Kings District RCMP seized cannabis, psilocybin, and tobacco items at an unlicensed storefront and arrested a man as part of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation.

On December 18, officers attended a cannabis storefront on Sweetgrass Rd. in Hantsport and arrested a 34-year-old man of Glooscap First Nation before executing a search warrant as part of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation.

During the search, investigators say they seized thousands of grams of cannabis in various forms, psilocybin in various forms including edibles and pills, thousands of illegal cigarettes, a quantity of cash, cellular devices, and other drug paraphernalia.

The man was released on conditions and is scheduled to appear in Kentville Provincial Court on February 25 to face charges related to possessing and selling cannabis under the Cannabis Act as well as the possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

A post on a TikTok account for Glooscap’s Finest Treaty Truck House confirms the raid, stating: “The ONLY way, that the RCMP would ever come on to on reserve land to make an arrest, would be if they had direction from our own Indian Act Chief and Council – Chief Sydney Peters.”

An email was sent to Glooscap First Nation Chief and Council for comment, but they were not immediately available. 

A post on the store’s Instagram page from December 17 advertised the grand opening of a new store at the location of the raid. The store appears to have previously operated out of a mobile trailer. In a TikTok post on November 3, the company posted that the owners were presented with a cease and desist and demands to vacate the lot in October after disagreements over a profit-sharing contract. The company also alleges that community leaders had blocked their driveway. 

The website micmacrights.com lists the Kluskap Treaty Truckhouse at 10 Sweetgrass Rd. on its online directory. 

The Micmac Rights Association lists around 40 such Truck Houses that it says are lawfully authorized to operate in Nova Scotia. The Micmac Rights Association says it has provided a certificate recognizing and affirming the owners to be exercising their Aboriginal and treaty rights in accordance with Micmac customs and conventions and Sections 25 and 35 of the Canadian Constitution. 

Earlier this year, a Nova Scotia court rejected a claim that the members of a First Nation can operate cannabis stores outside of provincial and federal cannabis regulations.

There are 50 cannabis stores licensed by the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC). The NSLC sold $32.6 million worth of cannabis in Q2 2024.

Related Articles

Nova Scotia court rejects First Nations cannabis sovereignty argument

June 13, 2024

Constitutional challenge brews following Indigenous dispensary raids in Nova Scotia

November 6, 2022

Halifax RCMP execute two search warrants at illegal cannabis storefront

November 28, 2024