Urdedpal
New Member
First Case Of Its Kind
MONTREAL - The RCMP has shut down an Internet company that sells marijuana seeds.
The Montreal-based company Heaven's Stairway has operated brazenly since 1998 and is even listed on Quebec's business registry. The company sold seeds with quirky labels like Crippy Bud and Deep Blue Rush.
Yesterday, the RCMP described the large-scale bust as the first of its kind in Canada.
Company owner Richard Baghdadlian, 38, and six others have been charged with importing and trafficking in marijuana and conspiracy to do the same. All have been released on bail.
Mr. Baghdadlian's lawyer, Loris Cavaliere, said he has yet to see the evidence: "It's the first time I've ever seen a case like this."
During the RCMP investigation the company received 30 orders a day at an average price of $100 each, said Sergeant Andre Potvin of the RCMP. The company is believed to have purchased its seeds from dealers in British Columbia, Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands.
Sgt. Potvin said there is evidence the company sold seeds to customers all over North America and to several other foreign countries. When the RCMP carried out its search warrants it seized more than 200,000 marijuana seeds, enough to supply 500 greenhouses with 400 plants.
The company received orders through its various Web sites. Customers would pay for seeds by mailing either cash or money orders to post office boxes in Montreal.
Sgt. Potvin said the RCMP was aware of Heaven's Stairway for years but that it lacked the resources to pursue the company until a new drug-enforcement team was assembled in 2004.
Marc-Boris St. Maurice, president of the Marijuana Foundation, which seeks to reform marijuana legislation, said the case could affect about two or three dozen companies in Canada that sell seeds either by mail or in stores.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom
Pubdate: Wed, 01 Mar 2006
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2006 Southam Inc.
Contact: letters@nationalpost.com
Website: canada.com
Details: MapInc (Richard Baghdadlian)
MONTREAL - The RCMP has shut down an Internet company that sells marijuana seeds.
The Montreal-based company Heaven's Stairway has operated brazenly since 1998 and is even listed on Quebec's business registry. The company sold seeds with quirky labels like Crippy Bud and Deep Blue Rush.
Yesterday, the RCMP described the large-scale bust as the first of its kind in Canada.
Company owner Richard Baghdadlian, 38, and six others have been charged with importing and trafficking in marijuana and conspiracy to do the same. All have been released on bail.
Mr. Baghdadlian's lawyer, Loris Cavaliere, said he has yet to see the evidence: "It's the first time I've ever seen a case like this."
During the RCMP investigation the company received 30 orders a day at an average price of $100 each, said Sergeant Andre Potvin of the RCMP. The company is believed to have purchased its seeds from dealers in British Columbia, Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands.
Sgt. Potvin said there is evidence the company sold seeds to customers all over North America and to several other foreign countries. When the RCMP carried out its search warrants it seized more than 200,000 marijuana seeds, enough to supply 500 greenhouses with 400 plants.
The company received orders through its various Web sites. Customers would pay for seeds by mailing either cash or money orders to post office boxes in Montreal.
Sgt. Potvin said the RCMP was aware of Heaven's Stairway for years but that it lacked the resources to pursue the company until a new drug-enforcement team was assembled in 2004.
Marc-Boris St. Maurice, president of the Marijuana Foundation, which seeks to reform marijuana legislation, said the case could affect about two or three dozen companies in Canada that sell seeds either by mail or in stores.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom
Pubdate: Wed, 01 Mar 2006
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2006 Southam Inc.
Contact: letters@nationalpost.com
Website: canada.com
Details: MapInc (Richard Baghdadlian)
