ANOTHER HUGE GROW-OP BUSTED

Police in the North Okanagan have shut down a massive marijuana grow
operation, and once again they believe there is a connection to
organized crime.

Ten officers swept down on an isolated farm near Cherryville Monday
to bust the commercial-size grow-op.

Gord Molendyk, RCMP spokesman, said the house and barns were situated
at the end of Cochrane Road, a dead end street off Creighton Valley Road.

"When police arrived in numbers, the two male residents inside the
farmhouse immediately surrendered to authorities," said Molendyk,
adding both males, aged 29 and 51, provided Kelowna addresses and
were taken to Vernon cells.

As the search progressed, police discovered two large barns entirely
devoted to marijuana production.

Some 3,100 plants were cut and seized.

In addition to truckloads of the usual grow-op equipment, police
seized two industrial 240-kilowatt generators and two five-ton air
conditioning units.

"There was a drying room set up in the house itself where some 60
pounds of marijuana bud was also seized. Police believe the
sophisticated operation had been up and running for several years,"
said Molendyk.

"The land itself is owned by a male from out of the province. Given
the size of the operation, this is another example of organized crime
moving into this picturesque valley."

Molendyk said police encourage rural residents to continue to report
suspicious activity.

In August, 2007, police shut down a massive grow-op after a diesel
generator powering the "ultra sophisticated" facility caught fire.

Lumby RCMP Cpl. Henry Proce said the latest operation was also quite
sophisticated and not the work of amateurs.

While there is a Kelowna connection to both operations, Proce could
not say if there is a direct connection between the two grow-ops.

Proce could also not speculate what organized crime gang is involved
in either grow-op, but noted in both cases it took a lot of money to
start and maintain the operation.

"They purchased the land specifically for that (growing marijuana),"
said Proce, adding the barns and the grow-op equipment are also expensive.

There is a huge profit to be made from the sale of illicit drugs, and
the rural setting of Cherryville is an attractive place to set up shop.

Proce said the latest facility was located in an area with few neighbours.

"You can produce a crop every 90 days, so it is very lucrative," he said.

Monday's bust was the result of an anonymous tip from the public.

"We got an anonymous tip before Christmas," said Proce. "We realized
this was big."

The 2007 bust came after firefighters went to the property to put out
a barn fire caused by the malfunctioning generator.