If you’d been on Springer Creek Road in Slocan on September 21, you would have seen RCMP officers dressed in camouflage moving onto a large, rural vacant parcel of land.
For the second time in as many years, the Slocan Lake RCMP have captured a marijuana cultivating suspect in a planned and successfully executed outdoor marijuana grow project in the Slocan Valley area.
The project initiated several months ago, when an Auxiliary Constable was tasked with flying in the RCMP helicopter and recording GPS coordinates of outdoor marijuana grow operation sites in the area.
“Officers had set up a surveillance point in attempt to apprehend anyone who may come in to tend the crop,” stated Cst. Shaun Foley of the Slocan Lake RCMP.
“After a period of time, officers observed a single adult male arrive who then allegedly tended to the plants. The suspect, a 22-year-old male from Slocan, was arrested without incident,”
Four officers took down about 120 very ‘well taken care of’ and very healthy marijuana plants all about three to four feet in height.
“Sometimes there will be lots of plants but they’re little and not healthy,” said RCMP officer Allan Van Hussen.
After spending their own time in lockup, the seized plants will be destroyed once approval is given by Health Canada.
There was an irrigation system in place that allowed for automatic watering of the plants. Another site was located nearby but the marihuana plants had already been harvested.
Later that evening, officers executed a drug search warrant on the suspect’s property which was next to the vacant parcel of land.
The search of the property uncovered another grow op in an outbuilding consisting of 160 healthy marijuana plants, some weighing scales and pre-packaged marijuana bud that was ready for street-level distribution. There were no weapons found on site.
The suspect was held in custody, but later released on a promise to appear for the alleged offences of production of marihuana and possession of marihuana for the purpose of yrafficking.
The suspect’s first appearance will be in Nakusp Provincial Court on December 21, 2011.