NEIGHBOURS HELP BUST GROW-OP

People living in a Walnut Grove neighborhood have banded together to
shut down a 500-plant marijuana grow-op in their midst.

The Langley RCMP Green Team, acting on investigative information along
with information received from the community, obtained a search
warrant and entered a residence located at 21456 88B Avenue at 11 a.m.
on Wednesday.

Once inside officers arrested two men, a 41-year-old and a
37-year-old, both from Burnaby.

The officers also located more than 500 marijuana plants.

BC Hydro was called to deal with the bypassed hydro meter, and Terasen
Gas had to be called to deal with the altered natural gas lines in the
house. The suspects altered the gas lines to create carbon dioxide to
aid in the plants' growth.

The house now has a "Do-Not Occupy" order placed on it under
provisions of the Township's Property Maintenance Bylaw.

The two men remain in custody and will be appearing in Surrey
Provincial Court to face the recommended charges of cultivation of a
controlled substance and theft of hydro.

This is an example of the community working together with police to
take back their neighborhood, said police.

"We say bravo to this community. It was this one house out of 19 or 20
in a quiet neighbourhood that had created safety concerns for this
community," said police spokesperson Cpl. Dale Carr. "Every time a
grow-op is in a neighbourhood, it increases the chances of a house
fire. In this case, they did some alterations to the gas line and
unless a person is a ticketed gas fitter, he could create a gas leak
which could lead to an explosion."

With grow-ops comes the risk of grow rips, Carr added.

"People learn of the pot and these are armed people, motivated people.
There are so many risks to the community, it's really in their best
interest to band together and inform the police."

Information about any marijuana grow operation can be given to Langley
RCMP's drug tip line at 604-###-####. If you wish to remain anonymous,
call Crimestoppers at 1-800-###-####.