In December 2019, the Edmonton Police Service conducted an investigation into a vape shop in the area of 118 Avenue and 95A Street known to be selling cannabis products without the required municipal and provincial licences.
On February 12, 2020, the EPS issued four violation tickets to the vape shop for storing cannabis for sale (x2), and directly or indirectly selling or offering to sell cannabis (x2)under the provincial Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act. At $50,000 per ticket, the shop faces a combined total of $200,000 in provincial fines.
Further, store owner Alfonso Potestio, 35, and employee Megan Schultz, 23 are each facing charges of unlawfully possess cannabis for purpose of sale (x2) and unlawfully sell cannabis to an individual over 18 years of age (x2)under the federal Cannabis Act.
The shop was previously issued bylaw tickets for operating a cannabis business without a licence in August 2019, and the EPS is submitting a business licence review to the City of Edmonton.
“A legal market is a safer market, and it’s our job to enforce the laws that ensure the safe and regulated sale of cannabis,” says Const. Dexx Williams, EPS Cannabis Liaison. “We want to remind the public that if you’re selling any cannabis products without a licence, businesses can be fined up to $50,000, and individuals can face a fine of up to $10,000.”
To find licensed cannabis retailers, citizens should visit https://aglc.ca/cannabis/retail-cannabis/cannabis-licensee-search.