GLENORA BUST SHOWS INCREASING SAVVY OF MARIJUANA GROW-OPERATIONS

EDMONTON -- As marijuana grow operations go, it was a professional
job.

In Glenora, just around the corner from where judges, lawyers,
business leaders and doctors live, police recently raided a large
house, arrested a man and seized 711 pot plants from the basement and
master bedroom.

According to police, the homeowners and neighbours, everything from
the wiring to steps taken to avoid detection was done with impeccable
care .

Det. Clayton Sach of the joint RCMP-city police "green team" said the
operators of grow houses are getting more professional in every way.

"I think the word would be sophisticated -- they're not just slapped
together," he said. "These guys know what they're doing."

After a bust in Mill Woods this week -- one of seven around Edmonton
in the past two weeks -- police found the title of the house was in
the name of an 18-year-old man, and the "sitter" looking after the
plants was 20.

Police often find the home, car and power bills in different names,
which makes it difficult to prosecute.

At the Glenora house, a "sitter" who was there only occasionally to
look after the plants was charged. The man who rented the Glenora
house was not charged in that case, but was charged in connection with
another grow-op in Stony Plain.

Rewiring to steal power for grow lamps is usually done so
professionally that Sach thinks growers may have qualified
electricians working for them.

They also have ways to evade the suspicions of neighbours, he said. In
a house with an attached garage, nobody knows when bags of dirt and
growing equipment are brought in or big plastic bags full of pot are
taken out.

The owners of the 3,100-square-foot home in Glenora, a retired couple
living in Hope, B.C., say they're lucky little damage was done.

Some houses are heavily damaged by mould because of the high
humidity.

Reconfigured furnace vents create a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning,
and illegal wiring can be a fire risk.

Repairing the damage can cost tens of thousands of dollars and it's
not covered by insurance.

The owners of the Glenora house estimate they're out about
$2,500.

"There wasn't even a stain on any of the carpets," said the woman, who
did not want to be identified.

The only damage was a small hole in the wall to tap into power lines
before they reached the meter and minor changes to the furnace vents.
The couple had to pay $600 for a mould test under orders from Capital
Health, and no mould was found.

A house can be made to look lived in by putting a timer on the
interior lights or the television and installing a few pieces of
furniture strategically placed near windows.

Before the Jan. 7 bust, the Glenora house was rented to a family of
seven.

Neighbours Gina and Spencer Melnyk were happy to see a family living
in the house.

"When these other people moved in we thought it was great," said Gina
Melnyk. "It's quiet, they shovel the walk and they handed out candy on
Halloween."

The owners, who lived in the house for three years before retiring in
2000, said they checked references and credit and everything seemed
fine. They were told the husband was starting an electronics firm and
they welcomed children in the house, which they rented for $2,400 a
month.

There was no sign of a grow operation when they visited at the end of
October.

The owners think the family was still living there until shortly
before the bust. There was food in the fridge, including frozen
octopus, and bags of rice in a cupboard. A child's bed and some toys
were left behind.

The owners credit good police work and a little luck for saving their
house from major damage. They were told police found the operation by
following someone from another grow operation.

They expect an unfit-for-human-habitation sign, placed on the front
door by Capital Health, should come off at the beginning of the week,
after the power supply is rewired.

Then they'll put the house up for sale.

AT A GLANCE

GROW-OPS AROUND EDMONTON

Year No. of Busts Total plants seized

2001 80 13,547

2002 68 11,791

2003 80 21,464

The number of plants seized in Calgary has increased tenfold since
2001 and police credit that to tips from the public.

Nearly 400,000 Calgary power customers with EnMax received brochures
along with their electricity bill telling them how to spot grow ops.

The brochure includes a number of warning signs, such as a "skunky
smell," evidence of condensation, fans running all the time, humming
sounds and blinds that are always closed or windows blacked out.

Edmonton police spokesman Chris McLeod said there are no immediate
plans for a similar brochure here.