COPS GET POT AND THE HOUSE

Property Worth More Than $2m Has Been Forfeited

Residents of an upscale Surrey subdivision say they had suspicions
all along when a young woman employed as a nail technician bought a
half-million-dollar show home.

And yesterday they collectively said good riddance to their
pot-growing neighbour, whose home has been forfeited to the Crown on
the orders of a provincial court judge.

"Maybe this will send a message to others," said Sukhi Poony, 20, a
criminology student who lives just houses down from the Wildwood Place home.

"You don't expect it in this area and I think it is a good idea to
seize the home."

Following a raid on the home in the 8500-block of Wildwood in 2003,
RCMP seized 300 marijuana plants and charged homeowner Lanh Thi Lam,
21, with production of cannabis.

Earlier this month Lam pleaded guilty and received a nine-month
conditional sentence including a curfew and electronic monitoring.

And the judge ordered her to hand over the keys so the Crown could
put the home that is assessed at $517,000 up for sale.

It is the second home this summer a provincial court judge chose to
seize under provisions of the Controlled Drugs and Substance Act,
which are designed to punish drug offenders by taking away property
used in the offence.

As well, the legislation is designed to ensure the property is not
available for further criminal activity.

"It is good that it's been stopped," said Elizabeth Smith, 26, who
said the police involvement has been the talk of the street.

"There's a lot of kids around and you don't want that kind of
activity going on."

RCMP Const. Marc Searle said six Surrey properties worth more than $2
million have been forfeited to the Crown in the last three years
because of drug operations.

Another 12 worth more than $5 million are under application for forfeiture.

"It's a significant hardship," he said. "Your house is forfeited -- its gone."

Searle said forfeiture helps reassure residents the drug problem is over.

"The forfeiture ends that chain of events on that property and does
provide closure to a community under siege," he said.

Royal LePage realtor Don Tebbutt is selling the Wildwood home.

"It's on the market by a court order sale," he said. "With any
transaction the buyer would have been informed that it is a former
marijuana grow-op."

The property is listed for $549,000.

Tebbutt said it appears the grow-op caused minimal damage.

"It was indicated to me it was an extremely small operation," he said.

Controlled Drugs And Substance Act Facts

- - The first time a house used as a marijuana grow-op was seized under
the Controlled Drugs and Substance Act by the Crown and sold was in 2003.

- - Abbotsford Tory MP Randy White last year demanded the proceeds from
the sale of seized grow-op homes go toward addiction services. White
was critical of the sentencing of a Langley man who lived on welfare
for 10 years while acquiring three homes through the marijuana business.

- - Revenues from forfeited properties are divided between the province
and the federal government on a case-by-case-basis, depending on the
allocation of resources to make the forfeiture.

- - A city such as Surrey that funds its police force would not see any
of the revenue, something that concerns municipal politicians.

- - Under proceeds of crime legislation, everything from expensive toys
to homes are forfeited if the trail of money leads to drugs. In 2000,
a Surrey drug trafficker had more than $1 million worth of items
including boats, a Harley-Davidson, cars and homes, seized under that
legislation.