RCMP TO PROBE HOW POT VANISHED ON ITS WATCH

EDMONTON - The RCMP will conduct an internal investigation after marijuana
plants disappeared from a secured, but unmanned, grow operation that was
being investigated near Holden.

Volunteer firefighters from Holden, Ryley and Tofield stumbled onto the
grow operation after being called to a structure fire on an abandoned farm
about 11 p.m. Thursday. They called Tofield RCMP.

The RCMP said they secured the buildings before leaving to get a search
warrant.

But when firefighters were called back to the scene at 8:30 a.m. because
some hay bales had started smouldering, all the marijuana plants were gone.

RCMP spokesman Cpl. Peter Nobles didn't know exactly how the scene had been
secured and said an investigation into the matter will take place.

"We'll make sure what needed to be done was done and, if not, how to make
sure it's done in the future," he said.

Although the loss of evidence impedes the investigation into the grow
operation, Nobles said it continues.