BIGGEST DRUG SEIZURE IN OLDS

Cpl. Jeff Mercier, Sgt. Bob Phillips and Const. Mike Miller of the
Olds RCMP detachment display 1,300 marijuana plants which were seized
in the largest marijuana bust known to have occurred in Olds.

This is one of the largest drug seizures for Olds, said Sgt. Bob
Phillips, Olds Detachment Commander. "It is the largest one by far
that any Olds RCMP member can remember and one of our members has been
here since 1996."

The plants were immature, Phillips said, eight to 10 weeks old, and
were grown in three farm fields west of Olds.

Acting on a tip from a reliable source, six officers raided the
fields.

"This is an example of the public keeping their eyes and ears open and
that's the whole idea," said Phillips.

Rural RCMP detachments in Didsbury, Olds and Sundre have been teaming
up to police Mountain View County, which has seen drug activity
growing at extreme rates in the past few years.

Didsbury, Olds and Sundre detachments are expecting the number of drug
related charges laid in 2003 will break all previous records. Drug
related charges laid in 2002 were up by 33 per cent from the year before.

RCMP are also finding the grow operations coming into this area have
ties to larger operations in bigger cities and organized crime. "We
all work together and share information because there are more and
more leads on potential grow operations every day," said Phillips.

He said this area is becoming more and more popular for grow
operations because of its rural location.

"This area is away from the cities, and criminals think it is easier
to hide their illegal activities out here. They think the potential
for running into police is less in rural Alberta."

One more reason why it is so much more important for the public to be
aware of the problem and to report any suspicious activity, he said.

Police continue to investigate and have not made any arrests yet.
Potential charges could include cultivation.

RCMP ask anyone with information related to this grow operation to
contact Crimestoppers 1-800-222-TIPS.