RAIDS NET $25M IN POT

13 People To Be Charged In Crackdown

Police in the West Kootenay have seized or destroyed more than 25,000
marijuana plants they estimate were worth $25 million.

The Mounties, using a helicopter, all-terrain vehicles, boats and even
snowmobiles, swooped on outdoor pot plots and indoor grow-ops on Crown
land and private property in July and August.

Sixteen RCMP officers conducted raids in Balfour, Kaslo, New Denver,
Silverton, Slocan, Winlaw, Slocan Park, Nelson, Crawford Bay, Hills
and Riondel.

"Over half of the marijuana plants were seized from Crown land," said
Const. Julie Rattee.

"The marijuana plants located on Crown land were destroyed on site by
using a mixture of bleach, dish soap and water so that they can't be
used.

"The $25-million figure is based on $1,000 per plant.

"That's the estimated street value based on some calculations done by
the investigators who were spearheading the project.

"When they were dealing with the marijuana grow operations on the
Crown land, there is no proof of ownership with respect to those [pot
gardens], so it's difficult to focus on any one suspect to charge them.

"Apparently, there was nobody arrested in relation to the marijuana on
Crown land."

Rattee said the raids "required intelligence-based research that in
turn demanded many hours of work and a great deal of ingenuity."

She said about 13 people are expected to be charged.

"I imagine that this is the tip of the iceberg," she said. "There is
more [pot] out there, but $25 million worth of marijuana definitely
puts a dent in somebody's pocket."