COPS EYE ASIAN GANGS IN LATEST GROW-OP BUST

Another Suburban Home Used

The city's latest marijuana grow-op discovered in a quiet, family
neighbourhood was likely set up by a criminal gang, police say. "Our
suspicions are this will be connected to Asian organized crime," said
Winnipeg police Sgt. Rick Guyadar.

Neighbours said an Asian couple lived in the Riverbend home and kept to
themselves.

"In this neighbourhood, we all say hello, hi," said Jadwiga Godlewska, who
has lived across the street from 160 Glencairn Rd. for four years. "They
said nothing."

Firefighters were called to the home after a neighbour reported smoke
coming from the home about 1 p.m., Guyadar said. Firefighters forced their
way in and discovered a marijuana grow operation in the basement, he said.

Upwards of 200 marijuana plants were found inside the home, he said. Each
plant has an estimated street value of $1,180, making the operation
possibly worth nearly $250,000 on the street.

The bust at 160 Glencairn Rd. was the third marijuana grow op police have
shut down in Riverbend at the northern tip of the city in the past 18 months.

On Feb. 27, vice officers executed a search warrant at 133 Spruce Thicket
Walk. Marijuana plants and some growing equipment were seized.

In December 2002, a fire that broke out in a two-storey home at 32 Shalimar
Cres., a few blocks away from Spruce Thicket Walk, revealed a grow op with
50 plants worth about $84,000. More than a year later, the home is
unoccupied with its windows boarded up.

Yesterday afternoon, members of the vice unit removed plants and equipment
from 160 Glencairn, watched by curious neighbours and passing motorists.

Jeff Marino, who lives with his wife and two kids a few houses from the
site, said the area has a lot of young families.

Godlewska said the Asian couple -- whom she hadn't seen in days -- had
lived in the house for about a year. They bought the home for $160,000 from
a woman and her child, she said.

A van came to the house once in awhile, Godlewska said. Sometimes it would
pull into the garage, she said. She couldn't say if anything was loaded
into the van.

"Nobody was watching," she said.

Police believe there are links to Asian organized crime in many of the
city's recent drug busts.

On March 5, officers raided a house at 43 Wittenberg Rd. and confiscated
560 marijuana plants.

Also during the first week of March, cops busted four marijuana grow
operations -- all in homes in the Maples and all linked to Asian-based
organized crime.

No arrests had been made at press time last night.