CALGARY – Police have arrested a Calgary man accused of running two large scale grow ops.
It’s alleged 53-year-old Ping Ming Liu was behind a grow op found in the Foothills industrial area in December of 2013, and another one located in the Airways industrial area.
Investigators say the operation in the Foothills industrial area had over 800 plants, worth over $1 million.
In both instances, the grow ops caused significant damage to rental units, which were both deemed unfit for human habitation by the City of Calgary.
The landlord who had rented out the property in the Foothills Industrial area spent three months and $20,000 fixing up the building to make sure it was safe again.
Liu was arrested at his home on March 20th following a five-month long investigation.
He is charged with production of marijuana, possession of marijuana, possession for the purpose of trafficking and mischief to property.
Police say it still remains more common for them to find grow ops in residential areas.
“We haven’t come across a lot of what I guess we’ll call the ‘warehouse size’ grow operation,” S/Sgt. Keith Hurley.
To report suspicious activity or a suspected marijuana grow operation in your community, contact police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
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