CANADA POLICE RAID MARIJUANA PARTY ON U.S. REQUEST

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters) - Police raided the headquarters of
the British Columbia Marijuana Party Friday at the request of U.S.
investigators targeting one of Canada's best-known advocates of legalizing
marijuana.

U.S. officials have charged Marc Emery, founder of the Marijuana Party, and
two other people with conspiracy to manufacture marijuana, distribute
marijuana seeds and money laundering. The charges are in connection with a
business that Emery has operated for years over the Internet from offices
in Vancouver, on Canada's Pacific Coast.

Emery, who has been nicknamed the "Prince of Pot", was arrested in Halifax,
Nova Scotia, where he was on a visit. He is expected to have a hearing in a
court in Vancouver next week for extradition proceedings, according to
police officials.

Marijuana is a touchy issue in U.S.-Canada relations, with White House
officials warning recently that a plan by Ottawa to decriminalize
possession of small amounts of pot could lead to tighter security on the
border.

U.S. officials allege that Emery has sold as much as C$3 million ($2.5
million) in seeds, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.

Demonstrators protested outside the party's offices as police searched
using a warrant that called for seizing materials and information,
including the names of people who may have applied for work at Emery's
business.

"We're disappointed and shocked that Canada would lay down its sovereignty
to the United States and allow the United States government's draconian
anti-marijuana war to creep into what otherwise was a much more rational
system here in Canada," said Kirk Tousaw, the party's campaign manager.

Canadian police said no charges have been filed against Emery under
Canadian law, but that they were investigating.

A spokesman for the Vancouver Police Department, Howard Chow, defended
raiding the offices at the request of U.S. officials since Emery's seed
business and other pro-marijuana activities have been well known for years.

"We received information for the United States and acted accordingly," Chow
told reporters.

Emery, a Canadian citizen, founded the B.C. Marijuana Party several years
ago. The party has fielded candidates in British Columbia's past two
legislative elections but none have won.

The marijuana trade in British Columbia is worth more than C$6 billion
annually, with most of the potent "B.C. Bud" grown in the province destined
for the United States.

($1=$1.21 Canadian)