$2.11 Million In Marihuana, Property and Cash Seized

March 17th 2000

On Thursday March 16th 2000 in a co-operative venture involving 90 law enforcement officers from numerous agencies, twenty-four search warrants under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act were executed on private residences in Vancouver, Burnaby and Surrey. This initiative came to fruition as a result of a Vancouver Police Department property crime team case from December from 1999.

The many agencies that provided resources and assisted in this initiative are as follows:

  • The Organized Crime Agency of B.C.
  • Vancouver Police Department
  • Port Moody Police Department
  • New Westminster Police Service
  • Delta Police Department RCMP
  • Vancouver Drug Section
  • Coquitlam RCMP
  • Burnaby RCMP
  • Surrey RCMP
  • RCMP Customs and Excise
  • RCMP Criminal Investigation Section
  • Provincial Auto Theft Task Force
  • The Ministry of Children and Families
  • B.C. Hydro and Power Authority

 

Residences entered:

Vancouver:     

  • 100 blk. E. 27th ave             
  • 5700 blk. Lanark st.
  • 1600 blk. E. 35th ave            
  • 2400 blk.E. 27th ave
  • 500 blk. E 55th ave              
  • 2500 blk. E 23rd ave
  • 1400 blk. E 41st ave             
  • 5700 blk. St. Margarets st.
  • 1900 blk. E 36th Ave            
  • 100 blk E. 38th Ave
  • 700 blk E. 15th Ave              
  • 700 blk E 15th Ave
  • 2000 blk Newport Ave           
  • 4400 blk Gladstone
  • 3100 blk East Broadway        
  • 4700 blk Earles St
  • 800 blk E 49th Ave              
  • 2000 blk E 37th Ave
  • 2900 blk E 2nd Ave             
  • 1800 blk W 7th Ave

Burnaby:

  • 6400 blk Aubrey St              
  • 3900 blk Boundary Rd

Surrey:

  • 10100 Semiahmoo Rd          
  • 10700 142A St

Analysis of intelligence reports indicate that these addresses are linked to an organized crime group.

Eighteen adult males and thirteen adult females will be charged with a number of offences that may include but are not limited to, Production of a Controlled Substance, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking, Possession of Stolen Property, Theft of Electricity and Possession of the Proceeds of Crime.

There were 23 children between the ages of six months and seventeen years of age found in these homes at the time of police entry. Nine of whom were apprehended by the Ministry of Children and Families. Ten were turned over to family members and four were left in the care of other adults in the homes.

Seized were a total of 2,127 marihuana plants with an estimated value of $1,375,000 dollars. Ninety-four pounds of packaged marihuana with an estimated total value of $260,000 dollars and grow operation equipment with an estimated value of $210,000 dollars.

Also seized in the raids was approximately $230,000 dollars in stolen property, $20,000 dollars in US currency and $15,000 dollars in Canadian currency. No weapons or firearms were found.

Ten of the twenty-four grow operations were powered through by- passing B.C. Hydro electrical connections.

Proceeds of crime investigators from the Organized Crime Agency who were involved from the outset, have seized a number of computers and documents and will be conducting a forensic audit with a view to determining the unexplained wealth and assets of the suspects involved.