BIG-TIME BUST

Four city homes being used to grow marijuana have been condemned and
deemed unfit for human habitation after Lethbridge regional police and
public health inspectors spent most of Thursday shutting down a
$1-million drug operation.

Shortly before noon, members of the tactical team, special operations
unit and Southern Alberta Marijuana Investigation Team busted a grow
op along Elm Road and within hours three more had been dismantled
along 36 Street South, Tartan Boulevard West and Beaverbrook Road North.

By press time, police had seized a combined total of more than 1,000
plants from the homes with an estimated street value in excess of $1
million.

Four people are in custody and four children were apprehended under
the Drug Endangered Children Act.

"We're doing all that we can to be all over these guys," said Insp.
Jeff Cove, who heads the Criminal Investigation Division. "For the
safety of our citizens, we won't tolerate drug production."

Cove says taking down four grow ops in one day is a new record for
police and investigators will remain vigilant.

The grow ops, which took up a large portion of the basement in each
home, are all linked and it's believed at least some of the drugs were
destined for Vancouver, Calgary and other communities.

"We were able to connect them during the investigation," said Cove.
"They have very similar MOs."

Police say at the properties the electricity had been bypassed, carbon
monoxide and carbon dioxide generators were being used to help the
plants along and water was left running to enhance the humidity.

"They were exposing themselves to their own toxic environment," said
Cove.

"It's especially concerning to us that they would do this without any
consideration to their own children."

Police seized 337 plants from the Elm Road location, about 600 from 36
Street South, 60 from Beaverbrook Road and officers were still
counting at Tartan Boulevard at press time.

Maureen Elko, a public health inspector for Chinook Health, explained
in cases where there's some sort of illegal activity in a home, such
as a grow operation, moisture, mould, chemical and drug residues as
well as steps taken to bypass electricity, water and a home's heating
system all pose a risk to occupant safety.

"It's very hazardous for another family to come in if the proper
remediation techniques have not occurred," she said.

A home's infrastructure, including drywall, the attic, insulation,
floors and ceilings, must all be checked.

"We just want to make sure that the next family that comes in aren't
being exposed to anything harmful," said Elko.

The onus to repair a home is on the owner of the property and until
it's fixed, a Notice of Health Hazard is placed on the land title.

Along Elm Road, neighbours could be seen peeking out from behind their
curtains, watching as police carried garbage bags brimming with
marijuana plants and grow equipment out of a brick home.

One neighbour said a family of four, who moved from B.C. last fall,
lived in the grow house.

"They were very quiet people," she said. "They kept to themselves.
Their shutters were always down."

The senior said from time to time she'd see a young girl looking out
the window and last year the youngster visited her house during a
garage sale and played with a doll. In addition to the little girl,
the neighbour believes the couple had a baby.

Cove said so far investigation into the grow operations hasn't yielded
any specific ties to organized crime, but noted that's often the case.

"A lot of these grow operations that produce illicit drugs are tied to
organized crime groups or distribution networks," he said.

Police have not released the names of the individuals in custody but
charges are pending.

Southwest Child and Family Services is also investigating.