CHILDREN SEIZED AFTER GROW-OP BUST

Three children are in protective custody after the seizure of
hundreds of marijuana plants in a quiet Brooks neighbourhood.

The raid on Friday in a home in northwest Brooks led to children
ranging in age from two to 11 being placed in provincial care from a
home condemned by the Palliser Health Region due to widespread toxic mould.

But the operation that seized more than 500 plants worth $561,000
also points up Brooks' increasing role as a supplier of illegal drugs
to other centres, said Staff Sgt. John Haley of Brooks RCMP.

"Brooks is a major supplier, unfortunately, of crack and powder
cocaine for Medicine Hat, so we're doing our best to deal with it at
our end," said Haley, adding continued pressure on dope distributors
in Medicine Hat has pushed such criminal activity into Brooks.

The home was a mere block away from Haley's residence.

But most troubling, said Haley, was the presence of the children.

Five people whose names have yet to be released -- two men and three
women -- who were living in the home have been charged with
cultivating, possession for the purpose of trafficking and fraudulent
use of electricity.

It's the second marijuana growing operation busted in Brooks in the
past 10 days.