News (Media Awareness Project) - CN BC: Underground Bunker Yields $3 Million Worth Of Marijuana |
Title: | CN BC: Underground Bunker Yields $3 Million Worth Of Marijuana |
Published On: | 2009-09-11 |
Source: | Vancouver Sun (CN BC) |
Fetched On: | 2009-09-11 19:28:04 |
UNDERGROUND BUNKER YIELDS $3 MILLION WORTH OF MARIJUANA
Officers Find 11,520 Plants, Booby Traps And A Sophisticated
Irrigation System
Chilliwack RCMP landed a record marijuana haul this week when they
raided an underground bunker containing 11,520 pot plants worth an
estimated $3 million.
And like a scene out of the movie Pineapple Express, police
encountered booby traps, a special irrigation system tied to a local
stream and a hydraulic lift to the bunker found on a property in the
7600-block of Nixon Road in Chilliwack.
"While we cannot confirm any links to organized crime at this point,
the level of sophistication of this grow op suggests many people were
involved in establishing and running this operation," Cpl. Lea-Anne
Dunlop said.
Anyone sneaking into the bunker would have been hit with bear spray
connected to the booby traps.
"A subfloor had been built concealing an elevator-style hydraulic lift
that provided access to the underground bunker where four separate
grow rooms had been established," Dunlop said in a statement. "A
Quonset hut had been built overtop of the bunker giving the illusion
of a legitimate out building on the property."
She said water for the massive operation was piped in from a nearby
fish-bearing creek and pumped into the growing operation.
Toxic chemicals from the operation were being dumped back onto the
property.
A system of security cameras was wired so that it could be monitored
from the house on the property where a 61-year-old Chilliwack man was
arrested.
The suspect is not known to police, Dunlop said. He was remanded in
custody while the investigation continues.
RCMP specialists estimated the growing operation involved stealing
close to $400,000 in electricity from B.C. Hydro. Police are being
aided by crews from the City of Chilliwack, the Chilliwack Fire
Department, B.C. Hydro, the Security Resources Group, and the Ministry
of the Environment in dismantling the operation.
"We have impacted the criminals who have been operating this grow-op
on a financial level in seizing over $3 million worth of crop, and a
large quantity of equipment and supplies from the property," she said.
Police executed a search warrant at the property Wednesday. They did
not say what led them to suspect the location was the site of illegal
activity.
Meanwhile, the Abbotsford police department were called to investigate
a shots fired just before 5 a.m. Thursday in the 34700-block of Hamon
Drive.
Members of the patrol division located several shell casings and found
a man attempting to leave the home.
"The male was immediately taken into custody. A search of the home for
injured parties, weapons and potential suspects revealed that this
home was being used as a marijuana grow operation," Const. Ian
MacDonald said in a release.
No firearm was recovered and no one appeared to have been hurt, he
said.
On Vancouver Island, marijuana growers got help with their harvest
this year when a team of police agencies, including the Victoria
Police Department and the RCMP, moved in and destroyed more than
29,000 plants over the last two weeks.
"We were routinely destroying plants that would produce anywhere from
one to three pounds of marijuana," RCMP Cpl. Darren Lagan said. "At
the low end, that's over fifty thousand pounds of product, which
represents a commodity for organized crime groups on Vancouver Island.
The sale or trade of that marijuana would result in other dangerous
street drugs, and firearms coming into our communities."
The majority of growing sites were north of the Comox Valley, where
crime groups have an advantage due to the remoteness, terrain, and
climate, he said. "This is not a harmless or victimless crime. The
marijuana being grown in our backcountry will put money and weapons in
the pockets of criminals. It's that simple."
Officers Find 11,520 Plants, Booby Traps And A Sophisticated
Irrigation System
Chilliwack RCMP landed a record marijuana haul this week when they
raided an underground bunker containing 11,520 pot plants worth an
estimated $3 million.
And like a scene out of the movie Pineapple Express, police
encountered booby traps, a special irrigation system tied to a local
stream and a hydraulic lift to the bunker found on a property in the
7600-block of Nixon Road in Chilliwack.
"While we cannot confirm any links to organized crime at this point,
the level of sophistication of this grow op suggests many people were
involved in establishing and running this operation," Cpl. Lea-Anne
Dunlop said.
Anyone sneaking into the bunker would have been hit with bear spray
connected to the booby traps.
"A subfloor had been built concealing an elevator-style hydraulic lift
that provided access to the underground bunker where four separate
grow rooms had been established," Dunlop said in a statement. "A
Quonset hut had been built overtop of the bunker giving the illusion
of a legitimate out building on the property."
She said water for the massive operation was piped in from a nearby
fish-bearing creek and pumped into the growing operation.
Toxic chemicals from the operation were being dumped back onto the
property.
A system of security cameras was wired so that it could be monitored
from the house on the property where a 61-year-old Chilliwack man was
arrested.
The suspect is not known to police, Dunlop said. He was remanded in
custody while the investigation continues.
RCMP specialists estimated the growing operation involved stealing
close to $400,000 in electricity from B.C. Hydro. Police are being
aided by crews from the City of Chilliwack, the Chilliwack Fire
Department, B.C. Hydro, the Security Resources Group, and the Ministry
of the Environment in dismantling the operation.
"We have impacted the criminals who have been operating this grow-op
on a financial level in seizing over $3 million worth of crop, and a
large quantity of equipment and supplies from the property," she said.
Police executed a search warrant at the property Wednesday. They did
not say what led them to suspect the location was the site of illegal
activity.
Meanwhile, the Abbotsford police department were called to investigate
a shots fired just before 5 a.m. Thursday in the 34700-block of Hamon
Drive.
Members of the patrol division located several shell casings and found
a man attempting to leave the home.
"The male was immediately taken into custody. A search of the home for
injured parties, weapons and potential suspects revealed that this
home was being used as a marijuana grow operation," Const. Ian
MacDonald said in a release.
No firearm was recovered and no one appeared to have been hurt, he
said.
On Vancouver Island, marijuana growers got help with their harvest
this year when a team of police agencies, including the Victoria
Police Department and the RCMP, moved in and destroyed more than
29,000 plants over the last two weeks.
"We were routinely destroying plants that would produce anywhere from
one to three pounds of marijuana," RCMP Cpl. Darren Lagan said. "At
the low end, that's over fifty thousand pounds of product, which
represents a commodity for organized crime groups on Vancouver Island.
The sale or trade of that marijuana would result in other dangerous
street drugs, and firearms coming into our communities."
The majority of growing sites were north of the Comox Valley, where
crime groups have an advantage due to the remoteness, terrain, and
climate, he said. "This is not a harmless or victimless crime. The
marijuana being grown in our backcountry will put money and weapons in
the pockets of criminals. It's that simple."
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