SEYMOUR ARM POT CHARGES BACK IN COURT IN 2005

KAMLOOPS -- Drug charges against 16 Seymour Arm residents were adjourned
until the New Year to allow the individuals and their lawyers a chance to
peruse the Crown's hefty package of evidence.

Only a few of the defendants were in Kamloops Provincial Court on
Wednesday, most represented by lawyers.

The charges stem from an RCMP raid on the small Shuswap Lake community in
October when about 100 Mounties swooped in on the community.

Police searched 14 properties and 14 vehicles and seized more than 20,000
marijuana plants.

The two-year investigation grew out of complaints from residents unhappy
with the number of growing operations in the area. Some complained of
violence, threats and intimidation.

Police said more than half of the people living in the community were
involved in growing dope.

While appearing before a justice of the peace, the accused or their lawyer
(nearly all are represented by Kamloops lawyer Peter Jensen) were handed
thick envelopes outlining the Crown's case.

The Crown's disclosure package contained documents as well as a CD loaded
with hundreds more pages of evidence.

In the coming weeks, its expected the accused will plead to the charges,
then fix dates for preliminary hearings.