‘Trips Ahoy!’: Transit police warn of illicit edibles that resemble popular snack brands

Metro Vancouver Transit Police provided this photo of seized illegal edibles packaged to resemble "benign confections."

Two men caught with illegal cannabis products, including edibles packaged to resemble popular snack food brands, have pleaded guilty to criminal charges, according to Metro Vancouver Transit Police.

The pair were arrested outside of Main Street-Science World SkyTrain Station in 2023 after officers observed what they believed to be street-level drug transactions.

A search of the men yielded six kilograms of “marijuana and various marijuana products” as well as smaller quantities of hard drugs, dozens of packs of contraband cigarettes and roughly $2,000 in cash, a statement from MVTP said.

“Among the marijuana products seized by Transit Police were edibles that were packaged to look like popular candy brands that may, at first glance, be mistaken for the benign confection,” the statement continued.

Photos of the seized edibles show names like “Double Stuff Stoneo,” “Stoney Patch Kids,” and “Trips Ahoy!”

“Unregulated cannabis that mimics candy is particularly dangerous and can cause serious harm to an unknowing consumer,” an MVTP spokesperson said.

Stephen McLellan, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of possession for the purpose of selling cannabis. Jayson Hoang, 34, was found guilty of the same offence.