U.S. authorities have charged a 23-year-old American for allegedly trying to return home from Ontario with marijuana products in his car.
On Thursday, just over a week after cannabis became legal in Canada, a man was arrested at the Peace Bridge border crossing in Fort Erie, Ont., according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office released on Friday.
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During a secondary inspection of the man’s vehicle, sniffer dogs prompted U.S. Customs and Border Protection guards to search the glove compartment.
They allege that six envelopes containing marijuana, two jars of cannabis resin and four packages of THC gummy worms were seized.
Border officers also took a look at the man’s phone. They claim that on the day of his arrest, someone using the device texted: “Lol bro I just had (an) 100mg edible and I got stopped by customs and now they’re asking me so much (expletive)” to a recipient named Max.
A piece of paper with the phone number and address of a Hamilton dispensary, MMJ Canada, was also located in the car, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
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Despite a claim from the U.S. Attorney’s Office that the products were purchased legally, edibles are not yet legal to sell in Canada, and in Ontario, government-regulated storefront operations are not scheduled to open until the spring.
Canadian and American officials have warned travellers not to enter the U.S. with marijuana products, even to states where it is legal.
WATCH: US border officials remind Canadians that pot is still illegal past the border
David Dratch, 23, of Montgomery, N.Y., has been charged with possession of a controlled substance, importation of a controlled substance and smuggling goods into the U.S.
He has been released after making an appearance before a U.S. magistrate.
The maximum penalty for the offences is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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