FAULTY POT BUST PUT FAMILY AT RISK

A Yarrow family is being harassed on the street, at work, and around
school-all because they hung around with the wrong people.

The house rented by Vereen Swanson and her husband Don was among five
raided in a large-scale marijuana grow-op bust May 11. When police
knocked on the door of their home at 41932 Yarrow Central Road, Don
let them in.

Once inside, Mounties scoured the house, breaking through at least
one lock while searching for an illegal garden. They didn't find one.

Consequently, of the five households raided last week, Don and
Vereen's is the only one not facing charges.

"There was no grow in the house," Const. Steve Hiscoe confirmed
Wednesday, adding, "Members did find equipment under a tarp behind
the house which is consistent with that used to grow marijuana."

Vereen said the growing gear came with a travel trailer recently
purchased by her family. Police left it all behind.

From the other homes raided, RCMP seized about 400 pot plants along
with two rifles and various paraphernalia.

Following that, the Times reported only the block in which the busts
occurred, but at least one media publication listed individual house
numbers-the Swansons' included. Consequently, the family has unfairly
fallen out of favour with former friends and co-workers.

"We have people shaking their fingers at us, I'm being harassed at
work, the kids are getting it at school," Vereen said, fearing the
faulty bust will cause more that just verbal abuse. She feels her
home is now a prime target for grow-rips, even though there's
absolutely no marijuana growing inside.

"They put us at risk by doing the bust," she lamented. "I used to
feel safe here, but now I don't feel safe anymore."

The family were told they were raided because people they spent time
with were busted for growing pot.

"Yarrow is a friendly town. People often have barbecues and the whole
neighbourhood comes. We didn't know people were growing."

The mother of three teens said RCMP have promised to pay for any
damages made during the raid. Inadvertently, she added, police
provided something else. "They've given us a little lesson on whom to
associate with."