Vancouver police raided Marc Emery’s marijuana-seed business and British Columbia Marijuana Party headquarters at 307 West Hastings Street on 29 July 2005 on a search warrant requested by the United States government.[1] Officers seized business records going back to September 1995, covered the shop windows with paper, and took down its signs while about 25 protesters chanted outside.[1]
The same day, Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers arrested Emery, 47, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, after a United States federal grand jury indicted him on charges of conspiracy to distribute marijuana seeds, conspiracy to distribute marijuana and conspiracy to engage in money laundering.[2][1] Emery had sold marijuana seeds from his Vancouver base for about ten years and once said he had sold about four million seeds.[2]
Gregory Keith Williams, 50, and Michelle Rainey-Fenkarek, 34, said to be involved in the seed business, were also arrested in Vancouver on similar charges.[1] Four protesters were arrested after trying to block a police van loaded with seized goods from the shop.[1] American officials said they would seek Emery’s extradition from Canada to stand trial in Seattle.[2]
