Vancouver police have arrested four people, and plan to arrest a fifth, in relation to the pop up pot market that has been operating outside the Vancouver Art Gallery on Robson Street.
Deputy Chief Howard Chow told reporters Tuesday morning that police have so far recommended 11 charges against the individuals arrested, including charges for trafficking and possession for the purpose of trafficking.
The arrests and charges are the result of several weeks of investigation that included an undercover operation. Chow said the arrests are just the first phase of the investigation, dubbed Project Apprentice. He said that the arrests took place over the last 48 hours and more arrests and charges are expected.
“We have been working with the City of Vancouver and monitoring the situation in the 800-block of Robson Street for several months now,” Chow said. “Our response has been incremental. However, at each stage, the vendors have refused to co-operate and concerns around public safety have increased. As such, we have had to escalate our response.”
He said the incremental steps the department has been taking include handing out warnings and then bylaw fines and tickets.
“The situation itself… has been a priority for myself as well as the district and it’s evolved significantly over the last number of months. This has required us to step up enforcement,” Chow said.
He added that officers were starting to see a larger quantity of marijuana being sold, reports of hard drugs being offered, reports of marijuana being offered to teenagers and incidents where ID wasn’t checked or even asked for. He also said the number of vendors had increased in recent weeks, as well as reports of violence and assaults related to some of the sales taking place there.
So far, police have seized more than nine pounds of marijuana, more than $4,000 in cash and 23 pounds of edible marijuana products, including gummies, lollipops, baked goods and liquid oils, as well as weapons.
He said anyone arrested in relation to the market has been released with the condition of not returning to the 800-block of Robson Street. Chow said one Vancouver man was arrested a second time Monday for breaching that condition.
Chow said the investigation will continue and warned those selling marijuana that the next sale could be to an undercover police officer.
“Our project will continue,” he said. “This illegal activity is something that we’ve had a priority on and we’re going to sustain the activity on this.”
Despite the crackdown, several vendors returned to Robson Square Tuesday afternoon.
@JessicaEKerr
