Ontario Cannabis Producer Caught Relabelling Black Market Weed To Make It Look Legal
- Thread starter gb123
- Start date
Canadian cannabis producer CannTrust has just decided to restructure its workforce after several problems with their product and the way it is produced. 180 jobs have been cut since Health Canada has cracked down on the company for growing illegal pot in an unlicensed greenhouse, among other concerns. The CannTrust probe has resulted in the Ontario Cannabis Store returning almost $3 million worth of weed to the company.
Last week, Health Canada deemed CannTrust's Vaughan manufacturing facility non-compliant with the federal regulator's standards. This happened after they discovered in July that CannTrust was using rooms in an unlicenced greenhouse to grow cannabis at their location in Pelham, Ontario.
Bloomberg reported that Canntrust staff brought black market seeds into the growing facility at Pelham, Ontario. Their sources say that employees brought in as many as 20 illegal strains and changed their names to those that the company was licensed to sell.
Over a thousand illegal plants were grown and flowered at CannTrust's facility. It is unknown how many of the plants were actually sold, but Bloomberg spoke with sources with direct knowledge about the operations.
These sources said that several unauthorized strains re-labelled under the “Cannatonic” strain entered the recreational market. "Citradelic Sunset" and "Code Black OG" were among the illegal strains that were relabelled.
“I can guarantee you they would harvest [plants that originated from black market seeds], trim them and send them out … Guaranteed, they went to the legal market. I can tell you 100 per cent they did,” one of the sources said to Bloomberg.
Under the Cannabis Act, the penalty for illegal distribution or sale of cannabis can result in imprisonment for a term of up to 14 years.
While Health Canada has not ordered a recall on any CannTrust products, they did place a hold on approximately 5,200 kg of dried cannabis in July. CannTrust itself had also put 7,500 kg of dried cannabis equivalent on voluntary hold from distribution, CP24 reports. That is a sale freeze on more than 12,000 kilos of weed.
“We have made the extremely difficult decision to restructure our workforce to reflect the current requirements of our business,” said Robert Marcovitch, interim head of CannTrust Holdings. "These changes also position the Company to better serve our patients and customers with high quality, innovative products in the future."
So far, about 20% of their workforce has been laid off.
Last week, Health Canada deemed CannTrust's Vaughan manufacturing facility non-compliant with the federal regulator's standards. This happened after they discovered in July that CannTrust was using rooms in an unlicenced greenhouse to grow cannabis at their location in Pelham, Ontario.
Bloomberg reported that Canntrust staff brought black market seeds into the growing facility at Pelham, Ontario. Their sources say that employees brought in as many as 20 illegal strains and changed their names to those that the company was licensed to sell.
Over a thousand illegal plants were grown and flowered at CannTrust's facility. It is unknown how many of the plants were actually sold, but Bloomberg spoke with sources with direct knowledge about the operations.
These sources said that several unauthorized strains re-labelled under the “Cannatonic” strain entered the recreational market. "Citradelic Sunset" and "Code Black OG" were among the illegal strains that were relabelled.
“I can guarantee you they would harvest [plants that originated from black market seeds], trim them and send them out … Guaranteed, they went to the legal market. I can tell you 100 per cent they did,” one of the sources said to Bloomberg.
Under the Cannabis Act, the penalty for illegal distribution or sale of cannabis can result in imprisonment for a term of up to 14 years.
While Health Canada has not ordered a recall on any CannTrust products, they did place a hold on approximately 5,200 kg of dried cannabis in July. CannTrust itself had also put 7,500 kg of dried cannabis equivalent on voluntary hold from distribution, CP24 reports. That is a sale freeze on more than 12,000 kilos of weed.
“We have made the extremely difficult decision to restructure our workforce to reflect the current requirements of our business,” said Robert Marcovitch, interim head of CannTrust Holdings. "These changes also position the Company to better serve our patients and customers with high quality, innovative products in the future."
So far, about 20% of their workforce has been laid off.
