West Kelowna grow operation busted
More than 1,000 marijuana plants had not yet reached full height when police busted a grow operation in West Kelowna.
RCMP executed a search warrant on a home at 955 Rumney Road, just after 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 27. Const. Michael Dunn said police were dismantling a grow operation in the basement, where more than 1,000 marijuana plants were discovered in the early stages of growth.
Dunn said no one has yet been arrested, but police have a suspect in mind. A crew of officers removed a pickup truckload of high-voltage light bulbs from the home, along with a trailer full of filters, venting equipment and fertilizing solution. Dunn added that BC Hydro is making their own investigation to determine if a bypass was used to shunt electricity to the grow operation.
He noted there were obviously people living in the home, but there were no signs of children. Dunn said people came and went from the house at night, and he urged the public to notify police if they see suspicious things.
"The public really does play a major role in helping."
Dunn pointed out that grow operations are dangerous, and a fire hazard. He added that the cost of removal is high, with numbers of officers required to dismantle one. He noted that taking down marijuana grow operations is a continuous occurrence. Dunn said a few other operations have been shut down in the area over the past couple of weeks.
He explained that the small size of the plants at the Rumney Road operation meant that it would have been a while before the crop could be sold.
"This could have been going on for a number of months before we could deal with it."
Police boarded shut the door of the house, and a notice was posted forbidding entry. Dunn said the District of West Kelowna follows a similar procedure to the City of Kelowna, declaring such a house an unsafe premise.
"By removing the sign or going back in, they would be liable for many fines."
Neighbour Jim Engelman said he never met the man who lived in the Rumney Road house, but he waved to Engelman a couple of times in passing.
"I saw him with a woman he lived with – he came and went."
Engelman said he was surprised to find out a grow operation had been uncovered just across the street.
"It's surprising. This is a nice neighborhood, with good people here."
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