MILLION-DOLLAR GROW OP BUSTED IN COWICHAN VALLEY

From the air, it looked like a beautiful field of lilacs. But
something just wasn't right. And when Lake Cowichan RCMP constables
directed their helicopter to take a closer look during a routine
reconnaissance flight earlier this week, they found out why.

Their sharp eyes had spotted an outdoor marijuana grow operation
valued at more than $1 million.

It is the most valuable pot bust in Lake Cowichan RCMP's history,
said Cpl. Brian Brown.

"This is the biggest one we've ever seen," he said. "It has
completely filled a 23-foot moving van from floor to ceiling."

As many as 562 mature marijuana plants were growing on
government-owned park land in Skutz Falls, between Lake Cowichan and
Duncan, said Brown.

They were already mature and ready for harvest by the time police
spotted them Tuesday.

But officers faced a conundrum. Should they set up surveillance to
catch the growers, or use their limited resources on a different case
to try and recover seven missing handguns they suspected were in a
residence on the other side of town?

"Time was of the essence, and we decided the plants should never make
it to the street," said Brown, of the decision to gather the plants
and then deal with the handguns. Four officers, and one RCMP
auxiliary member, cut down the plants and hauled them into a truck on
a cold and wet Wednesday, said Brown. They were scheduled to be
destroyed yesterday.

RCMP went on to recover a motorcycle, electric guitars, and the seven
handguns after executing a search warrant on the other side of town Wednesday.

"These guns were bound for the street, so we've definitely struck a
blow," he said. "We had word these were bound for either Vancouver or
the [Cowichan] Valley."

They also found cocaine, said Brown. Another motorcycle, stolen from
Victoria, was recovered.

Charges are pending against a 34-year-old woman, but she was merely
the person home at the time, said Brown. Police are still looking for
other suspects.