BUMPER CROP SEIZED

Selkirk RCMP Raid Four St.  Andrews Marijuana Grow Ops

Selkirk Journal -- Selkirk RCMP have seized 3,000 marijuana plants from four grow ops in the RM of St.  Andrews in the detachment's biggest drug bust in years.

Officers discovered a large and sophisticated grow op at 5 Deer Rapids Drive while responding to a break and enter complaint, RCMP spokesman Const.  Dwayne Cebryk said.  Police arrived at the house around 2 p.m.  June 18 and saw the grow op while investigating the call, he said.

"The number of plants, in terms of the quality and ability to produce, made these large and sophisticated grow ops," he said.

Further investigation and tips from the community led police to three other grow ops in the St.  Andrews area.  Homes at 5418 Highway 9, 12 Praznik Pl.  and 6 Michael Bay were also searched and more plants and equipment were seized.  The newer, upscale homes had total assessed values between $180,000 and $210,000.

Assuming an estimated street value of $1,000 per plant, about $3 million worth of dope was seized.

Public assistance was a crucial part of the bust, Cebryk said.

"People in these neighbourhoods began to notice suspicious activity around these residences, activity that is normally not associated with people moving in," he said.  "It became clear to the community that these homes were being used to provide shelter."

One Praznik Place homeowner said she was surprised a drug bust had happened on her street, but shrugged it off as a sign of the times.

"We were kind of surprised, but that's what's been happening a lot recently," she said about the bust.  "Lots of these things have been going on."

Another Praznik Place resident said it was obvious something was not right at the raided house.

"The people moved in Easter weekend, but no furniture came since they moved in," he said.  "I never saw anybody out there except a couple of times when they cut the grass.  I came home Friday night and the cops were sitting on the street so I guess something was going on.  They were still out there Saturday so they must have made the bust."

Investigations often create a significant lag between the time when information is reported and when arrests occur, Cebryk said, but busts like these are clear proof that tips make a difference.

Grow ops are not just hidden in secluded rural areas, he said.

"They are cropping up in all sorts of communities and neighbourhoods," Cebryk said.  "If people see something specific, please call us -- it does make a difference."

Police believe the grow ops were associated with organized crime.

"These grow ops were capable of producing large quantities of drugs.  You need links to move that much marijuana.  To produce that number of plants, the people obviously knew what they were doing."

A 34-year-old St.  Andrews woman was arrested for production of a controlled substance and possession for the purpose of trafficking under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.  She was later released from custody and will appear in Selkirk court July 13.  Charges are pending.