EDMONTON – Police have seized nearly 500 marijuana plants from a north Edmonton residence, and dismantled what they say was “a large-scale continuous and sophisticated” grow-operation.
Collette, who lives next door to the home, says the whole neighbourhood had its suspicions about it.
“It would be an awful smell, it would reek – as if a skunk had died in my backyard,” she explains, adding that the smell would be so pungent that she wouldn’t even be able to open her windows.
Tips to police from area residents led to a warrant being executed on the Hollick-Kenyon home Wednesday evening.
Acting Sgt. Ray Savage with the Alberta Law Enforcement Reponse Team’s (ALERT) Green Team North says one man has been arrested as a result, and 494 plants have been seized.
He also showed Global Edmonton what else officers found, including the materials that had been used as part of the operation, as well as an electrical bypass. You can watch our exclusive video below:
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“The accused had actually cored out a whole in the foundation and diverted the large amount of electricity required into a separate panel to facilitate this grow operation,” Acting Sgt. Savage says.
One of the biggest concerns with indoor marijuana grow operations, he adds, is the risk they pose to the public’s safety.
“Simply put – houses aren’t designed for indoor farming. There’s a substantial amount of moisture laden heat that’s generated. The electrical wiring is almost always faulty and these present a lot of hazards, most significantly, fire hazards to neighbouring communities.”
He says in 2009, a similar grow-op in Calgary caught on fire and it took five houses with it.
Since Edmontonians know their neighbourhoods best, police ask people to be vigilant and notify them of any suspicious activity.
“Quite often, the growers will drive right into the garage, and if you can see that there’s substantial quantities of garbage bags, or the garage looks unoccupied – that’s suspicious,” says Acting Sgt. Savage.
Other signs include “strange, skunky smells at certain times of the day or late in the evening,” or infrequent or no garbage being put out. For more, click here.
To report what you believe may be a grow-operation in your neighbourhood, call police or Crimestoppers (1-800-222-TIPS). Officers say the Green Team follows up on all complaints.
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