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Cops Find Kids Being Kept In Drug Houses
Pubdate: Sun, 01 May 2005
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 The Province
Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Lena Sin
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)
COPS FIND KIDS BEING KEPT IN DRUG HOUSES
Police Outrage: Baby Found In Drug Bust
Vancouver police were disturbed to find a three-week-old baby and a
four-year-old child living in a drug transfer house on Wednesday when
investigators executed a search warrant and arrested the mother.
The woman, who lived in the 6600-block Elliot Street, is facing three
counts of possession for the purposes of trafficking and three counts of
proceeds of crime.
Police also seized $200,000 cash, a 2003 Mercedes and a 2003 Acura SUV.
Const. Howard Chow of the Vancouver police said they are finding more and
more young children living inside homes involved in the drug trade.
"They're disturbed by the fact that there are children and families living
in these units while they're involved in this level of crime with drugs,"
said Chow.
A drug transfer house is the intermediate level of a sophisticated drug
operation. When growers are finished with their crop of marijuana, they
bring it to a drug transfer house, where it's packaged and sent to the U.S.
or back east to be sold.
Insp. Paul Nadeau of the the RCMP Co-ordinated Marijuana Enforcement Team
said it's "absolutely outrageous" that criminals are pulling their children
into dangerous situations.
Nadeau said that a recent search of 34 homes in Surrey revealed that there
were 21 children living in 12 homes with grow-ops.
The dangers posed to children are considerable including exposure to
chemicals and mould, as well as the threat of home invasions.
Police have encountered children with burn marks from touching grow-op
lights and many kids develop serious respiratory problems, said Nadeau.
He also cited the case of a Langley father electrocuted last year by the
wires used in his grow-op.
He was found dead by his children.
"These kids living in all these places are exposed to all these risks," he
said.
Darryl Plecas, a criminologist at the University College of the Fraser
Valley and lead author of the RCMP study on children found in grow-ops,
said the typical profile of a grower is a 36-year-old man.
About 20 per cent of the time, women are also involved.
"So as long as you have those factors, children could be involved," said
Plecas.
In this most recent Vancouver case, a father was involved, although he is
not facing charges.
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