DRUG ACTIVIST ARRESTED FOR STOREFRONT ENTERPRISE

'Pot Shop' Operated For At Least A Week

A 59-year-old marijuana activist is facing several drug charges for
allegedly selling marijuana, LSD and other drugs out of a storefront
in Mount Pleasant.

Klaus Kaczor, who calls himself Bud the Oracle, operated his "pot
shop" for at least seven days at 564 East Broadway before police
arrested him Feb. 17.

One of Kaczor's repeat customers claimed to be a security worker at
B.C. Place for the 2010 Winter Games. The audio portion of a $5
marijuana joint transaction between the customer and Kaczor was
recorded by Kaczor himself. He recorded it on a video camera that he
left running when the customer entered his store. The customer
promised to return to buy "bigger amounts."

Kaczor posted the video on YouTube and embedded it on his blog, which
is filled with more video and commentary about his marijuana crusades.
Prior to his arrest, Kaczor had a webcam trained on his customers and
linked a live feed of the transactions to his blog.

The customer who bought the joint told Kaczor that his job at B.C.
Place was to screen spectators entering the venue with a wand, or
metal detector. B.C. Place is the venue for the opening and closing
ceremonies of the Games.

During the opening ceremony, a mentally ill man slipped by security
and got within 12 rows of U.S. vice-president Joe Biden before police
intercepted the man.

Const. Lindsey Houghton of the Vancouver Police Department said the
audio recording of the transaction was forwarded to the 2010
Integrated Security Unit.

Police arrested Kaczor after receiving complaints from residents and
neighbouring business operators about the drug operation.

"From talking to investigators, they can't recall anything quite this
blatant and frankly kind of off-the-wall as this," Houghton said.

Police seized "thousands of dollars worth" of drugs including
marijuana, LSD, hashish and MDMA.

The drugs and their prices were listed on a "menu" inside the store,
which operated from noon to 8 p.m. MDMA was advertised for $6 a dose,
or four doses for $20.

Drugs were sold behind the equivalent of a takeout window. Kaczor
upgraded the space to include the window and a metal gate to a back
room, according to the building's manager, who declined to reveal his
name. The manager said Kaczor told him he wanted to rent the space for
a religious society. Kaczor said recently at a Vancouver Police Board
meeting that he was the "chief justice" of the "Unincorporated
Deuteronomical Society."

The manager said when he discovered the space was used to sell drugs,
he asked Kaczor to leave. Kaczor began leasing the space Feb.1 and is
believed to have opened for business Feb. 10.

"I obviously don't feel good about it," the manager said of being
duped.

Bill Grulkey, who operates a picture and framing store next door, said
the drug operation should have been busted a lot sooner.

Grulkey said he contacted Collingwood community policing centre and
was told police were busy with the Olympics. He then contacted the
city's licence and permits department and was told they wouldn't visit
the operation without a police escort.

Houghton said police responded after receiving a 911 call about the
drug operation.

"We would encourage people to phone 911 because we do have a full
complement of patrol officers out there--just like we did before the
Olympics," Houghton said. "We had a lot of resources we were able to
devote to it once our officers found out about it."

Nonetheless, Grulkey said he and neighbouring business operators are
glad the illegal business is gone.

"He lied to the landlord, he didn't have a business licence and
everything he was selling was illegal," Grulkey said. "I don't want
this kind of crap in my neighbourhood."

As of Monday, Kaczor remained in jail and is scheduled to make a court
appearance Feb. 26.