• two counts of Possession Proceeds of Crime

Fellow Cannabis Culture partners Chris and Erin Goodwin and Britney Anne Guerra are facing possession related charges.

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Through Project Gator, Toronto police executed search warrants at five dispensaries in Toronto, one in Hamilton, and one in Vancouver, and at four private residences—two in Toronto, one in Stoney Creek, one in Vancouver. Toronto police spokesman Mark Pugash did not tell VICE why Cannabis Culture was specifically targeted except to say that it would "become clear" in court.

In downtown Vancouver, around a dozen local officers raided Cannabis Culture's headquarters Thursday morning, the Vancouver Sun reported. Rex Mekkem, a manager at the Hamilton location that was raided said cops had taken employees' cellphones as evidence, according to Leafly.

"They're just taking everybody's names and everybody's phones and kicking us loose, because it has to do with Toronto, they said."

The Emerys own around 20 Cannabis Culture shops across Canada. The first Toronto store opened just after the city-wide Project Claudia raids. They sell weed to anyone who is legal age, no prescription required.

Lawyer and cannabis advocate Kirk Tousaw has been providing updates on the situation on social media. He said there is a bail hearing for all five arrested tomorrow at Toronto's Old City Hall and that the Crown is seeking "large dollar value sureties" in order to have them released.

Tousaw strongly condemned the police's actions.

"Good human beings are being literally locked into cages for cannabis. Canada. 2017. Shameful. History will judge us poorly for this immoral and unjust war on peaceful people and a simple, beneficial plant."

But Pugash said his force will continue to crack down on dispensaries until the laws change.

"The only people who appear to be unhappy are the people who are making a lot of money operating an illegal business."

Follow Manisha Krishnan on Twitter.