POLICE RAID UNCOVERS MAJOR GROW OP

An early morning raid on an Okotoks home by RCMP and the Southern
Alberta Marijuana Investigative Team uncovered a massive marijuana
grow operation.

In a scene residents described as something out of a movie, members of
the Okotoks RCMP's Emergency Response Team stormed a residence at 115
Visser Place last Wednesday morning.

What police discovered was a sophisticated three-stage hydroponics
operation and 324 mature marijuana plants with a street value
estimated at $400,000.

"This has to rank as one of the largest operations we have seen in
Okotoks," said Cst. Bruce Barkley of the Okotoks RCMP. "It was a
pretty substantial operation for a residence. This was a commercial
operation and it was operating for a while."

The Southern Alberta Marijuana Investigative Team, or Green Team as
they are known, received information on the grow operation, secured a
search warrant and at about 9 am on Wednesday RCMP invaded the quiet
Okotoks cul de sac and stormed the home in question.

Barkley explained the show of police force was necessary.

"You can't fool around with these things," he said.

Barkley said one person was taken into custody at the
scene.

Members of the Green Team, who were dressed in white coveralls and
wearing masks, carried out huge garbage bags of plants.

Various equipment used in the hydroponics operation was loaded into a
large cube van as residents of Visser Place flocked onto the street
and watched the drama unfold.

Realizing such a major drug operation was located on their seemingly
normal residential street was a shock for some residents.

"This is pretty amazing," said one neighbor who wished not to be
named. "I never would have thought something like this was going on."

Another neighbor, who also wished not to be named, added, "It is
scary. I am floored. I just can't believe this."

Although the fact a substantial marijuana operation was on a
residential street was a concern to RCMP, there was also evidence the
homeowner was producing weed oil in the garage -- a process which is
extremely volatile.

"It is very explosive," said Barkley. "If something went wrong it
could have easily flattened the garage and the house and the houses
next door."

When residents learned of the suspected weed oil operation they were
stunned.

"What really gets me angry is what was going on in the garage," said a
neighbor. "We have kids and they were in jeopardy."

In hindsight, some of the neighbors were not surprised there was a
drug operation in the area. Some said they had been smelling pungent
aromas for months, but could not pinpoint the source. In addition,
there were rumors swirling through the neighborhood about what was
going on.