Toronto Police raided four marijuana dispensaries Thursday, police chief Mark Saunders confirmed Thursday.

“If you have dispensaries that are open, your chances of going to court and being charged are very high . . . I haven’t minced words on this,” he said. “It’s illegal to sell marijuana unless you have a licence from Health Canada.”

Cannabis Culture, a downtown dispensary, saw one of its two Toronto locations raided by police around 1 p.m. Thursday. Three officers escorted three people — two women and one man — from the premises at 801 Queen St. W.

Cannabis Culture franchise owner and marijuana activist Jodie Emery, wife of ‘the Prince of Pot’ Marc Emery, told the Star from Vancouver that the shop is closed, but “we do plan to reopen.”

“The public supports these businesses. The police are working against the public interest and causing harm where no harm is being caused otherwise,” she said. “We beg the Toronto Police to stop their enforcement.”

The Queen St. W storefront is one of two Cannabis Culture dispensaries in Toronto.

Mike Smith was about to enter the dispensary when police turned him away. He said he has been prescribed OxyContin for medical reasons, but would rather use medicinal marijuana.

“I wonder if these cops can tell me where I can go get some medicine,” he said of the raids. “(I) can’t find a doctor to prescribe me legal weed, so this means I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place.”

Both plain clothes and uniformed officers were seen entering and leaving the shop for most of the afternoon. At one point, two left carrying large plastic bags filled with marijuana and cannabis oil paraphernalia.

City of Toronto Licensing and Standards spokesperson Tammy Robbinson confirmed to the Star the downtown pot dispensary was busted as a result of “zoning infractions.”

Cannabis Business Friendly Association representative Amy Brown, who arrived at the scene after the raid, said employees Erin Goodwin and Pete Melanson were among those detained.

Erin Goodwin’s husband, Chris, received a text from her that simply read ‘RAID.’ He replied, but she hasn’t responded.

“My wife and I have two children, and we have them this weekend, and they may be without their stepmother,” Goodwin told the Star. “I’ve called her mom and dad. They are obviously very upset. As much as they appreciate the activism we do, it can be upsetting.”

Saunders was asked about the raids at an unrelated press conference Thursday. He said police will continue to investigate marijuana dispensaries following last month’s Operation Claudia. The citywide crackdown saw 43 dispensaries raided and 90 people arrested.

Bystanders jeered officers removing the three people under arrest at Cannabis Culture. Several complained the raids were a waste of police resources, given promises by the federal Liberals to legalize marijuana sometime next year.

“This is turning into such a nanny state,” said Rick Davidson, a bystander. He called it “heavy-handed,” adding he believes the earlier raids on dispensaries were not justified.

“I personally think this is a shame,” added Tibor Barna, a customer who frequents Cannabis Culture. He has arthritis and said he’d much rather buy from a dispensary than a dealer, which he described as “dangerous. It’s shifty.”

Roughly 30 people tried entering the dispensary throughout the afternoon only to find the door was locked. Dark garbage bags were taped to the windows, preventing anyone from looking inside.

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Following the May raids, Saunders said that the operation, carried out in sync with city licensing staff, was “not an attack on lawful production, distribution or purchasing of marijuana for medical purposes.” In all, 186 possession for the purpose of trafficking charges and 71 proceeds of crime charges were laid. Bylaw officers also laid 79 charges of zoning violations.

Rather, the chief said, the action was launched due to health concerns over the “unknown and unregulated amount of THC” in dispensary weed and edibles, as well as residents’ complaints about pot shops’ proximity to schools.

On Thursday, Saunders said police will release information about the raid Friday.

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