'COMPASSION' CLUB BUSTED AS POT RING

North Vancouver RCMP charge 13 after ring allegedly supplied
recreational users, not those with medical marijuana needs

VANCOUVER -- The RCMP say they have busted a pot-delivery operation
that was masquerading as a compassion club that provided marijuana
for medical needs.

Mounties in North Vancouver yesterday announced 13 people had been
charged with trafficking in a controlled substance, following an
investigation that began in September, 2007, after police received an
anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers. The arrests put an end to the
operation of the so-called Internet Compassion Association, police said.

"People would call them up and make their order. [The organization]
would make the delivery," RCMP Corporal Marlene Morton said.

Cpl. Morton said the customers were not people with medical marijuana
needs, but rather recreational drug users looking for a convenient
source of product.

It's an unusual case, she said. "We have busted other dial-a-dope
rings, but this is the first time I have seen one that has been
passing themselves off as a compassion association," she added.

Police say they seized six kilograms of marijuana from a storage
locker of the alleged ringleader of the operation, 39-year-old Jason
Thon, who is charged with a count of trafficking in a controlled
substance. Some arrests in the case were made in the middle of last
month, with some suspects appearing in court late last week, but
police announced details of the investigation only yesterday.

A total of 41 charges have been forwarded against various
individuals, with more charges expected, police said. Arrest warrants
are out for four individuals accused of being parties to the ring.

The B.C. Compassion Club Society said the group had caused some concern.

"It was definitely creating some confusion, and we were receiving
calls from people looking for them and not aware we have much more
stringent requirements for becoming a member," said Jay Leung, a
spokesman for the non-profit organization that has been providing
medicinal cannabis since 1997.

Mr. Leung said club officials did not contact police, but rather
considered the whole situation a bit of a nuisance. "We set whoever
called us straight," he said.

He said the club never had any direct contact with the alleged ring,
and did not think it affected his group's credibility. But he said
the ring might stir up lingering controversy around medical marijuana
in society, despite its benefits.

"There's still this controversy, so the compassion clubs worked long
and hard over the past decade to establish good practices and
standards and establish our credibility," he said. "So it's
problematic when people don't have those motivations, aren't
following those guidelines but are just using the name in the hopes
of protecting what they are doing."