The Cariboo Region Integrated Marijuana Enforcement task force has busted the 28th marijuana grow-op in the Cariboo region in three months, according to Prince George RCMP.
In a press release Monday, the CRIME unit and Mounties announced the seizure of 2,298 marijuana plants from a large indoor grow-op located on Horrocks Road south of Prince George on Dec. 9.
Police found about $4,000 in cash and equipment at the private residence and determined that a stolen overhead electrical transformer was also being used to steal from BC Hydro.
The sophisticated operation consisted of three separate growing rooms containing marijuana plants at various stages of maturity.
One adult male from B.C.'s Lower Mainland was arrested and faces a number of charges, including production and possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking and possession of property obtained by crime and theft of telecommunication service under the Criminal Code.
Cpl. Craig Douglass told ctvbc.ca that an increasing amount of Lower Mainland residents are setting up grow-ops in the Cariboo region.
"It certainly is a growing trend," Douglass said. "One reason being that Lower Mainland cities are developing bylaws and enforcement tactics that make it difficult for growers. Another is because of the vastness of northern B.C. There are thousands of hectares of remote land that provide little detection in the grower's mind."
The CRIME pilot project has successfully seized 57,000 marijuana plants intended for commercial distribution and made 25 arrests since its launch in September.
