LANGLEY WEEDS OUT POT GROW-OPS

A $115,000 operation has helped pinpoint dozens of marijuana grow-ops
in Langley Township.

The operation came under the scrutiny of the Township's Public Safety
Inspection Team which is comprised of firefighters, bylaw enforcement
officers, municipal staff, RCMP and B.C. Hydro.

Since it began operations in May, the team has identified 46
properties which were using unusually high amounts of
electricity.

Inspections revealed that 40 of these properties showed evidence of
active or recent grow operations, fire chief Doug Wade wrote in a report.

The electrical power to 25 properties was disconnected to reduce the
risk of fire to the premises and those in the neighbourhood, he added.

The other properties were ordered to immediately repair deficiencies
in the electrical system.

As a result of B.C. Hydro's information on excessive consumption of
electricity, the team has compiled a database of 2,599 properties that
are consuming three times what Hydro would consider normal.

Many are legitimate, Wade pointed out.

They were principally agricultural operations such as chicken farms,
and mansion houses.

However, while 414 properties were eliminated because their
consumption was legitimate, 99 are on a watch list and 1,900 have yet
to be analyzed.

"We are finding that it's a wide variety of people who are involved
with this, from Ma and Pop operations to full-blown criminal element,"
Wade said.

He said that the Township has assessed $148,000 in inspection fees
against the offending property owners; $75,000 of that amount has
already been paid.

Thousands of dollars have been paid by the property owners in repairs
and building permits.

"For many of them, it's the cost of doing business," Wade
said.

Although the operation cost $115,050, the Township has sent $148,000
in bills for fees.

What owners refuse to pay will be added to their 2008 tax
bills.

The provincial government passed legislation last year allowing fire
fighters, bylaw enforcement officers, Hydro employees and the RCMP to
enter premises without a search warrant.

"We are simply trying to make our neighbourhoods safer," Wade said.