B.C. seeks $2M home over alleged illegal pot operation

The province wants a $2-million Surrey property and more than $85,000 in cash forfeited, alleging the assets are tied to an illegal cannabis operation.

In a B.C. Supreme Court lawsuit launched Oct. 16, the B.C. Civil Forfeiture Office accuses Jason Edward Baird and Teal Ashbury Hayden, Baird's spouse, of operating an unlawful cannabis distribution business.

The forfeiture office alleges that a mortgaged home at 12505-22nd Ave. in Surrey, and the cash, are proceeds of crime, and the home was used to launder money. The defendants are also accused of failure to declare taxable income.

The Surrey house was purchased by Baird and his father, Tony Edward Baird, in 2017, according to the suit.

On Nov. 22, 2018, Jason transferred his share of the property, except for one per cent, to his dad. The transfer was not a bona fide transaction, according to the forfeiture claim. It gave 99 per cent of the ownership of the home to the father, for only an additional dollar and “natural love and affection,” according to B.C. Land Title documents.

“Mr. Jason Baird is the beneficial or true owner of the property. Mr. Tony Baird acts as a nominee owner of convenience on behalf of Mr. Jason Baird with respect to the property,” says the claim filed by the forfeiture office.

None of the accused have responded in court to the claim.

There have been no criminal charges filed in B.C., according to a search of online court records, but forfeiture cases can be brought when there are none. The threshold for proving a civil forfeiture case is lower than in a criminal proceeding, a balance of probabilities rather than beyond a reasonable doubt.

The forfeiture case outlines that an RCMP investigation found that on or before June 18, 2020, Jason Baird and Hayden were operating an unlawful online cannabis distribution business under internet domain names that included bcbudexpress.com, vancityweedexpress.ca, canadabcbud.ca, buyweedexpress.com and vancityweedexpress.com.

A search executed at the Surrey property with assistance from the Winnipeg police found more than seven kilograms of cannabis in various forms.

Also found during the search were 10 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, $85,510 in Canadian currency, $350 in U.S. currency, $200 in Mexican currency, a 95-gram gold nugget, records of transactions, a laptop and cellphones.

Hayden was arrested at the property for trafficking, possession for the purposes of trafficking, possession of the proceeds of crime and conspiracy to commit the offences.

The forfeiture claim notes that Jason Baird has prior convictions for assault causing bodily harm, uttering threats, breach, disobeying a court order, mischief and driving while prohibited.

Hayden has a prior conviction for forcible confinement.

According to the forfeiture claim, on June 5 Canada Post seized a suspicious package destined for a post office box associated with Jason Baird. It contained $88,710 in Canadian currency and is the subject of a separate forfeiture case.