Five people were arrested after RCMP officers found a massive marijuana grow operation hidden below a large shop in Malakwa, B.C., a community located near Sicamous and east of Kamloops, on Tuesday morning.
"The interesting thing about this grow was the controlled access," Cpl. Chris Newel said in a video posted on the BC RCMP website.
On one side of the shop industrial motors controlled the opening of a steel door that led to a vault housing more than 3,000 marijuana plants.
A switch would hydraulically raise a steel plate to allow entry to the 7,000-square-foot grow operation below.
"If that plate was lowered down and the motors were on top of that, it would completely cover the access to the grow operation and anybody walking around in that room would probably not know there was a grow below," Newel said.
An extensive electrical system equipped the grow operation, which was set up with fans, lights and air conditioning units. A venting system allowed warm air and odours to leave the facility in an area away from the shop.
Five people, some of whom reside on the property, face charges of production of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.
They have all been released from custody on a promise to appear in court. Three have court dates scheduled for the end of September and two are scheduled for court appearances on August 17.
Eight children between the ages of one and 15 were also found on the property, and stayed with family service officials until their parents were released.
