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Cst. Caroline de Kloet said the search warrant was the result of “a community complaint that led officers to this location.”

In an emailed response de Kloet later wrote, “Medical Marijuana Dispensaries are not legal.”

She said that regulations for producers as well as those outlining access to medical marijuana do not allow for store front operations.

“The Service has been, and will continue, to investigate complaints about these dispensaries and make arrests/lay charges, including ones for trafficking, if appropriate.”

McConnell said he believes the raid was prompted by a video posted online on Jan. 12 by Vice News Canada, which identified the lounge as a “totally illegal” marijuana dispensary.

Chris Goodwin told Vice “we elected a Liberal government that’s moving toward legalizing recreational cannabis, and we take that announcement to mean that it’s here now.”

Both Goodwins are charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking marijuana, possession for the purpose of trafficking cannabis resin and possession of the proceeds of crime. Erin Goodwin also faces a charge of possession of marijuana.

Don Briere, co-owner of the Good Weeds Lounge, says the raid of the store is “outrageous” considering the government announced they would be legalizing marijuana.

“We the people voted in a government that said the cannabis wars are over,” he said.

Briere believes that the police are using “willful blindness and negligence,” in raiding the shop and enforcing laws which he says are based on complete lies and misconceptions.