Over the summer months this year, the RCMP’s Kootenay Boundary Regional Detachment investigation section led intensive investigations into outdoor marijuana grow operations, resulting in the seizure of 14,130 plants from 88 sites across the West Kootenay / Boundary areas.

A press release from the regional detachment estimated the wholesale price of the marijuana, based on current value of “marihuana bud in the West Kootenay” to range anywhere from $14.9 million to $36.7 million. “The street value of the seized marihuana if sold in individual cigarette quantities would equate to approximately $77.5 million,” the release states.

The regional detachment conducted searched with aid of officers throughout the region as well as an RCMP helicopter from Kelowna. In the release, the detachment states in a conservative estimate that they prevented approximately 11,500 pounds of marijuana bud from entering the illegal market.

“The majority of the marihuana was seized from Crown land,” the release states. “In one instance, three persons were apprehended in an outdoor marihuana grow operations with charges of production of a controlled substance being recommended to Federal Crown Counsel. In another instance, three persons are facing charges of production of a controlled substance after a search warrant was executed on private property near Kaslo.”

The detachment states the profits of the illicit marijuana industry “fuel activities of organized criminal groups that bring untold harm, pain and suffering to our communities,” and regionalization of policing services in the West Kootenay / Boundary areas have allowed the detachment to utilize resources more effectively to target “organized criminal activity.”

“It is no secret that criminal activity does not restrict itself to municipal boundaries or electoral areas,” the release states. “While a criminal group may reside in one location, the effects of that group’s activities will have a far reaching impact on surrounding communities. By structuring the police resources in the West Kootenay / Boundary to fall under one command structure we are able to more efficiently target those organized crime influences on our communities.”