OWNER OF VANCOUVER POT CAFE CALLS IT QUITS

VANCOUVER - The owner of the Vancouver cafe that has been openly
selling pot for months said Friday the stakes in the ongoing game of
cat and mouse with police have become too high.

Carol Gwilt says the cafe on the trendy Commercial Drive will stop
selling marijuana.

"I'm directing my staff at the Da Kine Smoke Shop to stop selling
cannabis," Gwilt said in a statement read by lawyer Jason Gratl
outside the Vancouver provincial court.

Gwilt was arrested Thursday on a charge of breaching bail conditions.
She remains in custody until a bail hearing on Monday.

The cafe caught the attention of police after media reports of
over-the-counter sales of marijuana.

Police raided the shop on Sept. 9 and arrested Gwilt and seven
employees on charges of possessing marijuana for the purpose of
trafficking.

During the raid, officers seized $63,000 Cdn and $1,700 US, nine
kilograms of marijuana, some hashish and 300 cookies baked with hash
or marijuana, officials said.

At one 90-minute period during their surveillance, police said they
saw 230 customers.

They estimated the cafe was doing about $30,000 of business a day, a
figure denied by store operators.

Gwilt was also charged with possessing proceeds from a
crime.

After spending a night in jail, she and the others were released from
custody, pending a further appearance on Oct. 6.

The release was on the condition they stay away from marijuana or any
premises, automobile or person where marijuana is present.

At the time, provincial court Judge William Kitchen remarked it was
"silly" for them to remain in custody and added that marijuana-related
cases were "not the most dangerous offences."

However, Kitchen warned they could go to jail if caught
again.

Gwilt was back at Da Kine soon after her release.

At the time, she vowed her business would remain open and sell
marijuana to people who use it for medicinal purposes.