GROW OP BUST HIT REGION

It was a busy weekend for Shuswap RCMP in the ongoing battle against
drugs.

Charges are being recommended against a 25-year-old Grandview Bench
Road resident after Salmon Arm RCMP conducted a search of a home Thursday.

Officers executed a search warrant and, after checking the property
and buildings, seized over 1,800 marijuana plants at various stages of
growth, marijuana growing equipment and a quantity of dried marijuana
bud.

Charges of production of a scheduled substance and possession of a
scheduled substance for the purpose of trafficking under the
Controlled Drugs and Substances Act are being recommended on the
25-year-old male occupant of the home.

Five Chase members, assisted by four members of the Kamloops District
RCMP, executed a search warrant at a house on Squilax Anglemont Road,
near Scotch Creek, at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 6, and located
about 22 grams of cocaine, 1.4 kilograms of marijuana and 20 marijuana
plants. In addition, two sawed off firearms, a .12 gauge shotgun and a
.22 calibre semiautomatic rifle were seized, along with over $2,500 in
cash. Five people, including two juveniles, were in the home and arrested.

Later that day, at 2:20 p.m., the same RCMP officers - four of whom
volunteered to work on their day off without pay to conduct these
searches - executed another warrant at a location on Anglemont Way,
near Celista.

RCMP seized 195 small marijuana plants, about three kilograms of
marijuana bud and a rifle from the home, and arrested a 62-year-old
local male and a 47-year-old local female.

All persons arrested have charges pending under the Controlled Drugs
and Substances Act in addition to firearms related charges. All have
been released on court documents requiring their attendance in court
in Chase.