QUIET NEIGHBOURS MAY BE POT GROWERS

A marijuana growing operation in a quiet neighbourhood in Brookswood was
shut down last week by Langley RCMP's Green Team.

Langley RCMP Cpl. Garry Begg said police are processing charges against a
34-year-old man, in connection with the grow-op.

The house, at 4506 201 St., was the object of suspicions by residents for
six months, a neighbour told The Times. He said the house was near Alice
Brown Elementary School, and residents, who made reports to police, were
concerned about the length of time the marijuana factory continued in
operation.

Begg said the police welcome reports, but must do their homework before acting.

"We have to investigate sufficiently to satisfy a judge or justice of the
peace that an offence is being committed," Begg said.

With a tip from neighbours, police will do surveillance, and investigate BC
Hydro records to see if a home is using excessive electricity.

The detachment's six-member Green Team, established three and one-half
years ago, is dedicated solely to marijuana growing operations, but is
still extremely busy.

"We have a full-time squad that can't be any busier than it already is,"
Begg said.

But he said neighbourhood reports are important, and growing operations
should not be ignored.

Begg said the majority of grow operations are controlled by gangs, and the
marijuana houses are big business, not something to wink at.

"It is criminal commerce. . . The average grow in a house is 240 plants,
(at) $1,000 per plant."

Begg said there is competition between gangs, and the competition sparks
crimes.

"Whenever you have criminal commerce you have the potential for violence,"
Begg said.

There are a number of spinoff crimes that range from theft to drive-by
shootings he said.

"We welcome information. We need the information (of neighbours) because we
don't know what is normal in the neighbourhood. . . (but) tips need
corroboration."

Begg said clues for neighbours to watch for include a home that changes
ownership or occupancy, yet no furniture is moved in, residents are seldom
seen, never bring groceries in, and seldom or never put out garbage. If
seen at all, they aren't entering at the front door.

At grow houses, operators prefer to enter the house through an enclosed
garage with the garage door closed. Houses with open carports have been
enclosed, and doors cut through to the house, where they did not exist
previously.

The new occupant may install heavy security, high fences, locked gates,
exterior night lighting and barred windows. As the house sits apparently
vacant, timed lights give an illusion of someone inside, When the
"occupants" are seen, they show up late at night, and for brief visits. New
occupants in a neighbourhood may also tip their hand by running electrical
cords or water hoses between outbuildings and the house, tampering with the
electrical meter or bringing in large amounts of potting soil, or growing
equipment.

Windows at a grow-op house may have a lot of condensation, there may be
strange smells, or a concentrated smell of fabric softener.

While the smell of fabric softener can be apparent from a normal home
laundry dryer, the substance, when use to mask the telltale marijuana smell
"will be an overwhelming smell of fabric softener," Begg said.

Covered windows, outbuildings with an unusual number of roof vents, or the
hum of venting fans may also raise suspicions that marijuana is growing at
the house next door.