The Prince George RCMP say they have shut down two storefronts believed to have been selling marijuana in the downtown core.

On Friday February 3rd, officers began an investigation on the 700 block of 4th Avenue. They located an illegal marijuana storefront business operating in the building. The City of Prince George was contacted, as the business did not appear to have a licence to operate in the City, and the business was shut down.

On Monday February 6th, the Prince George RCMP were made aware of another similar business operating on the 1400 block of 3rd Avenue in Prince George. They attended the location with representatives from the City of Prince George and once again the business was shut down for operating without a business licence.

“The RCMP is guided by existing laws and legislation. We recognize the current complexities surrounding the potential for future legislative changes, however the RCMP is tasked with enforcing the laws of Canada as they exist today,” Superintendent Warren Brown, Officer in Charge of the Prince George RCMP, said in a statement. “I can tell you that Prince George RCMP investigators gathered evidence of possible offences under the Criminal Code of Canada and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, and took enforcement actions accordingly.”

An RCMP statement on the operation reads:

At this time, marijuana is regulated as a controlled substance under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act which prohibits the importation, exportation, trafficking, cultivation/production, and possession of it or its derivatives.

There is no legal mechanism in Canada which allows for “medicinal marijuana dispensaries” or “compassion clubs” to sell marijuana to the public, regardless of whether or not the purchaser has a license to possess marijuana, or whether or not the vendor has a license to produce marijuana.

Businesses and/or individuals operating in contravention of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and Health Canada regulations may be subject to investigation and criminal charges in accordance with Canadian laws.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised to legalize marijuana across the country this year.