POTMOBILE BUSTED IN FERRY LINEUP

WEST VANCOUVER -- It was a business venture worthy of famed '70s
potheads Cheech and Chong: Police officers called to investigate a
possible drunk driver discovered $60,000 worth of marijuana plants
being grown inside a car.

The 140 plants -- in two stages of growth -- were being farmed inside
a Toyota RAV4.

"You think you've seen it all and then you see something completely
different like this," West Vancouver police spokesman Sgt. Paul
Skelton said yesterday. "This is an unusual and unique discovery for
our investigators. We've never seen a mobile marijuana grow operation before."

The officers were called to the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal after a
woman in the car lineup at the ferry said she believed a man who had
parked his vehicle was drunk.

"We attended the ferry lineup looking specifically for this vehicle,"
Skelton said. "The officers found the man and observed open liquor in
the vehicle. That's when they discovered the odour of marijuana."

When they opened the SUV's doors, all the "classical equipment" of a
residential grow operation was before their eyes.

"This particular crude marijuana operation . . . had been set up to
continue growth of the plants," he said. "The investigators also
discovered a transformer used to boost the electrical input of the
car, as well as a watering can, a spray bottle and fertilizer. The
man also had white sheeting, electrical cords and the right lighting."

It's believed the grow-operation had been inside the vehicle for
weeks, leading investigators to think the plants weren't just being
transported, something officers see more often.

A 35-year-old man has been issued a 24-hour licence suspension and an
administrative driving prohibition that can last for up to 90 days.
Police are set to recommend a number of drug charges.