POLICE ABUZZ OVER GROW-OP ELECTRICITY THEFTS

CALGARY - Organized crime groups are stealing millions of dollars
worth of electricity to manufacture marijuana in homes across Calgary,
police say.

A majority of the major players in the cultivation process are
involved in Asian gangs, police said Tuesday.

It's believed that money derived from pot sales is being used to
manufacture designer drugs such as methamphetamine and crack cocaine.

"We are going after the people who are organizing (the grow ops),"
said Staff Sgt. Birnie Smith of the Calgary RCMP drug unit.

The Southern Alberta Marijuana Investigative Team -- made up of four
Mounties and two Calgary police officers -- recently completed the
largest marijuana grow-op investigation in Calgary's history.

The team seized more than 15,000 plants, estimating the street value
at $19 million, and arrested eight people.

Of the 41 homes and one warehouse targeted during the raids, 31 homes
were condemned by the Calgary Health Region due to toxic mould damage.

Thirty-nine of the homes were stealing electricity using "crudely
employed" bypasses.

Enmax officials would not comment on how much electricity is stolen
each year by marijuana grow operations.

But any financial losses are passed on through residential and
business power bills.

"(The dollar loss) is spread out over all the customers in our
territory," said Enmax spokeswoman Sneh Seetal. "(Electrical bypass)
is a significant problem."

The company is also concerned about the safety hazard involved when
people tamper with high-voltage lines, she said.

The resources that go into running the grow ops -- including
high-powered halogen lamps, tubing, pots, fertilizer and other
chemicals -- were put on display Tuesday, along with 3,500 plants.

More than 25 large bins of equipment and drugs were seized during the
three-week sweep.

Police said the operation was sparked by concerns from the public over
rising violence stemming from grow ops.

"The problem is the same from ocean to ocean," Smith said. "We view
marijuana grow ops as a national priority."

The special investigative team has seized more than $71.4 million
worth of marijuana -- in the form of 58,000 plants -- since January,
resulting in 232 drug-related charges against 87 people.