GROW OPS PUT KIDS IN MINISTRY CARE

At least five children have been turned over to the Ministry of Children
and Family Development after police grow operation raids in Port Moody.

Two grow op busts on Heritage Mountain Monday were the 11th and 12th Port
Moody Police have made over the last three weeks.

A ministry spokesman could not say if the numbers of children handed over
have increased because the number of drug busts is on the rise in the province.

"We don't keep statistics" on the reasons why children are removed from the
care of their parents and into ministry care, said Andrew Little,
communications manager of family and child development.

"I can't say if it's on the rise or not, but it's certainly been in the
media spotlight," Little said. "I think the police have been doing a pretty
good job of letting the media know when they go into these places, giving
the public a good sense that this is not a good place for a child to be."

Last week, Port Moody police raided a grow operation in Heritage Mountain.
Two children were turned over to the ministry from one home because the
parents were arrested on several drug-related charges.

This week, two more homes were raided which resulted in three more children
been sent to the ministry. One home on Wildwood Drive, next to heritage
Elementary School, and another on Wilkes Creek Drive were raided Monday
morning.

Port Moody Const. Brian Soles said a 49-year-old man and a 26-year-old
woman were arrested. Their three children were put in the ministry's care.

Police have said homes serving as grow operations are not healthy for
children, because of chemicals, spores and condensation in the air.

Little said police assess if the children are at risk and the ministry will
do a further assessment as to the safety of each child in a home. He said
the courts make the final decision if children and parents will be reunited.

"Our goal is to return the child to the parents as quickly as possible,"
Little said.