Pubdate: Tue, 18 Aug 2015
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2015 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Yvonne Zacharias
Page: A1

HELLS ANGELS GUARD DISPENSARY TURF

Search Warrant Application Reveals Threats Against Bikers' Competitor

Recent court documents allege a Vancouver-based pot shop kingpin has 
a lengthy criminal record, has been selling pot to 16-year-olds and 
claims to have been threatened by the Hells Angels.

The information is contained in a police application for a warrant to 
raid Weeds Glass + Gifts at 2916 West 4th Ave. near Macdonald Street, 
which is run by Donald Briere.

The revelation is the second this month that illustrates the 
involvement of organized crime groups in the pot dispensary business.

It is illegal in Canada to sell marijuana in stores.

But faced with a proliferation of dispensaries claiming to sell 
medicinal marijuana, the City of Vancouver has imposed its own 
regulations pending the outcome of a court case to decide how 
marijuana is distributed to legitimate medical marijuana users.

The city says regulating them will reduce the number of dispensaries 
and weed out those run by organized crime.

While it was previously known that Briere was convicted for several 
offences related to growing and selling marijuana and that he served 
jail time as a result, the additional charges have not been part of 
the public record. The search warrant application, filed with the 
courts April 28, shows Briere has been convicted of possession of 
property obtained in a crime (1972); possession of a narcotic (1973); 
driving over the legal alcohol limit (1976); possession of a narcotic 
(1976); failure to comply with recognizance (2000); possessing a 
substance for the purpose of trafficking, careless storage of a 
firearm, possessing a weapon, prohibited device or ammunition, 
possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition, 
laundering proceeds of crime (2001); possession of a prohibited 
substance for the purpose of trafficking, and possession of property 
obtained by crime over $5,000 (2008).

In February, Briere was listed on police files as a complainant 
alleging a Hells Angels member threatened him over his plans to open 
a new Weeds Glass + Gifts store at 3450 E. Hastings St.

The investigation was for extortion. However, because Briere didn't 
provide pertinent information to police, it was never established 
what the relationship was between Briere and a known member of the 
Hells Angels.

In January, one of four young students from Kitsilano high school 
smoking pot at Jericho Park had to be taken to the children's 
hospital to treat hallucinations. Another said the pot had been 
purchased at the Weeds Glass + Gifts store on West Fourth Avenue, 
according to the court documents.

In April of 2014, undercover police entered the dispensary and bought 
pot with no request for identification and without medical approval, 
according to the court documents.

In April of this year, also according to court documents, while the 
store was under police surveillance a teenage girl entered and bought 
pot. She then met up with three other teenagers.

They were followed by police who seized the marijuana. Police also 
established the store didn't have a business licence and didn't have 
approval from Health Canada to sell pot.

After a judge granted the warrant, police raided the store April 30, 
seizing evidence, arresting one staff member and identifying customers.

A request for charge approval "has not yet been forwarded to Crown," 
said Vancouver police spokesman Randy Fincham.

Briere has been widely portrayed in the media as a pot crusader, a 
fearless renegade against the authorities and a champion of the 
little guy wanting to buy some weed.

Claiming he owns 17 stores in B.C. and one in Toronto, Briere said 
proudly in a brief phone interview Monday he was on his way to 
Vancouver city hall to obtain licences for five more stores.

"This is history making. This is documentary making because Vancouver 
is defying the federal government," he said. "It's spectacular, it's 
amazing, it's a great, fabulous, wonderfully good day for Canada."

As part of his ambitious expansion plans, he said he is seeking to 
open two more stores in Toronto, as well as opening stores in 
Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal and Quebec City.

In addition, he said he will have two stores in North Vancouver and 
hopes to open up in Abbotsford, Surrey, Richmond and Langley.

"Two years and two months ago, I started with one person at Burrard 
and Davie. I now have 52-plus employees. We are paying $15 an hour 
plus medical and dental."

He agreed to meet with the reporter in person at Burrard and Davie to 
continue the interview but failed to show up.

Later contacted by phone, he talked haltingly about his allegations 
against the Hells Angels.

"They didn't want me to go there," he said of the East Hastings 
location, where he did open a store, but added the Hells Angels 
backed down when they found out he was offering medicinal marijuana. 
He later denied in the interview he was threatened by the Hells Angels.

"I did talk to police about gang activity because we don't want to be 
involved with any kind of gangs." He then abruptly ended the call and 
didn't call back or pick up a return phone call.

Briere has a long history on B.C.'s marijuana front. He made 
headlines in 1999 after RCMP busted a network of grow-ops that Crown 
counsel said was the largest B.C. network it had ever seen. After 
serving two years in prison, he started Da Kine on Commercial Drive, 
which was soon raided for selling pot over the counter.

Police have said in the past they won't bust unlicensed pot shops 
unless they are found to be selling to minors, involve violent 
activities or are connected to organized crime.

On. Aug. 12, police raided and shut down the unlicensed Limelife 
Society dispensary at 4866 Rupert St. in east Vancouver, which they 
allege sold pot to anyone regardless of whether they had medical approval.

In documents filed in court seeking a warrant to raid the Limelife 
offices, police say they linked at least one high-ranking Hells Angel 
to the dispensary and another who is a Hells Angels associate of 
interest to police in five separate gang intelligence files.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom