YOUTH ARRESTED AT GROW OP

In just two days, the Calgary police "green team" has wiped out more
than 2,000 pot plants destined to be sold on the street.

In the first of three grow op house busts Wednesday, police searching
a house in the 200 block of Royal Birch Mews N.W. arrested a young
offender believed to be babysitting the crop of 287 marijuana plants.

The suspect led police to a loaded .32-calibre handgun hidden in a
bedroom, said Det. Chris Fileccia.

Members of SAMIT -- the Southern Alberta Marijuana Investigative Team
- -- also found 6.8 kilograms of marijuana buds in quarter-kilogram
freezer bags.

Combined, the plants and the dried bud could bring in $390,000 on the
street, Fileccia estimates.

The young offender is facing five drug and weapon charges.

The house, which had an extreme mould problem in the attic, has been
condemned, police say.

A second bust took police with a search warrant to a home in the 7600
block of Farrell Road S.E. There were 67 plants on a hydroponic system.

Later, police charged a man after searching a home in the 100 block of
Douglas Glen Manor S.E.

Detectives found 68 plants and 11 bags of bud, wrapped up and ready
for street distribution, police say.

On Tuesday, while police were seizing 312 plants from a home in the
100 block of Elkton Way S.W., detectives noticed the house beside it
also had the potential to be a grow op. After getting a separate
search warrant, they found 398 plants, worth $291,000.

Later that day, police found two more homes they say are likely being
run by the same people.

A home with pot growing in it in the 200 block of Shannon Square S.W.
had 334 plants in it. Charges are pending.

In the 100 block of Bridlewood Road S.W., police say the 673 plants
found drying are believed connected to the Shannon Square home.

Earlier Tuesday, police also grabbed 97 plants from a home in the 100
block of Appleside Close S.E.