Pubdate: Sun, 12 Mar 2006 Source: Surrey Leader (CN BC) Copyright: 2006 Surrey Leader Contact: http://www.surreyleader.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1236 Author: Kevin Diakiw COURT ORDERS SURREY DRUG HOME SEIZED Local law enforcement initiatives are succeeding where jail sentences fail in hammering down an "epidemic" of grow operations in this city, police say. RCMP Cpl. Vince Arsenault, an 18-year veteran of the Surrey RCMP drug squad, now heads up the city's seven-member Green Team and says marijuana grow operations are withering enterprises in this city. The total number of grow operations in Surrey has been estimated at between 2,500 and 4,500, but Arsenault told The Leader Friday those numbers are probably high, although he couldn't say exactly how far off they are. "I don't know where they come up with their numbers, and I almost challenge them on that," Arsenault said. "There are a lot of grows out there ... it has reached epidemic proportions ... suffice to say there are many of them." He maintains the number of grow operations in Surrey is dropping, largely due to several enforcement initiatives that don't rely on stiff jail sentences. Those haven't been forthcoming. In the past decade, Arsenault said the longest jail sentence he's seen for a marijuana grow operation was 18 months, and fines have been about $15,000. Both have been utterly ineffective as deterrents, but local initiatives are causing pain for those who get caught with a grow operation. For the past two years, Surrey has had two police officers dedicated to assessing which property is a good candidate for court-ordered seizure. On Friday, a B.C. Supreme Court judge ordered a home seized by the federal government, with proceeds of the sale going mostly toward the costs of running the Integrated Proceeds of Crime unit. The big hit is the deterrent to the person who owns the home - Friday's judgment was equivalent to a $150,000 fine (the amount of equity in the home). "I think that taking away their assets and removing the profits that are being made from this activity I think is the way to go," Arsenault said. "It's just another step, it's certainly not going to stop there - proceeds (forfeiture) I think is the biggest deterrent we have right now, because the courts certainly aren't." It's the ninth home forfeited under the legislation in the two years the Surrey team has been in place. In addition, Surrey RCMP raided 263 grow operations in the last year, and the city's electrical and fire safety team has shut down another 226, for a total of 489 grow ops shut down. And this month, Surrey bylaw officers have ordered 28 homes uninhabitable until the damage of the grow operation has been repaired. "We are making a definite, measurable impact," Arsenault said. "Langley may not agree with this, Mission won't agree and neither will Abbotsford, but we are pushing them out of the City of Surrey." Whereas a few years ago the city used to receive "a dozen new grow tips" per week, the number is now about seven. He points out there is no finish line. "We have to keep exerting the pressure out there, and I think this new bylaw (ordering homes uninhabitable) is going to have a major impact out there ... I'm very optimistic," Arsenault said. People who believe they have a grow operation in their neighbourhood are encouraged to call the RCMP tip line at 604-599-7771. - --- MAP posted-by: SHeath(DPF Florida)