POLICE BUST $3M GROW OP

Police have made the largest residential marijuana bust in the city's
history, seizing $3.25 million worth of pot plants in the first of
four raids over two days last week.

The bust was made Wednesday in a house on Weston Place S.W. where
2,600 plants were found in various stages of growth.

The previous record-breaking seizure took place in May, when police
grabbed 2,445 plants worth about$3 million from a large home on
Patterson Crescent S. W.

"To have two records in an eight-month period is an indicator how
extensive the problem is in our society," said drug unit Staff Sgt.
Darren Cave.

"This does put a dent in it. This was good investigative work with
significant results. . . . But will these guys quit doing what they're
doing? No, probably not."

No one was home at the time the search warrant was executed so charges
have not been laid.

Later on Wednesday, the southern Alberta Marijuana Investigative Team
raided a home in the 900 block of Woodview Crescent S. W. where they
found 1,283 marijuana plants worth an estimated $1.6 million. A
17-year-old male was arrested at the home and faces charges of
possession for the purposes of trafficking, production of an illegal
substance, theft of electricity and theft of water.

On Thursday, the joint drug team busted two more grow operations,
first in a home on Sun Valley Drive S. E. where 1,054 plants worth an
estimated$1.3 million were found. Police then executed a warrant in
the 600 block of Malvern Drive N. E. taking 255 plants worth just
under $320,000.

Investigations are continuing in all these cases with charges pending.
The four grow ops are not related to each other.

"We don't see any connection between them," said Cave. "We had four
investigations that happened to come together at the same time."

Calgary police have seized $60 million worth of marijuana from grow
ops so far this year. Last year, $62.5 million worth of marijuana was
seized and in 2004 the total topped $100 million.