STREET CREW BUSTS CLANDESTINE LAB

Five suspects face a variety of drug charges after the Sunshine Coast RCMP
Street Crew took down a clandestine lab in Roberts Creek last Thursday.

The suspects, a 23-year-old woman and four men, aged 31, 32, 34 and 61 were
arrested by police at the location of the lab and will appear in Sechelt
provincial court on Feb. 22, 2005. The suspects face a variety of charges,
including production of gamma hydroxy butyrate (GHB), production of
marijuana, possession of marijuana, possession of psilocybin and possession
of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

The arrests on Dec. 9 were the culmination of a seven-month police
investigation.

After executing a search warrant, the Street Crew located chemicals in five
55-gallon metal drums and items suitable to produce GHB. A member of the
RCMP's Clandestine Lab Team and a hazardous materials company were also on
hand to assist.

Const. Andy Cook said police located marijuana plants, packaged marijuana,
drying marijuana and a hydroponic marijuana set-up including a marijuana cage.

"A marijuana cage is a rotating wheel, with slots for the plants in the
sides of the wheel and a central light source that provides light equally
to all the plants," said Cook. "A central watering source at the base of
the wheel provides nutrients to the plants as the wheel rotates."

Cook added police are trying to locate a number of other suspects in
connection with the investigation.

"GHB is normally found as a clear liquid or white powder and is packaged in
glass, plastic bottles or baggies," Cook said. "GHB is taken orally, with
the effects lasting two to six hours. GHB has effects similar to those of
alcohol and is often associated with rave parties. GHB can also cause
amnesia and drowsiness, and there have been documented incidents of GHB
being used to facilitate sexual assaults."

This is the second police seizure of a clandestine lab on the Sunshine
Coast in the past year. An inactive methamphetamine lab was located in
Sechelt in June.

"The process for producing GHB is relatively simple in comparison to other
chemical drugs such as methamphetamine," Cook said.

"The presence of clandestine labs and the associated dangers such as fire,
explosion and chemical contamination is of concern to police and other
emergency personnel, as well as the general public.

"The seizure of the two labs on the Coast is significant in that seizures
of chemical drugs by police in this area have increased in the past year.
The production of a large amount of chemical drugs, as is the case in both
instances, points towards the scope of the developing problem with chemical
drugs."

Anyone with information regarding this investigation or other drug related
crimes is urged to contact police at 604-885-2266 or Crimestoppers at
604-740-TIPS.