WEAPONS CACHE CONFRONTS COPS

A man who once denounced the establishment of a drug recovery house on
his street for fear it would devalue the neighbourhood is listed as
the owner of a rental property on that same street where a marijuana
grow-op was busted.

Six years ago, Multiple Realty agent Satya Lal was a vocal opponent of
establishing Turning Point, a residential detox centre, on Odlin Road.

At the time, the secretary of the Richmond Residents Homeowners
Association told the Richmond News that recovering addicts were
unwelcome, adding that property values will plummet, thanks to the
recovery house.

"We have been given the run of our life by weasel answers," Lal told a
health board meeting in 1999. "It is your responsibility to listen to
the neighbourhood."

Lal was referring to massive neighbourhood demonstrations, of which he
was a part, against Turning Point.

He could not be reached yesterday to comment on the property at 9800
Odlin Rd., where police found 952 marijuana plants. According to BC
Assessment, Lal owns the home with another individual.

The RCMP are particularly concerned with this grow-op because of the
large cache of weapons found, which included a 12-gauge sawed off
shotgun, an ammunition belt with 21 shotgun shells, a .38 calibre
revolver and 115 rounds of ammunition along with 53 shotgun shells.

Holding a three-foot-long sword, RCMP spokesman Cpl. Peter Thiessen
said, "this is sharpened to the point that it could slice off a limb
in a millisecond. There is a reason it's sharpened like that."

Police want the public to know just what officers face every time they
bust a grow op.

"Police are encountering more and more loaded firearms of all types
when conducting grow operation investigations or searches," Thiessen
said.

A single shotgun shell was sitting on the windowsill immediately
behind the bed, while the shotgun was found between the two mattresses
of the bed.

Hazley Mack, 27, of Delta is charged with production of a controlled
substance, possession for the purpose of trafficking and two counts of
possession of firearms without a licence.

He will appear in Richmond provincial court Dec. 15.

Thiessen said he doesn't know the history of the firearms, whether
they were legally registered or illegally smuggled, but he stressed
that grow operators are not afraid to use them.

"Individuals behind these marijuana grow operations have lengthy
criminal records. Innocent people are often brutalized when they live
nearby these grow-ops."

Statistics Canada reported that between 1992 and 2002, there were 137
cannabis-related homicides. This is the highest of any illicit drug
except for cocaine.

Just this year, 187 grow-ops have been found in Richmond.

Thiessen called on neighbours and landlords to be vigilant in
reporting suspected marijuana growing operations.

The RCMP and the city are investigating to see if a new bylaw, which
holds landlords somewhat responsible for the costs associated with
removing the grow-op, was violated.

Landlords are expected to make monthly checks on their properties to
ensure no illegal activities are going on there.

A manager with Multiple Realty said she stresses to her realtors, many
of whom own rental properties, to be extremely cautious.

She added that realtors, of all people, should be aware of landlord
requirements.

The manager, who didn't want her name used, described Lal as a "nice
guy, quiet - a real family man."

As well as opposing Turning Point, Lal also ran for city council with
the now-defunct Team Richmond in 1999, arguing for the establishment
of the city's own police force.