Pubdate: Wed, 10 Nov 2004 Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB) Copyright: 2004 The Edmonton Journal Contact: http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134 Author: Emma Poole, Calgary Herald, CanWest News Service Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) POLICE ABUZZ OVER GROW-OP ELECTRICITY THEFTS CALGARY - Organized crime groups are stealing millions of dollars worth of electricity to manufacture marijuana in homes across Calgary, police say. A majority of the major players in the cultivation process are involved in Asian gangs, police said Tuesday. It's believed that money derived from pot sales is being used to manufacture designer drugs such as methamphetamine and crack cocaine. "We are going after the people who are organizing (the grow ops)," said Staff Sgt. Birnie Smith of the Calgary RCMP drug unit. The Southern Alberta Marijuana Investigative Team -- made up of four Mounties and two Calgary police officers -- recently completed the largest marijuana grow-op investigation in Calgary's history. The team seized more than 15,000 plants, estimating the street value at $19 million, and arrested eight people. Of the 41 homes and one warehouse targeted during the raids, 31 homes were condemned by the Calgary Health Region due to toxic mould damage. Thirty-nine of the homes were stealing electricity using "crudely employed" bypasses. Enmax officials would not comment on how much electricity is stolen each year by marijuana grow operations. But any financial losses are passed on through residential and business power bills. "(The dollar loss) is spread out over all the customers in our territory," said Enmax spokeswoman Sneh Seetal. "(Electrical bypass) is a significant problem." The company is also concerned about the safety hazard involved when people tamper with high-voltage lines, she said. The resources that go into running the grow ops -- including high-powered halogen lamps, tubing, pots, fertilizer and other chemicals -- were put on display Tuesday, along with 3,500 plants. More than 25 large bins of equipment and drugs were seized during the three-week sweep. Police said the operation was sparked by concerns from the public over rising violence stemming from grow ops. "The problem is the same from ocean to ocean," Smith said. "We view marijuana grow ops as a national priority." The special investigative team has seized more than $71.4 million worth of marijuana -- in the form of 58,000 plants -- since January, resulting in 232 drug-related charges against 87 people. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek