RCMP WARN YOUTHS ABOUT GROW-OPS

Three indoor pot plantations busted by the RCMP in a single day last week
highlight the size of the drug problem in the city, police say.

"This gives the public an indication of what we're doing," said Const.
Peter Thiessen, media spokesman for the Richmond detachment. "We're dealing
with it as best we can. All units are involved, whether it's uniformed
officers or the drug squad."

The three pot busts took place Feb. 6 at homes on Maple Road, Spires Road
and Blundell Road.

In the most serious case, officers arrived at the Maple Road home to find a
group of five teenagers in the backyard allegedly about to break into the
place and steal the lucrative bud inside.

It's not the first case of robbery linked to pot operations in Richmond.
Last October, three 16-year-old boys were arrested after they tried to rob
a grow-op on Granville Avenue in broad daylight. In that case, one of the
suspects was armed with a 10-inch butcher knife.

In another recent case, a woman in her 50s was beaten and raped in a home -
also being used as a grow-operation - on No. 2 Road. Three men were
arrested in connection with that incident.

Fearing further violence, police want youths in the city to get the message
to stay away from the marijuana crops.

"This is not smart behaviour for our youths in the community to get into
because they're going to get themselves hurt or killed," said Thiessen.
"The grow operator is going to protect his business."