COPS SAY POT LINKED TO ORGANIZED CRIME

Edmonton's drug cops say one of the biggest pot busts in the city's
history is probably connected to organized crime, because everyone
arrested in the case is from out of town. Det. Darren Derko says all
six people arrested in Thursday's bust at the 9370 48 St. warehouse
come from B.C. and that makes cops think big-time criminals are involved.

He says the sheer size of the grow operation at the address also makes
them think that organized crime is connected.

"Operations this size, the money's got to come from somewhere," Derko
says. "It's not local guys."

Police found approximately 5,600 marijuana plants inside the warehouse
late Thursday afternoon, along with 200 halogen lamps, fans, and nine
45-gallon drums of fertilizer. The weed is estimated to be worth $5.6
million, making it one of the city's largest drug busts ever.

Five men and one woman, all from B.C., were arrested and have been
charged with growing the pot and with possession for the purpose of
trafficking. Five of the six are from the Vancouver area.

"When we've got six people caught with no addresses here or ties to
Edmonton, it's strange," Derko says.

Derko says one of the people charged has connections with the drug
world in B.C., and that police are trying to establish if the pot was
headed for markets in Canada or the U.S. He says police aren't seeking
anyone else in the case, but adds there could be more arrests as the
investigation progresses.

Investigators remained at the warehouse late Thursday night, carting
away the marijuana plants and equipment.

Derko says the accused had been renting the warehouse since November,
and mounted a fake sign on the building to convince people the
premises were being used for cabinet making. He says investigators
have spoken with the owner of the building and are convinced he had no
idea there was a pot crop inside.

Bail was set yesterday at $40,000 for Kai Wa Li, 43, of Vancouver.

Bail for Ju Guang Li, 42, of Vancouver, Kwok Keung Li, 43, from
Richmond, Xiu Hua Yi, 45, from Richmond and Kim Wa Auyeung, 42, of
Richmond was set at $10,000. Ming Kuan, of no fixed address in B.C.,
was remanded in custody. All will be back in court Tuesday to enter
pleas.