Pubdate: Fri, 17 Nov 2017
Source: Record, The (Kitchener, CN ON)
Copyright: 2017 Metroland Media Group Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.therecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/225
Author: Gordon Paul
Page: B6

POT DISPENSARY EMPLOYEE GETS $10 FINE

KITCHENER - A judge who granted an absolute discharge to a Kitchener
couple running an illegal marijuana dispensary has handed out a tiny
fine to one of them for careless storage of a loaded handgun.

Nour Louka, 30, owned and operated the Waterloo Dispensary, which sold
marijuana out of a second-floor business on King Street in uptown
Waterloo. Her husband, Shady Louka, 32, was a part-time, temporary
employee.

Justice Colin Westman had said in July that he would grant an absolute
discharge and he made it official on Thursday.

Shady Louka was also charged with careless storage of a 9 mm Glock
handgun in their home.

On Thursday, Westman registered a conviction and imposed a $10
fine.

Sean Safa, representing Shady Louka, blamed the careless storage on
memory problems as a result of a car crash. Mental health issues were
also cited.

Safa had sought a discharge on the gun charge, but federal prosecutor
Kathleen Nolan strongly opposed it, saying it wouldn't be in the
public interest.

Nolan noted another loaded handgun, a Beretta, was found in the
basement. Also found in the house were multiple rounds of ammunition,
a prohibited knife, an expandable baton and edible marijuana products.

Shady Louka was arrested with more than $10,000 cash in the trunk of
his car. Another C$4,400 and US$1,829 in cash and a money counter were
found at their house.

Nolan suggested he had the weapons for protection in case of a
robbery.

Westman handed both Loukas a 10-year ban on possessing firearms and a
lifetime ban on possessing prohibited or restricted firearms.

Court heard the Loukas were injured in a car crash in 2015. Both
suffered from chronic pain. Shady Louka has been unable to work.

Nour Louka's difficulty accessing suitable strains of marijuana and
knowing other people had the same problem prompted her to start the
dispensary in April 2016.

The Loukas said they only sold pot to adults with medical marijuana
licences.

"You are not going to be compromised in my court, not for
circumstances like this," Westman told them in July.

The dispensary was busted by police in August 2016.

Both Loukas pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana for the purpose
of trafficking.
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MAP posted-by: Matt