Carolyn Grant
RCMP in both Kimberley and Cranbrook continue to focus on the drug trade with last week bringing more arrests.
On Thursday, September 26, Kimberley RCMP entered a Marysville home with a search warrant under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
Cpl. Chris Newel of the Kimberley Detachment says that inside police found four separate grow rooms in the basement with over 100 plants in various stages of growth. A small amount of marijuana bud was also found.
A 36-year old male was arrested.
"Police will be recommending charges of Production of a Controlled Substance," Newel said. "Of concern to police was the fact two children regularly reside in the house."
Newel said marijuana grow operations themselves might not seem bad to some, but police find that there can be violence associated to grows.
“And in a number of cases the electrical system is overloaded and not to building standards. This increases the risk of fire.”
In addition to the marijuana police seized equipment used for growing the plants. The subject was released and will appear in court later this fall. Newel says that in this particular case the odour of marijuana in the neighbourhood was detected a while ago.
“It was a matter of narrowing down the location and gathering further evidence,” he said.
On Wednesday, September 25, a 30-year old male was arrested in downtown Cranbrook for trafficking.
“A search incidental to arrest located almost two grams of cocaine along with $760 cash,” Newel said.
Newel says the subject was originally from Alberta and has an extensive criminal record and is already before the courts on a different trafficking charge.
He he was taken before a Judicial Justice of the Peace and has been remanded in custody for an appearance in court Monday.