Photo by Simon Coutu
A guy who's made a career out of getting arrested for selling weed just added another high-profile arrest to his rap sheet.One day after opening six pot shops across Montreal, Marc Emery was hauled off by police Friday and detained overnight. He was released Saturday afternoon on $5,000 bail, according to the CBC. He faces drug trafficking, possession for trafficking and conspiracy charges.Emery's wife and business partner Jodie Emery caught the arrest on camera, before being arrested herself later that night.
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I was arrested at our hotel in Montreal last night, released hours later with no charges. Under investigation. My first time in handcuffs!
— Jodie Emery (@JodieEmery)December 17, 2016
"I was arrested at our hotel in Montreal last night, released hours later with no charges," she tweeted. "Under investigation. My first time in handcuffs!"Montreal police said they seized 18 kilos of weed and arrested 10 people in the Cannabis Culture raids. "The message that we want to impart is that the possession and trafficking of marijuana is currently illegal, and the police department will enforce the law that's in effect," Commander Stephen Verissimo told reporters Friday.Constable Benoit Boisselle of the Montreal Police Service told VICE Emery was held overnight because he refused to sign a release saying he would appear in court at a later date—something all the others agreed to do. A judge decided to release him after an arraignment at 2:30 PM Saturday.Emery told the Montreal Gazette that this was his first time being arrested in Quebec. "I've been arrested 28 times in Canada for marijuana and I've seen 34 prisons and jails," he said. "I've been locked up in eight provinces … so, you know, there's always room for No. 9."Read More: Canada's Weed Industry Reacts to the Government's Just-Announced Legalization ReportJustin Trudeau's Liberal government has promised to legalize weed in Canada as early as April 2017. Earlier this week, a legalization task force released a report that recommended allowing retail sales, recreational lounges and tasting rooms, and up to 30 grams of personal possession.Despite still being illegal, many recreational dispensaries have been openly operating in major urban centres like Vancouver and Toronto, with uneven reactions from police. Pot producers have protested the raids, asking for cities to work together with grey market businesses before legalization becomes official.Follow Sarah Berman on Twitter.Marc Emery should be getting out of jail in Montreal today. We have no phones or computers, so I can only post updates occasionally. — Jodie Emery (@JodieEmery)December 17, 2016