MARIJUANA-GROWING OPERATIONS ON DECLINE

Police saw a significant drop in marijuana-growing operations on
Vancouver Island this year as they took to the skies in their annual
effort to dismantle outdoor crops.

Police attribute a cold and wet summer plus a decade-long enforcement
effort to the significant drop of more than 30,000 plants this year over last.

Officers this year reported a steep decline in the number of
marijuana crops, as well as the size of the operations.

Led by the federal RCMP drug enforcement branch, Vancouver Island
RCMP, the Victoria Police Department and Saanich Police, the annual
effort sees officers hoisted from helicopters to destroy pot plants
in areas that are often remote with rugged terrain. This year, police
destroyed 7,300 plants, compared to more than 30,000 last summer.

Police are keeping the locations secret but hit approximately 200
sites between Duncan and Comox during 10 days in August. The majority
of grow-ops tend to be in the northern region of the Island.

The number of large-scale sites was significantly less this year, say
police, with crops varying from the largest at 450 plants to the more
common operations of fewer than 100 plants. A lack of sunshine and
cool temperatures at the start of the growing season (the Island
cycle tends to be late May to early August) likely dampened crops.
"While the weather did affect outcome of plants, it doesn't
completely explain the drop," said Vancouver Island RCMP spokesman
Cpl. Darren Lagan. "This year, I think we've seen the benefits of
year-after-year (enforcement)."

Police did not arrest anyone in connection with a drug crop but say
the goal is to eliminate growops completely.

RCMP officers help determine the focus of the seasonal crackdown by
building up a database of potential pot sites when the helicopters
cruise over the Island in other duties. Spotted from the sky, police
say grow-ops resemble broccoli.