POLICE FIND LOADED GUNS AT MEDICAL MARIJUANA GROWING
OPERATION

Arrested Men Not Holders Of Health Canada Permits

Penticton RCMP say they seized loaded guns and excess pot from an
Okanagan Falls property being used to grow medical marijuana.

The two men arrested at the scene Monday appeared to be in control of
the growing operation, but did not hold the Health Canada permits for
medical marijuana, police say.

Cpl. Brad Myhre said the Penticton RCMP Drug Task Force found three
permits in the names of three people who were not directly linked to
the property and were not present Monday when a search warrant was
executed at a residence and large shop on Allendale Lake Road near
Okanagan Falls.

Myhre said the amount of dried marijuana seized greatly exceeded what
the three permit holders were allowed to possess, and also exceeded
reasonable amounts intended for personal consumption for medical purposes.

Myhre said inside the shop, officers located a sophisticated marijuana
growing operation and approximately 200 marijuana plants, many of
which were the size of small Christmas trees and heavily laden with
marijuana buds. He said officers also located over 30 pounds of drying
marijuana bud. Inside the residence, officers say they found a loaded
.357 magnum handgun and a loaded .30-30 calibre rifle. The two men
arrested, ages 39 and 40, were released on a promise to appear in
court in April to face charges of production of a controlled
substance, possession for the purposes of trafficking, possession of a
restricted weapon and unsafe storage of firearms.

RCMP Sgt. Glenn Atkins said there have been other cases involving the
alleged misuse of licences for medical marijuana.

"It is concerning if the permits are being misused," said Atkins, who
is with the Greater Vancouver Drug Section. "If the licences are being
misused, that is certainly evidence that is going to be used in court."

Health Canada media officer Philippe Laroche said the agency has
concerns about criminals misusing permits.

He said those with medical licences to produce pot can't grow
marijuana as a group.

"Health Canada does not issue licences to produce marijuana for
medical purposes to groups, organizations or associations of any kind;
only individuals can be authorized," he said.

The number of people in B.C. with permits to posses medical marijuana
has grown steadily from 119 in December 2003 to 1,368 last month.

Last month, fire chiefs in B.C. and Ontario complained about the
increased risk of fire in growing operations, including those with a
medical marijuana licence. Surrey has shut down eight such operations
as fire hazards in the past four years, despite federal
sanctioning.

"According to Health Canada, individuals licensed under the Medical
Marijuana Access Regulations [MMAR] are required to observe all other
laws, including bylaws such as zoning, fire, and safety regulations,"
Surrey Fire Chief Len Garis wrote in a report to council several
months ago. "Further, Surrey staff learned there is no procedure to
alert local governments about the approval of a MMAR license in any
particular local government jurisdiction."