RCMP HIGH ON DRUG BUSTS

Mission RCMP have begun 2006 on a real high, busting upward of 10
marijuana growing operations in January.

Of those raids, most have occurred in the past two weeks:

On Jan. 12 and Jan. 20, officers dismantled pot operations at a home
in the 8500 block of Cedar Street and the 32600 block of Fleming Avenue.

In the first case officers arrested a 21-year-old man after finding a
small to medium-sized operation in the garage and backyard. In the
Jan. 20 case officers say they found almost 600 pot plants, about
eight pounds of dried marijuana and nearly $3,000 in cash in the home
on Fleming Avenue. Charges are pending against a 43-year-old man.

In both cases the suspects were renters, which means the homeowners
will be billed for the police department's costs to clean up the grow
operations. The cost of clean-up is usually in the thousands of dollars.

"Landlords [should] be diligent in checking on their rental
properties," warned Sgt. Rhonda Leigh.

"They are ultimately responsible for all activities associated to
their property."

Officers dismantled a sophisticated operation in the 31900 block of
Quail Avenue on Jan. 17.

Const. Leigh Wile said the operation was "elaborate" - hydro was
bypassed, water and natural gas were diverted and excess from the
grow-op was dumped into the storm sewer system.

"At any time this grow could have caught fire, backed up chemicals
into the city water system or knocked out electricity to parts of
Mission," said Wile.

Charges are pending against a person living in the home.

Wile said police discovered the grow-op while investigating a home
invasion in the 31900 block of Westview Avenue days earlier.