BUMPER CROP SEIZED

Selkirk RCMP Raid Four St. Andrews Marijuana Grow Ops

Selkirk Journal -- Selkirk RCMP have seized 3,000 marijuana plants from
four grow ops in the RM of St. Andrews in the detachment's biggest drug
bust in years.

Officers discovered a large and sophisticated grow op at 5 Deer Rapids
Drive while responding to a break and enter complaint, RCMP spokesman
Const. Dwayne Cebryk said. Police arrived at the house around 2 p.m. June
18 and saw the grow op while investigating the call, he said.

"The number of plants, in terms of the quality and ability to produce, made
these large and sophisticated grow ops," he said.

Further investigation and tips from the community led police to three other
grow ops in the St. Andrews area. Homes at 5418 Highway 9, 12 Praznik Pl.
and 6 Michael Bay were also searched and more plants and equipment were
seized. The newer, upscale homes had total assessed values between $180,000
and $210,000.

Assuming an estimated street value of $1,000 per plant, about $3 million
worth of dope was seized.

Public assistance was a crucial part of the bust, Cebryk said.

"People in these neighbourhoods began to notice suspicious activity around
these residences, activity that is normally not associated with people
moving in," he said. "It became clear to the community that these homes
were being used to provide shelter."

One Praznik Place homeowner said she was surprised a drug bust had happened
on her street, but shrugged it off as a sign of the times.

"We were kind of surprised, but that's what's been happening a lot
recently," she said about the bust. "Lots of these things have been going on."

Another Praznik Place resident said it was obvious something was not right
at the raided house.

"The people moved in Easter weekend, but no furniture came since they moved
in," he said. "I never saw anybody out there except a couple of times when
they cut the grass. I came home Friday night and the cops were sitting on
the street so I guess something was going on. They were still out there
Saturday so they must have made the bust."

Investigations often create a significant lag between the time when
information is reported and when arrests occur, Cebryk said, but busts like
these are clear proof that tips make a difference.

Grow ops are not just hidden in secluded rural areas, he said.

"They are cropping up in all sorts of communities and neighbourhoods,"
Cebryk said. "If people see something specific, please call us -- it does
make a difference."

Police believe the grow ops were associated with organized crime.

"These grow ops were capable of producing large quantities of drugs. You
need links to move that much marijuana. To produce that number of plants,
the people obviously knew what they were doing."

A 34-year-old St. Andrews woman was arrested for production of a controlled
substance and possession for the purpose of trafficking under the
Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. She was later released from custody
and will appear in Selkirk court July 13. Charges are pending.