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Ottawa police said Tuesday they had charged six people with “numerous provincial offences” under new provincial cannabis legislation that requires retailers to be licensed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

Police said they had seized “illicit cannabis products and proceeds” from storefronts on Rideau Street and Churchill Avenue. The six adults — three male and three female — will appear in court at a later date.

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The Ontario government expects to make it legal next April for licensed private-sector firms to sell cannabis. But in the meantime the only entity permitted to sell recreational marijuana and related products is the Ontario Cannabis Store, a government-owned online operation.

However, OCS has been overwhelmed by demand for cannabis, prompting a number of retailers to try to fill the gap.