Pubdate: Wed, 22 Jun 2005 Source: Surrey Now (CN BC) Copyright: 2005 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc., A Canwest Company Contact: http://www.thenownewspaper.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1462 Author: Ted Colley Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) GROW-OPS UNDER FIRE FROM NEW EFSI TEAM Surrey is using fire and electrical inspectors to shut down marijuana grow-ops in the city. It's a growing problem in the city. In 2004, police took down 257 grow-ops, about 13 per cent of the city's estimated 2,000 illicit horticultural projects. More and more takedowns are of the "no case" variety in which the grow-op is dismantled, but no charges filed. When charges are filed and convictions gained, sentences tend to be lenient. That's left authorities here and across the province looking for a more effective way to deal with these criminal enterprises. Enter the Electrical and Fire Safety Inspection initiative. A team of two Surrey Mounties, a firefighter and a city electrical inspector started following up on backlogged police grow-op tips and checking out residences with unusually high electrical consumption. During a 90-day demonstration project from March 15 to June 3, the EFSI team shut down 118 grow-ops at an estimated cost of $121,848. In the same period, the RCMP took down 75 grow-ops at an estimated cost of $198,493. Coun. Dianne Watts is pleased with the EFSI tryout and thinks the city should continue on with the program. "At that point, they're not charged. When the team tacks a 48-hours inspection notice on the door they either pack up and move or they allow the inspection," Watts said. "The message we want out there is: Don't come to Surrey to set up a grow-op." - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin