DEER RIDGE NEIGHBOUR SPOTS POT

A house with an unkempt lawn in a tidy Deer Ridge neighbourhood also
had grass growing inside.

Police seized $475,200 worth of pot plants from the basement of the
Deerfield Bay S.E. house Sunday night after a neighbour who heard
breaking glass saw rows of marijuana plants in the home's basement.

Acting on an anonymous tip, police arrested a man who was inside the
home when it was raided.

Charges are pending.

Inside, the house was nearly empty with just a mattress, some food and
beer, police said.

The illegal crop consisted of nearly 400 plants, but police said they
were in an early stage of growth.

"We think it may have just cropped out," said Const. Steve Adair, one
of the District 8 officers who seized the marijuana plants and growing
equipment while dismantling the pot hot house.

Police are investigating a connection between the grow operation and
another busted in the northwest in January. Police have a suspect from
the January bust but have not laid charges.

Police, along with the members of the Southern Alberta Marijuana
Investigation Team, rely on the public to tip them off about homes
with sweaty windows, the pungent odour of pot and a steady stream of
visitors coming and going at all hours.

Police received more than 415 tips from the public last year about
possible grow ops around the city.