“I can guarantee you they would harvest [plants that originated from black market seeds], trim them and send them out … Guaranteed, they went to the legal market. I can tell you 100 per cent they did,” one of the sources said to Bloomberg.
Under the Cannabis Act, the penalty for illegal distribution or sale of cannabis can result in imprisonment for a term of up to 14 years.
Under the Cannabis Act, the penalty for illegal distribution or sale of cannabis can result in imprisonment for a term of up to 14 years.
odam2k
Well-Known Member
It's gonna be interesting to see if they set a precedent by not prosecuting to the full extent of the law. LP\s should be held to a higher standard than your average person, just like police officers, they hold a special position of responsibility, and if they can't obey the law, how the heck are the rest of us supposed to?
TheRealDman
Well-Known Member
Guaranteed all LP’s have done this...cannatrust is just the first one who got caught!
CalyxCrusher
Well-Known Member
In the beginning ALL lp genetics came from the BM, hell they would have ZERO genetics otherwise.
oddish
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't go that far. These LPs have millions of dollars in funding and they're not all willing to risk that just to import a BM strain.
In the beginning the regulations were pretty relaxed, then they tightened up quickly.
With that said, importing seeds from other countries and getting cuttings from Denver were both happening in the beginning, in addition to purchasing seeds off the MMAR.
Most of the genetics came from MMAR gardens, many of which were biker grows. Technically, that product was not black market, it was DG grown and that's why it was approved.
AquaTerra
Well-Known Member
LOL biker grow are outnumbered by normal everyday people 1-10. If they were not black market as you why would you bring up that they were biker grows? Lot of FUD going on in your posts.
oddish
Well-Known Member
I'm pointing out that technically (I should have said "legally") they are not black market grows.
They all have MMAR / DG paperwork and that's why the transfers were possible.
Health Canada allowed LPs to import product from MMAR gardens, as long as they had the paperwork to transfer the products.
Many of these plants were transferred, grown and failed to pass the standards, requiring them to irradiate it all, which is where some of the LPs paniced and started to make risky decisions.
one thing we agree on is
the WEED KILLER AINT HERE for good reason...
HOLY SHIT! just shaken my head here
oddish
Well-Known Member
To be clear, I am aware that the overall group has bikers as a minority, but big LPs like Tilray made deals with some of the largest grows to import product, many of which were bikers. I'm specifically talking about the ones that sold to LPs, not the overall pool of MMAR.
oddish
Well-Known Member
Someone on this very forum spoke about it, but I got the same information from another LP and I was selling software to an LP when they were approached to make a similar deal.
what group....and are ya saying tilray are bikers maybe?
serenity007
Active Member
what group....and are ya saying tilray are bikers maybe?
No they're not bikers, they are pirates dot-dot-dot
Farmer.J
Well-Known Member
I've stated here before that when I first got my prescription I bought from Lp's for a few months. Tried like 9 strains of Aphria and 1 tweed, all dogshit. Tilray was slightly better, but higher prices.
Pretty sure the only good bag of LP weed I ever bought was Island sweet Skunk from tilray and I wouldn't be surprised if they bought that from some bikers, because it was actually good. Second time I ordered it, they jacked up the price and it was the worst dogshit I got from them. I'm guessing they grew that bag. Next doctor appointment I sent the acmpr paperwork away and started growing again. Really wish all the money I wasted would have went to grow equipment and new genetics.
oddish
Well-Known Member
I've had flower from a few places and none of it is ever good quality, it's always dry as the desert and sometimes it's a complete dud.
Unfortunately, even this poorly grown crap gets people high on a Friday night, so it's going to continue selling well.
IT's NOT SELLING NOW
KNOWN FACT dude Where ya been?
Them poison caps you were buying are the LEAST BOUGHT on the shit poison market of theirs
odam2k
Well-Known Member
I went through almost exactly the same thing, and felt the same way after. It got to the point where if I bought all the pot for my prescription from them, it would be nearly $600 per month went back to my "old friend" and it was less than $300 a month, and now growing it myself, well, I dunno, but we have a bit of extra money left each month now which I spend on my automation project instead.
