POLICE PULL PLUG ON NINE KAMLOOPS POT OPERATIONS

A month-long sting has pulled the plug on nine pot-growing operations in
the city.

From Nov. 16 to Dec. 15, police armed with search warrants raided 10
homes. One was in Westwold, while the others were throughout Kamloops,
including Aberdeen, Barnhartvale and Rayleigh.

What police came out with was 3,258 marijuana plants in varying stages of
growth, and a significant quantity of growing equipment. Seven men and one
woman were arrested and face charges.

Some were renters, others were homeowners, but one thing they had in common
was that they had permanent residences in the Lower Mainland.

Kamloops RCMP Cpl. Frank Bethell said it indicates how organized drug
operations have become over time.

"They are not the mom and pop operations they used to be . . . These are
becoming more sophisticated, more organized."

She said police are investigating whether or not there are any links
between the homes busted or the owners and tenants involved.

She can't say at this point whether they can be traced back to organized crime.

The busts were part of a targeted enforcement involving the RCMP's drug
unit and Kamloops Action Response Team. The latter involves a group of
police officers who are moved around to work on specific projects as issues
emerge.

Bethell said in parts of the recent targeted operation, police worked on
public tips about suspicious behaviour in their neighbourhood.

"We get calls regularly and we rely on the public if they see things that
are suspicious or unusual in their neighbourhood to call us."

In accordance with the city's bylaw governing marijuana grow operations,
water and electricity have been cut off from the homes involved.

As well, city inspectors will follow up to ensure these homes are properly
cleaned and renovated to eliminate any health hazards before anyone is
allowed to move back in.