POT BUSTED

A nation-wide blitz on marijuana growing operations saw police throughout
Canada bust hundreds of the illegal businesses.

Operation Green Sweep was held on Wednesday, Jan. 30, by RCMP, provincial
police departments, and police services across the country, in response to
the number of home-grown pot operations that have surfaced in the past 18
months.

In Langley, two search warrants were executed, three people were arrested,
and thousands of dollars worth of marijuana plants and equipment were seized.

But for Langley, Operation Green Sweep was like every other day for our
local police officers.

"This is an average day for the Langley Green Team," said Langley RCMP
spokesman Cpl. Garry Begg. "There is more work for us than we can get to,
and certainly if we had more manpower, we would be making more seizures."

In Langley, Operation Green Sweep saw officers bust grow ops in Walnut
Grove and Aldergrove.

In Walnut Grove, a sophisticated operation that used hydroponics to produce
"super" pot plants was discovered in a residential area.

Two adults and a teenager were arrested, and police seized $68,000 worth of
dope, and $6,000 worth of growing equipment.

Charges will be laid for drug violations, and for stealing electricity from
B.C. Hydro to power the grow op.

The other bust in Langley occurred in Aldergrove, where $150,000 worth of
marijuana was seized, along with 30 pieces of equipment used to grow the
plants.

One suspect is still at large, and will be facing drug and theft of Hydro
charges.