It wasn’t a great Valentine’s Day for a Nova Scotia man after police officers investigating a break and enter at his home spotted weed plants in the basement and subsequently discovered a mix of weed, cocaine and psilocybin inside.
Officers with the Barrington RCMP had responded to a call about a break and enter in Clam Point, N.S. at about 4 p.m. It was reported that a suspect vehicle sped away from the home, although the complainant could not provide a description of the suspect or suspects.
Although there were no injuries, police began checking things out and saw a significant quantity of cannabis growing in the home’s basement, notes an RCMP statement released Tuesday.
Interest piqued, the officers returned with a warrant on Feb. 17 and found a whole lot more than just weed. The ultimate seizure included cocaine, psilocybin, a conducted energy weapon, 59 cannabis plants, processed cannabis, shatter, other cannabis products, drug paraphernalia and cash.
The discovery spurred numerous charges being laid against Duncan Waybret, 29, who was arrested without incident. The charges include possession of cocaine, possession of psilocybin, possession of a prohibited weapon, distribution of illicit cannabis, possession of illicit cannabis, possession of illicit cannabis for the purpose of distribution, possession of more than four cannabis plants, cultivating, propagating or harvesting more than four cannabis plants, altering the properties of cannabis by use of an organic solvent and three counts of failure to comply with a probation order.
Despite the slew of charges, police continue to investigate the break and enter.
Although the federal Cannabis Act allows adults to possess or share with adults as much as 30 grams of legal cannabis and grow up to four weed plants per household, breaching the rules can still result in stiff penalties.
Possessing small amounts of weed over the limit will likely spur a ticket, but the ramifications for larger amounts — including illegal distribution or sale, producing cannabis beyond personal cultivation limits and producing weed with organic solvents — could mean as long as 14 years in jail per count.
The Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, under which psilocybin would fall, allows for a maximum fine of $1,000, six months imprisonment or both for a first offence. A subsequent offence could lead to a $2,000 fine, a year imprisonment or both.