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U.S. seeks extradition of Canadian pot crusader
Last Updated Fri, 29 Jul 2005 22:00:04 EDT
CBC News
Vancouver police armed with a search warrant have raided a pot-seed store run by Marc Emery, the head of the B.C. Marijuana Party.
The warrant was executed on behalf of the U.S. government.
Emery himself was taken into custody in Halifax.
The document alleges a conspiracy to produce marijuana and distribute seeds as well as alleging money laundering.
"Their activities resulted in the growing of tens of thousands of marijuana plants in America. He was involved, allegedly, in an illegal distribution of marijuana in this country [U.S.]. He is a drug dealer," assistant U.S. attorney Jeff Sullivan told CBC News.
Vancouver police officers carried out the raid. As a result Emery is out of business.
Chris Bennett, who works for Emery and was at his office when it was raided, says he's angry an American warrant was executed by a Canadian police force.
"They're taking him down to face charges in the United States of America. And sentences in America for this kind of thing is so much harsher that one would face in Canada," said Bennett.
U.S. officials allege that Emery has sold as much as $3 million in seeds.
American officials are seeking Emery's extradition, which could take six months to a year.
Last Updated Fri, 29 Jul 2005 22:00:04 EDT
CBC News
Vancouver police armed with a search warrant have raided a pot-seed store run by Marc Emery, the head of the B.C. Marijuana Party.
The warrant was executed on behalf of the U.S. government.
Emery himself was taken into custody in Halifax.
The document alleges a conspiracy to produce marijuana and distribute seeds as well as alleging money laundering.
"Their activities resulted in the growing of tens of thousands of marijuana plants in America. He was involved, allegedly, in an illegal distribution of marijuana in this country [U.S.]. He is a drug dealer," assistant U.S. attorney Jeff Sullivan told CBC News.
Vancouver police officers carried out the raid. As a result Emery is out of business.
Chris Bennett, who works for Emery and was at his office when it was raided, says he's angry an American warrant was executed by a Canadian police force.
"They're taking him down to face charges in the United States of America. And sentences in America for this kind of thing is so much harsher that one would face in Canada," said Bennett.
U.S. officials allege that Emery has sold as much as $3 million in seeds.
American officials are seeking Emery's extradition, which could take six months to a year.
Pot activist released on bail
Last Updated Fri, 05 Aug 2005 19:23:43 EDT
CBC News
B.C. Marijuana Party leader Marc Emery has been released from jail after posting $50,000 bail.
Marc Emery
Emery was arrested by the RCMP in Halifax last week at the request of American authorities, who want to extradite him to the United States to face drug and money-laundering charges.
At the same time, police in Vancouver raided Emery's marijuana seed and paraphernalia store and arrested Gregory Williams and Marijuana Party vice-president Michelle Rainey-Fenkarek.
Emery was granted bail on Tuesday but had to stay in the pre-trial centre in Port Coquitlam, near Vancouver, until he and his supporters raised the money. He walked free on Friday.
Rainey-Fenkarek and Williams have already been released on bail of $25,000 each.
All three are charged in the U.S. with conspiring to sell pot seeds to U.S. residents, conspiracy to grow marijuana and money-laundering.
If extradited and convicted, they could face a minimum of 10 years in jail.
U.S. officials allege that Emery has sold as much as $3 million in seeds.
The raid and the arrests were carried out under the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Act, with authorization from the B.C. Supreme Court.
Last Updated Fri, 05 Aug 2005 19:23:43 EDT
CBC News
B.C. Marijuana Party leader Marc Emery has been released from jail after posting $50,000 bail.
Marc Emery
Emery was arrested by the RCMP in Halifax last week at the request of American authorities, who want to extradite him to the United States to face drug and money-laundering charges.
At the same time, police in Vancouver raided Emery's marijuana seed and paraphernalia store and arrested Gregory Williams and Marijuana Party vice-president Michelle Rainey-Fenkarek.
Emery was granted bail on Tuesday but had to stay in the pre-trial centre in Port Coquitlam, near Vancouver, until he and his supporters raised the money. He walked free on Friday.
Rainey-Fenkarek and Williams have already been released on bail of $25,000 each.
All three are charged in the U.S. with conspiring to sell pot seeds to U.S. residents, conspiracy to grow marijuana and money-laundering.
If extradited and convicted, they could face a minimum of 10 years in jail.
U.S. officials allege that Emery has sold as much as $3 million in seeds.
The raid and the arrests were carried out under the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Act, with authorization from the B.C. Supreme Court.
A couple of questions have been raised about this.
One, in Canada what the guy is doing with his seeds is probably legal, de facto, since the police do not enforce any laws against selling seeds (if there are any, which there probably are). That would make his extradition impossible since he broke no 'real' law in Canada. Or so the question goes.
The other is, fine, the US can have him and prosecute him based on insane anti-drugs laws. Just give us Fred Phelps so we can do the same based on our insane anti-hate laws.
Fair trade?
at Berz. 
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