SELKIRK RCMP RAID 'ORGANIZED' GROW OPS

SELKIRK RCMP raided four large hydroponic marijuana grow operations
over the weekend in a case that began when a break-in was reported in
an upscale area of St. Andrews. In total, Mounties unpotted about
3,000 plants in various growth stages from the four indoor grow
operations, an amount police say was almost certainly being grown for
organized crime.

"For someone to sell that amount of marijuana, they'd need some kind
of organization," Const. Dwayne Cebryk said.

Cebryk said RCMP found the first grow operation at a home on Deer
Rapids on Friday afternoon when someone called in a break and enter in
progress.

Cebryk said when officers showed up, the break-in call turned into a
major drug haul when they discovered the indoor grow operation,
including high-powered artificial lighting and grow trays.

He said a 34-year-old female resident of St. Andrews was later
arrested for production of a controlled substance and possession for
the purpose of trafficking. She was later released from custody and is
scheduled to appear in Selkirk provincial court on July 13. Her name
was not released. Investigators, armed with prior information and help
from the public, next raided residences on Hwy. 9, Praznik, and
Michael Bay over the weekend. At each, they found an indoor grow operation.

This is the fourth major drug case in a Winnipeg bedroom community
this year.

On March 8, RCMP seized 500 marijuana plants at a house three
kilometres southeast of Stonewall. On April 6, Beausejour RCMP
uncovered two marijuana grow operations and seized 850 marijuana
plants plus hydroponic growing equipment.

On April 18, Mounties arrested three men near Sanford after finding 75
marijuana plants in a Dodge minivan. They subsequently got a search
warrant for a house in Sanford and discovered 198 plants in various
stages of growth.