Black market pot sales booming in wake of legalization: Cops

The federal Liberals legalized recreational cannabis in Canada last year promising it would inject billions into government coffers and eliminate the black market, among other things.

However, with so much money to be made, street-level dealers are still shooting one another and another big pot bust north of the city shows illegal weed sales continue to boom.

“Since the legalization of cannabis on Oct. 17, 2018, the increasing demand is creating additional opportunities for organized crime to be a supplier,” York Regional Police Chief Eric Jolliffe said in a statement released Wednesday.

The comment from York Region’s top cop came on the heels of a vehicle stop that led to the seizure of more than 68 kilograms of marijuana earlier this week.

Const. Andy Pattenden said an officer spotted a vehicle that allegedly ran a stop sign on Aldergrove Rd. — a residential street north of Midland and Steeles Aves. in Markham — just after 2:30 p.m. on Monday.

“As the officer was investigating the driver and passenger, the passenger surrendered cannabis that she had in her possession,” he alleged, adding officers subsequently discovered “more than seven pounds of cannabis packed in vacuum sealed bags within the vehicle.”

Pattenden said the vehicle’s driver and passenger were arrested. Investigators then obtained a search warrant for a residence in Toronto.

“Officers stopped a van that was leaving the residence and located more than 100 pounds of cannabis inside the vehicle,” he alleged, adding the van’s driver and passenger were placed under arrest.

“Within the residence, investigators located approximately 50 pounds of additional packaged cannabis,” Pattenden claims.

• WARMINGTON: Legalization, in many ways, a turning point
• BRAUN: Governments have made a mess of pot legalization
• MURDERED OVER MARIJUANA: Family of slain security guard seeks justice

He said the seized weed would have sold for more than $680,000 on the street.

Four suspects — Yaqin He, 54, Jerry Ou, 28, Kun Yuan, 30, all of Toronto, and Zhenjie Lin, 51, of Richmond Hill — are charged with possession of cannabis for the purpose of distribution.

While law enforcement agencies have been focused on the grey market, shutting down many of the GTA’s illegal dispensaries, police sources say the black market — often involving organized crime elements — has flourished.

A lack of storefront dispensaries and weed shortages have prompted many cannabis users to stick with their street dealers rather than order  pot through Canada Post and wait for it to be delivered, one cop explained.

[email protected]

On Twitter: @SunDoucette