Canadian Marijuana Organization Raided at Request of US

http://usmjparty.blogspot.com/2005/07/bcmp-arrest-and-search-warrant.html

EMERY EMPIRE RAIDED AT REQUEST OF UNITED STATES
Cannabis activist and two others arrested
By Jennifer Garner

Canadian police acting under orders from US officials raided the
headquarters of the British Columbia Marijuana Party (BCMP) in
Vancouver today (Friday, July 22).

The search warrants were authorized at the highest levels of the
provincial government in concert with a cross-border US-Canada law
enforcement pact authorized by the a US-authored Mutual Legal
Assistance in Criminal Matters treaty (MLAT) between the US and
Canada.

The US has issued extradition orders for Marc Emery, who was arrested
while traveling in Halifax to a hemp festival, as well as two others
who work with Emery on television productions and other endeavours.

American officials accuse Emery of "a conspiracy to produce marijuana
and distribute marijuana seeds, and money laundering."

The DEA and other agencies are claiming that by selling seeds to
pot-growing Americans, Emery is engaged in a criminal enterprise with
the growers. "Their activities resulted in the growing of tens of
thousands of marijuana plants in America," claims US federal attorney
Jeff Sullivan. "[Emery] was involved, allegedly, in an illegal
distribution of marijuana in [the United States.] He is a drug
dealer." Vancouver police armed with a search warrant raided the
legendary store in the heart of Vancouver's "Vansterdam" district.

Chris Bennett, manager of Pot-TV who was onsite when the BCMP center
was raided today, said he is particularly angry that Canadian police
were acting as enforcers of American drug laws.

"They're taking him down to face charges in the United States of
America, where sentences are much harsher that one would face in
Canada," said Bennett. Emery has been arrested for marijuana-related
"crimes" many times before, but those other arrests involved local
Canadian charges and jurisdictions. Today's charges are far more
serious because they involve US federal laws that stipulate mandatory
minimum sentences of 20 years or more. Last year, Emery served 90
days in a Saskatoon, Canada jail for passing a joint.

American officials are seeking Emery's extradition, which could take
six months to a year. If they do seek to extradite him, he will
become another high-profile cannabis activist seeking to fight off
American attempts to prosecute him.

Renee Boje, whose husband works for Emery at BCMP, has been fighting
for years to quash a US extradition order that seeks to take her from
Canada to face prosecution for cannabis in America. Her legal costs
have been funded by Emery.

According to witnesses, police have chained the BCMP doors, put
barriers on the windows, and are dismantling the store to seize
business records, seeds, computers, and other materials.

The raid took place at 11 am. As of late Friday afternoon, there was
no official statement from Emery or any of those arrested with him.

If past behavior is any indication, however, Emery is likely to be
unrepentant, and will fight the charges and extradition vigorously in
front of judges and in the court of public opinion.

The law enforcement treaty (MLAT) that snared Emery and his
compatriots is part of a global American network of treaties allowing
the US to use foreign police agents to investigate and arrest foreign
citizens.

MLAT's help the US to violate civil rights protections and other
constitutional protections that would normally be afforded to
citizens by their own countries. The first US bilateral MLAT entered
into force with Switzerland in 1977. The treaties are seen as a
powerful tool of US foreign policy and hegemony. Dozens of countries
have entered into MLAT's with the US since 1977, and the treaties are
seen as a way for US police and prosecutors to arrest people no
matter where they live, and even if they are not guilty of a serious
crime in their home country.

The treaties favor prosecutors and police, and make it virtually
impossible for defense attorneys to advocate for clients snared by
MLAT operations. MLAT's have been criticized in other countries.
Critics say US MLAT actions against foreigners violate international
law, compromise human rights, and violate national sovereignty.

The Irish Human Rights Commission has complained about a US-Ireland
MLAT that allows CIA agents to secretly question Irish citizens on
Irish soil. The MLAT signed by Minister for Justice Michael McDowell
and the US Ambassador to Ireland James Kenny, gives sweeping powers
to US authorities operating in foreign countries, including the right
to seize documents, check bank accounts and carry out searches of
property.

The Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) said it would be examining
the agreement, which was pushed through with the promise that it
would only be used to assist the US "war on terror."

Human rights activists in Ireland are particularly concerned that
interrogations can be carried out in secret, and that the costs of
CIA operations in Ireland will be paid by Irish taxpayers.

The cross-border MLAT efforts sometimes involve enforcement of the
United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs
and Psychotropic Substances that was finalized worldwide on November
11, 1990.

It is possible that Emery and his associates would be charged with
violating this Convention. In past years, UN officials have condemned
Emery by name. The raids leave many questions unanswered.

Although Emery is the highest profile marijuana activist in the
world, who publicly airs reality television shows portraying all
aspects of marijuana culture and who hosts marijuana connoisseur
events like the Toker's Bowl, he is by far not the only person
selling marijuana seeds across international boundaries.

Vansterdam insiders note that while police were raiding Emery's store
on West Hastings Street in downtown Vancouver, other marijuana seed
businesses were still open for business, and people were smoking
marijuana while watching the raid. The issue of selective prosecution
is also raised by insiders who note that US and Canadian officials
are aware of massive cross-border organized crime operations that
involve guns, hard drugs, and other illegality on a scale that dwarfs
Emery's marijuana seed business. And yet it's Emery, who donates all
the money he earns to non-profit pro-marijuana causes, who is
targeted in an unprecedented raid ordered by the US.

Protesters are on hand at Emery's store in Vancouver. The man who has
provided bail money, attorneys, and other support for so many
marijuana arrestees now finds himself in the clutches of the US
government which he, his magazine, and his website so accurately
describe as a totalitarian and imperialist hit squad. For the man who
is often called "The Prince of Pot," today's arrest is the ultimate
showdown.

After leaving jail last year, Emery said, "Once you get over your
fear of whatever they can do to you, you become empowered to just
live as if marijuana is legal, without much concern for the
consequences they threaten you with. Whatever they do to me- arrest,
incarceration, even if they kill me- it's not going to make me live
in fear. We're going to continue to show them that marijuana should
be legal, that our culture is harmless and vibrant, and that it is
the drug war, not the cannabis culture, which threatens public order
and safety.
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