MOUNTIES GET BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF GROW-OPS

Police Officers Are Getting High To Get Marijuana Off The Streets.

Using three Sea King helicopters provided by the Department of
National Defence, Vancouver Island RCMP are taking to the skies to
search for illegal marijuana grow operations on Crown land.

Cpl. Greg Cox, an RCMP spokesman, said the first two days of the
operation have already been successful.

On Day 1 (Tuesday) we confiscated 2,150 plants from an operation
north of Campbell River," said Cox. "So we got off to a good start.
The project will last until there is no more work to do."

Cox said mature marijuana plants have distinct characteristics to
them and are easily identified from the air. Last year, more than
16,500 plants from 200 different sites were destroyed in the
operation called Project SABOT. The RCMP have also teamed up with
Victoria and Saanich police departments for the project.

The helicopters cover all of Vancouver Island, though Cox declined to
say when areas around Nanaimo may be targeted.

"Obviously, our timeline is a secret so we can keep our advantage," he said.

Marijuana grow operations have both environmental and criminal
factors, said Cox.

Toxic pesticides used to grow the plants can find their way into the
ground or nearby water sources, and operators generally have little
respect for the Crown land they grow the plants on.

Most of the sites are found in remote areas, though Cox warns that if
hikers happen upon a grow-op site, to leave the area immediately and
notify authorities.

Grow-ops also fund organized crime, which has a ripple effect to
street violence and other criminal actions.