Pubdate: Fri, 06 Feb 2004
Source: Daily Courier, The (CN BC)
Contact:  http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/default4/letters_to_editor.php4
Copyright: 2004 The Okanagan Valley Group of Newspapers
Website: http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/531
Author: Darren Handschuh

THIS BUD'S NOT FOR YOU

The Kelowna RCMP's "green team" is making marijuana growers see red after a 
series of raids netted the drug unit a serious amount of pot. Police 
confiscated 65 pounds of dope from a single grow op in the Glenrosa area 
Wednesday

"We've just taken down three more in the last hour and a half," Don Powell 
of the Kelowna drug unit said Thursday afternoon. Between Wednesday and 
Thursday, police raided six grow ops in the Central Okanagan

Hundreds of plants have been confiscated and several people are facing charges

Powell said the Kelowna drug unit is working with police in Westbank and 
Lake Country to target grow ops

"These are not hippies growing plants to get stoned," said Powell, standing 
next to a garbage bag containing an estimated seven kilograms (15 pounds) 
of dried bud that was ready for sale

"These will be broken down and shipped to the States, and cocaine and 
sometimes firearms will come back." Powell said there is a proven link 
between large marijuana grow operations and organized crime. Some of the 
pot is sold on the streets of Kelowna, but a large percentage of it is 
destined for the United States

"This is organized crime. This is not a mom-and-pop grow op," said Powell, 
adding outlaw motorcycle gangs, Asian gangs or other organized crime groups 
are behind the operations

But the people who organize the grow ops don't actually tend the crop. 
Powell said caretakers are hired to care for the plants, and once a person 
becomes involved in the operation, there is no getting out

When the police show up, it is those in the house who are charged. Powell 
said growing pot in B.C. and shipping it to the United States is preferred 
by drug dealers because the punishment in the States is much stiffer than 
in Canada, making it worth the risk of smuggling the dope across the border

In B.C., marijuana sells for between $2,000 and $2,800 a pound, where as in 
Washington state it can sell for as much as $6,000 a pound

B.C. bud, as it is commonly known, is hailed as the best in the world and 
is in demand, making for high profits

Grow ops are also hazardous to the policeand neighbours of the dope house. 
Electrical bypasses are often used and present an electrocution and fire hazard

On an average, six to 10 officers will raid a grow op. But, in some cases, 
Powell said the bad guys outnumber them, making for a dangerous situation

Powell said weapons - handguns, knives, bear spray - are often found at the 
grow houses

Bruce Baron of Crime Stoppers said about 100 tips a year come in about grow 
operations

"Last year, half our tips were on drugs and half of those were on grow 
ops," he said. Crime Stoppers also forwards tips on cocaine dealing and 
other hard drugs

Baron said the information is passed on to police,who then investigate and 
attempt to gather enough evidence to get a search warrant.
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