22 ARRESTED IN POT CRACKDOWN

Surrey RCMP arrested 22 people and seized a haul of marijuana worth
about $2.5 million on the street Friday after busting 11 growing
operations in the city.

Police executed search warrants in Newton, Cloverdale, South Surrey,
Guildford and the City Centre, recovering more than 1,600 pot plants,
230 kilos of marijuana buds and one kilo of hashish.

They also recovered about $500,000 in cash during one of the
searches.

The busts, a joint effort involving the RCMP's Proceeds of Crime Unit,
Langley RCMP's Green Team and Drug Unit and the Vancouver Drug
Section, were part of an effort by Surrey police to clamp down on
marijuana growing operations. Those arrested face charges of producing
marijuana and possession for the purposes of trafficking. Criminal
Code charges of theft of hydro power will also be laid.

Superintendent Jim Good, Surrey RCMP operations officer, said Friday's
busts were an "excellent example of team work.

"In Surrey we have attached a significant number of our personnel to
apply ongoing pressure to the people growing and selling marijuana,"
Good said. "We will continue to maintain this high level of
enforcement in an attempt to improve the quality of life for the
community of Surrey."

In addition to Friday's effort, since Feb. 12 police have executed
another 15 search warrants, resulting in numerous arrests and the
seizure of 6,500 pot plants and nine kilos of marijuana bud. Police
said these seizures had a street value of about $3.5 million.