Five people face charges over online pot scheme

Five people are facing charges after Edmonton police busted an illegal online cannabisdelivery operation.

On May 6, officers executed search warrants at three homes in the Rosslyn, Oliver and Minchau areas of Edmonton where Cannabus 780, an illegal online delivery service, was operating, police said in a news release Friday.

After searching the three addresses and associated vehicles, police seized 4,643 grams of cannabis flower, 165 packages of edibles, 420 grams of shatter, 15 grams of cocaine, seven grams of crack cocaine, several THC vape pens, THC tincture and $9,515 in Canadian currency.

Police believe the total street value of the drugs and cash to be more than $61,000.

“There is a legal way to order recreational cannabis online in Alberta, and it’s through the AGLC,” said Const. Dexx Williams of the Edmonton police cannabis investigations unit in the release.

“Illegal cannabis companies continue to circumvent the law and the business processes that have been put in place to keep the public safe, and there are criminal consequences to those actions.”

Dean Bell, 26, Bobbi-jo Spence, 26, Ian Mack, 34, and John Dickinson, 48, have all been charged with possession of illicit cannabis and possession of cannabis for the purpose of illegal distribution under the federal Cannabis Act, as well as possession of the proceeds of crime.

Christopher L’hirondelle, 26, is charged with possession of a controlled substance.