(Adds comment from city)
By Ethan Lou
TORONTO, May 26 (Reuters) - Toronto police have started
raiding and shutting down some marijuana dispensaries in
Canada's largest city, a spokesman said on Thursday, in the
latest crackdown by local authorities as the federal government
moves to legalize the drug.
The police spokesman said officers are executing search
warrants and seizing products from stores they believe are
selling to recreational users.
At least 45 of Toronto's 83 known unlicensed dispensaries
were targeted, according to the municipal government.
Canadians are allowed to use medical marijuana with a
prescription, but recreational use is illegal.
Even so, unlicensed dispensaries have multiplied in Toronto,
Vancouver and other Canadian cities since the country's Liberal
government came to power last year pledging to legalize
recreational marijuana. Some of these stores have been accused
of selling to people without proper prescriptions.
The government has said it will introduce a law in spring
2017 to fulfill its pledge, but in the meantime, former Toronto
police chief Bill Blair, the government's point man on
legalization, has emphasized the current laws remain in effect.
Toronto's move comes within a month of a similar operation
by Vancouver, which handed out tickets to unlicensed medical
marijuana dispensaries.
Vancouver's enforcement, however, did not involve police,
who had said they would not crack down on dispensaries as long
as they do not sell to minors and are not selling other illicit
drugs.
Toronto city spokeswoman Tammy Robbinson said municipal
staff were also involved in Thursday's enforcement blitz, which
police dubbed "Project Claudia." They laid charges for city
bylaw violations, Robbinson said.
City staff handed notices earlier this month to landlords of
marijuana operations, telling them they can be liable for their
tenants' operations as they contravene the city's zoning
regulations, Robbinson said.
It is not immediately clear whether Toronto police are
laying criminal charges as well. It is also unclear how much
marijuana was seized, though police said search warrants allow
officers to take all the marijuana in offending stores.
Police said they will not comment on the specifics of the
operation while it is under way, and that an update can be
expected on Friday.