420
Founder
A new city bylaw holding homeowners responsible for marijuana grow-ops was used for the first time when police busted four operations last week.
Drug officers and members of the RCMP Action Response Team seized 1,881 plants with an estimated street value of $850,000 when they raided homes on Rue Chez Nous, Abbeyglen Way, Panorama Court and Hillview Drive on Oct. 18 and Oct. 21.
Officers made five arrests and charged one man with production of marijuana, Kamloops RCMP Cpl. Fran Bethell said Tuesday.
"This was the first time we were able to use the new bylaw, which came into effect in the last two months," she said.
"This holds the homeowner accountable. There is a significant health risk to anyone that moves into a house that was a grow-op."
Len Hrycan, community and corporate affairs director for the City of Kamloops, said the controlled substances bylaw was adopted in August. It allows the police and city to work together to ensure the four residences meet all health and safety regulations before they are reoccupied.
"They won't be able to slap a coat of paint over any mildew stains before they rent the house out again."
Bethell said Cheng Yu, 42, was arrested twice, first on Abbeyglen and then again at Hillside. The second arrest led to the production of a marijuana charge.
"We did this because he was arrested twice in such a short period of time. He will appear in court for a bail hearing sometime in the next two weeks," she said Tuesday.
"The other suspects have been released without charges. Aside from the one suspect being arrested at two locations, we don't believe there is any connection between the operations."
Source: Kamloops Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Kamloops Daily News
Contact: kamloopsnews@telus.net
Website: Kamloops Daily News
Drug officers and members of the RCMP Action Response Team seized 1,881 plants with an estimated street value of $850,000 when they raided homes on Rue Chez Nous, Abbeyglen Way, Panorama Court and Hillview Drive on Oct. 18 and Oct. 21.
Officers made five arrests and charged one man with production of marijuana, Kamloops RCMP Cpl. Fran Bethell said Tuesday.
"This was the first time we were able to use the new bylaw, which came into effect in the last two months," she said.
"This holds the homeowner accountable. There is a significant health risk to anyone that moves into a house that was a grow-op."
Len Hrycan, community and corporate affairs director for the City of Kamloops, said the controlled substances bylaw was adopted in August. It allows the police and city to work together to ensure the four residences meet all health and safety regulations before they are reoccupied.
"They won't be able to slap a coat of paint over any mildew stains before they rent the house out again."
Bethell said Cheng Yu, 42, was arrested twice, first on Abbeyglen and then again at Hillside. The second arrest led to the production of a marijuana charge.
"We did this because he was arrested twice in such a short period of time. He will appear in court for a bail hearing sometime in the next two weeks," she said Tuesday.
"The other suspects have been released without charges. Aside from the one suspect being arrested at two locations, we don't believe there is any connection between the operations."
Source: Kamloops Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Kamloops Daily News
Contact: kamloopsnews@telus.net
Website: Kamloops Daily News
