GROW-OP STUDY PUTS SURREY HIGH ON LIST

Mayor Doug McCallum said yesterday a study claiming there are more
marijuana grow-ops in Surrey than any other B.C. city is wrong.

University of the Fraser Valley criminologist Darryl Plecas was the
principal author of a study into B.C.'s grow-op problem. The study was
commissioned by the RCMP.

Plecas tagged Surrey as the province's grow-op capital and said this city
has more than Vancouver.

"His data's erroneous. It's flawed, it's political and it's two years old,"
the mayor said.

"Surrey's numbers are vastly inflated, but he doesn't say that in his
report. We're not very happy. He sits in his high chair in Abbotsford and
he's never been to one of our grow-ops."

McCallum said the problem lies in the way different cities count grow-ops.
He said Surrey logs every complaint about grow-ops and Plecas' figures
didn't take that into account.

"We collect data differently. If several people complain about the same
grow-op, each of those complaints is counted as a grow-op. Vancouver only
records them once they've been confirmed by a police raid. He doesn't
explain figures are taken differently in different jurisdictions."

McCallum said Surrey is doing a good job of taking down illegal drug
operations in the city and accused Plecas of failing to recognize that
effort. He said Surrey RCMP, the fire department and bylaw enforcement arm
are leading the way in effectively combatting marijuana grow-ops.

"In the last 12 months we've taken down 250 grow-ops in Surrey," McCallum said.

"We have a lot of grow-ops, there's no question about it, but our RCMP are
doing a great job."

Police have estimated there are as many as 4,500 grow-ops in Surrey.

The Plecas study shows grow-ops in B.C. are out of control. The number of
illegal marijuana nurseries is expanding rapidly, while fewer operators are
being charged and penalties for those who are convicted remain light.

RCMP Insp. Paul Nadeau heads the force's Co-ordinated Marijuana Enforcement
Team. Nadeau said the Plecas study shows the grow-op situation is affecting
the whole province and said he's not concerned with interjurisdictional
wrangling. Everyone needs to work together, he said, to tackle the problem.

"I wouldn't be happy either if I were No. 1, but it is what it is," Nadeau
said.

Plecas could not be reached for comment before press deadline.