The police raid that closed the Langley Medical Marijuana Dispensary came after Langley City Councillor Rudy Storteboom complained to Mayor Peter Fassbender.
Both men confirmed there was a discussion in which the councillor brought up the dispensary, which is located in a condo unit next to a suite that Storteboom owns and leases to a hairdresser.
“He [Storteboom] indicated there was some concern,” Fassbender said.
“There was a break-in [at the dispensary] right after it opened,” Storteboom said.
The mayor said he told the councillor that if the strata council that represents the owners believed illegal activities were being carried out, they should go to the police.
Storteboom told The Times that he relayed the mayor’s message to the strata council.
Langley RCMP raided the dispensary on July 19, saying it was in response to “numerous ongoing complaints from the community and area residents.”
The mayor also attended the annual general meeting of the building owners on Wednesday (July 27).
Fassbender said he was invited by the building manager and strata president (not Storteboom) to explain the city’s position.
“Marijuana dispensaries or compassion clubs are not legal operations under any Canadian law,” Fassbender said.
He advised the owners they could send a cease-and-desist order to dispensary owner Randy Caine.
Caine also attended the meeting.
“He [Fassbender] told them they could kick me out,” Caine said.
“This is ludicrous. This is a matter that hasn’t been decided by the Crown [the prosecutor’s office which decides whether to lay charges following a police raid].”
Caine said he has no plans to resume selling marijuana from the condo.
Both Fassbender and Storteboom said Ottawa needs to reform the current medical marijuana system by distributing medical pot through pharmacies like any other doctor-prescribed drug.
“I don’t understand why this place [the dispensary] is operating at all,” Storteboom said.