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Pot bust haul sets record - City police uproot $3M in marijuana
By: Sherri Zickefoose, The Calgary Herald, 12/31/03

(Rolo Comentary - It seems that since they took all that cannabis off the streets in Alberta there seems to be an outbreak of kids huffing chemicals - go figure.)

Calgary police capped a lucrative year for drug seizures Tuesday afternoon, discovering a $3-million marijuana growing operation believed to represent the biggest home-grow raid in the city's history.

Acting on a tip, tactical team officers stormed a Scenic Acres house at 135 Schiller Cres. N.W. late Tuesday afternoon. Approximately 2,100 pot plants were seized, with detectives who dismantled the equipment calling it a sophisticated operation.

"This is the biggest one I've ever seen," Det. Chris Fileccia told the Herald. "I've never seen this much."

Two men who have been renting the suburban house for at least four months were taken into custody.

The seized plants were in three different stages of growth, which allowed them to be harvested as a new crop every few months.

Police also seized clippings, used to clone the most potent, productive plants.

"We're lucky we got this," said Fileccia. "We don't often get this much. It's rare."

This year, police have seized more than $50 million worth of pot, including 36,000 plants on 112 warrants.

In 2002, $18 million worth of illegal crops were collected. That was twice as much as the previous year.

While production of illegal crops is sprouting up in unsuspecting neighbourhoods, police say residents are becoming better educated about such operations.

The stately, cream-coloured stucco house on Schiller Crescent N.W. blends in with the spacious family houses surrounding it in Scenic Acres.

Still, neighbours say they believed something strange was happening on their street.

"The blinds are never open," said Mike Rogers.

Windows open during cold winter nights and a steady stream of different cars visiting at all hours only added to the oddity.

"This is not a surprise to a number of us in the neighbourhood," said a nearby resident who didn't want to give her name. "We were happy to see (the police) here."

Neighbours who moved next door wanted to introduce themselves last summer, but when they rang the doorbell hoping to shake hands and say hello, no one answered the door.

"They tried too hard not to attract attention," said Rose Ranieri.

"This is the kind of neighbourhood where everybody knows everybody."

The frequent visitors to the house also added to neighbours' suspicions.

"There were lots of cars all the time and it was all men. That's kind of weird," said Ranieri.

To fight indoor contraband growing operations, Calgary police are teaming up with RCMP, fire departments, Enmax and the Department of Justice.

Besides introducing a criminal element to suburban neighbourhoods, drug grow operations are a safety hazard, police say. In the past year, five major fires have been caused by bad wiring or the production of weed oil.

Steve Patterson and Alan Patterson face drug-related charges in connection with Tuesday's seizure.