Pubdate: Fri, 21 Sep 2007
Source: Surrey Leader (CN BC)
Copyright: 2007 Surrey Leader
Contact:  http://www.surreyleader.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1236
Author: Kevin Diakiw

167 GROW OPS LEFT, CHIEF SAYS

There are only 167 grow operations left to be shut down in this city.

New numbers released this week by Surrey's fire department shows the 
grow op team is on pace to eliminate marijuana plantations by the 
close of 2007.

At the end of June, there were an estimated 300 home grow operations 
in Surrey, leaving Fire Chief Len Garis to estimate complete 
eradication by the end of November.

Garis heads the city's Electrical Fire Safety Initiative (EFSI), in 
which the fire department, police and fire inspectors place notices 
on suspected grow operations. The owners usually flee, or shut the 
operation down.

In 2003, officials estimated there were thousands of grow ops in 
Surrey. Enhanced crackdowns by police and the EFSI team has reduced 
them to a handful.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart