Six marijuana dispensaries were raided by Ottawa police across the city Friday morning.
The raid seemed to target locations connected to a British Columbia-based chain. The six dispensaries are under different names, but all are linked to the B.C. operation.
The locations opened in Ottawa over the summer, and have been under police investigation for several months.
The dispensaries raided were located on Preston Street, Bank Street, Rideau Street, St. Joseph Boulevard, Montreal Road and St. Laurent Boulevard. Another dispensary on Roydon Place was raided earlier.
At WeeMedical Dispensary Society on Rideau Street, at least one employee was taken into custody during the raid. Several customers inside the store were released by police.
City councillors and some Ottawa residents have been putting pressure on the police to close the dispensaries. Other Ottawa residents have voiced support for the shops, saying the raids are a waste of the police time and resources because the federal government has promised to legalize recreational marijuana use.
In the raids, police seized marijuana along with hash oil, THC concentrate, cash and edible products including soft drinks, cookies and other baked goods. In total, nine people were arrested and are facing charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking or possession of the proceeds of crime.