Pubdate: Sat, 30 Jul 2005
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Times Colonist
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/victoria/timescolonist/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Greg Joyce, Canadian Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?196 (Emery, Marc)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

POLICE RAID 'PRINCE OF POT' BUSINESS

Canadian Activist Could Face Life In Prison For Selling Marijuana In U.S.

VANCOUVER (CP) -- Well-known Canadian pot activist Marc Emery and two 
others should be extradited to the United States to face several marijuana 
charges, says information contained in a search warrant sought by the 
United States and granted by a B.C. court.

The raid on Emery's pot paraphernalia store in downtown Vancouver began in 
the late morning and involved several uniformed and plainclothes city 
police officers.

The police presented a search warrant, issued by Associate Chief Justice 
Patrick Dohm of B.C. Supreme Court, that said the U.S. made its request 
under a treaty that deals with matters under the Mutual Legal Assistance in 
Criminal Matters Act.

The U.S. alleges Emery -- described in the search warrant as the Prince of 
Pot -- Gregory Keith Williams and Michelle Rainey-Fenkarek conspired to 
manufacture marijuana, to distribute marijuana seeds and conspired to 
engage in money laundering.

Emery, 46, who is also leader of the B.C. Marijuana party, was not at the 
store when it was raided but U.S. justice officials said he was arrested 
earlier Friday in Halifax by the RCMP.

Williams and Rainey-Fenkarek were arrested by police in Vancouver, Jeff 
Sullivan, chief of the criminal division of the U.S. Attorney's Office, 
told a news conference in Seattle.

In Vancouver, Const. Howard Chow was asked to explain at a news conference 
why city police didn't arrest and charge Emery without needing a U.S. request.

"This is information that came to us [from the U.S.] about a year ago and 
investigations take time," said Chow.

Chow acknowledged that Emery's operation has been known to city police for 
several years.

"You can't expect to fly under the radar without being held accountable. 
Distribution of pot is illegal in the U.S. as it is here in Canada."

Chow reiterated that it was information from the U.S., not its own 
officers, that prompted the execution of the search warrant. "This is good, 
substantive information that we received from the U.S. government that 
precipitated this investigation. If we had any other information that we 
received on anyone else our drug squad would have checked into that as well."

The U.S. wants the trio extradited on the charges after they were indicted 
by a federal grand jury in May following an 18-month investigation by 
American police into the sale of marijuana seeds on the Internet and by 
mail, said Sullivan.

Rod Benson, the special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Agency in 
Seattle, told the news conference that Emery showed "overwhelming arrogance 
and abuse of the rule of law," which he said "will no longer be on display 
or tolerated."

A conviction on the charges carries a sentence ranging from 10 years to 
life in prison, said Sullivan.

He said Emery's business selling seeds -- which has been in operation since 
1994 -- makes about $3 million US a year.
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