PROPERTY OWNER UNAWARE OF METH LAB

The owner of house where a methampethamine and ecstasy lab operated
was shocked to discover that police raided the Lougheed Highway
property last week.

Surrey businessman Sukhvir Singh Mann learned about the July 20 bust
from his real estate agent.

"I was shocked. It didn't seem like anything was going on there. You
couldn't even tell," Mann said.

The Ridge Meadows RCMP arrested one man after raiding the isolated
property near Golden Ears Chrysler on Lougheed Highway.

RCMP said it was filled with chemicals used to make crystal meth and
ecstasy that could blow up a radius of four blocks.

The drug lab was confined to a garage at the back of the
property.

Charges have not yet been laid against the arrested
man.

According to an assessment roll report, Mann bought the five-acre
property for $956,000 in June last year.

It was an investment property, he explained, and listed for resale
immediately after buying it.

"I'm a first-time property buyer for that type of area. So this is
kind of hard to swallow," Mann said.

The property has been rented since August last year.

Mann said he rented it to a man who told him three people would be
living in the house with him - his girlfriend, her child and another
friend.

He does not know who was arrested at his property last
Thursday.

In the last two or three months, Mann had not seen people at the
house.

"Every time I went there, no one was there," he said.

"I had the hydro cut because the tenants had not paid rent for the
last month and a half."

Mann said the house was being showed to prospective buyers by the
realtor.

"There were at least 20 to 30 showings in the last year. I can't
believe no one noticed it. So maybe there was nothing going on."

According to RCMP, the property had been watched on and off since
January after tips about a possible drug lab came in from the public
and an informant.

Drug section head John MacDougall said the detachment mailed a letter
about the raid to Mann on Friday.

"Most of the owners will co-operate [with the investigation]," he
said.

RCMP believes the lab is linked to organized crime.

The property has been condemned by the Maple Ridge bylaw department
and MacDougall believes the house will be demolished.

"Just the fact there are chemicals, that makes it unsafe," he
said.

A house on 240th Street where a meth lab and marijuana grow operation
were found was torn down in 2004 because it was deemed
inhabitable.

Maple Ridge mayor Gordy Robson confirmed Mann will be charged for the
three-day police search and clean up of the house.

Robson said police have gathered a lot of information about the
crystal meth trade in the municipality from the bust.

"I understand from what they have learned, most people involved in
crystal meth in this municipality are now at risk," said Robson.

"So if you are involved in crystal meth, you better leave Maple
Ridge."