A Vancouver Provincial Court judge Sept. 8 sentenced a Port Coquitlam man to a one-year conditional sentence for selling marijuana products to Vancouver police posing as teens.
Al Karim Khaki, 62, was the operator of Planet Rock, a marijuana accessories shop in the 1000-block of Granville Street, Judge Ellen Gordon heard.
The store was licensed to sell tobacco but not cannabis.
Khaki pleaded guilty to two counts of selling to an adult and possession by adult of over 30 grams in public. Charges of possession for the purpose of distribution and possession for the purpose of selling were stayed, Crown prosecutor Heather Pineault said.
She told Gordon police had noticed teens going in and out of the store on multiple occasions in late 2020 and early 2021.
An undercover project was put together with young-looking officers going into the store 11 times dressed in school uniforms with school identification cards.
On most of those visits, the undercover officers were able to purchase marijuana, cannabis gummies and edibles, and other products.
Purchases were made from Khaki or a co-accused, whose case has proceeded separately.
Officers also bought tobacco vape cartridges.
“You can’t sell tobacco product to high school students but he’s not charged with that,” Pineault said.
When police executed a search warrant at the store, they seized 47.7 grams of marijuana, tubs of gummies, pot cookies, shatter, cannabis seeds and other items.
“Did they have Canadian government certification stamps?” Gordon asked.
“Not that I’m aware of,” Pineault answered.
Defence lawyer Mo Vayeghan, meanwhile, said Khaki “has expressed sincere remorse for his actions” and that "he is no longer involved in this industry.”
Khaki must observe curfews for the first eight months of his sentence, consume no intoxicants, pay a $600 victim surcharge and observe a 10-year ban on possession of firearms and explosives and a lifetime ban on possession of prohibited firearms.
