Panicked pot growers busted after trying to burn off product
By: Ethan Baron, The Province (CN BC), 04-12-08

A nervous south Vancouver pot grower heard a knock at the door and he and a friend frantically began chopping down plants and feeding them into the fireplace.

Billows of smoke soon rose from the chimney as fire slowly consumed 50 to 60 green, moisture-laden marijuana bushes.

It hadn't been the cops at the door. But they soon were: a neighbour smelled burning marijuana, saw the pot smoke pouring from the chimney, and picked up the phone.

"When we knocked on the door, [the two men] came out, and the house was filled with smoke," said a policeman at the scene, who can't be identified because of the nature of his work.

The 50 to 60 plants were the only ones in the detached house, and had been entirely burned, the officer said.

Two men were arrested in the incident Friday morning, and a city building inspector cut the power and put a "no occupancy" notice on the stucco home's front door.

"I find this just unbelievable," said Susan Naso, who lives across the street.

A man she knew as Scotty had lived in the alleged grow-op house for about three years.

"He is just an amazing guy, very friendly," Naso said. "He's helpful. He fixed the place up. He's probably one of the best neighbours we've ever had. "You think that you know your neighbour, but wow, you really don't."

Scotty spent a lot of time working on cars in the backyard of the home in the 3500-block Monmouth Street, Naso said. On Friday, vehicles in various states of repair -- including a decrepit black Cadillac Elegante -- occupied the backyard.

2004 H.U.M.A.N.: Hemp Users Medical Access Network - Toronto Medical Marijuana