Jillian Dickens
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Sep 19/05) - Nunavut's Marijuana Party leader was charged with the very thing he's lobbying to legalize.

Ed de Vries has been charged with one count of marijuana trafficking; one count of conspiring to traffic marijuana and four counts of laundering the proceeds of a crime.

He made his first court appearance on Sept. 12 in the Iqaluit court offices.

His offences date back to Dec. 1, 2003. The Crown says he conspired with co-accused Andrew Martin to traffic marijuana.

He is charged with the same offence for an incident that happened Jan. 15, 2004.

De Vries is being charged with drug trafficking on Dec. 1, 2003, and Jan. 13, 2004 in Iqaluit.

He is being accused of laundering the sum of $282, 539.83 on March 1, 2003 and May 20, 2004; the sum of $9,000 Jan. 1 and Jan. 10; and two counts of money laundering totalling $38,000 on May, 19, 2004.

He appeared in court again on Sept. 15, when his trial was adjourned to Nov. 23.