Pubdate: Fri, 10 Mar 2006 Source: Province, The (CN BC) Copyright: 2006 The Province Contact: http://www.canada.com/theprovince/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476 Author: Kent Spencer Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/af.htm (Asset Forfeiture) NEW BYLAW DRIVES 26 GROW-OPS OUT OF BUSINESS SINCE LAST MONTH One pot grower protested he was earning money for college while another thought no one would find lights and gear under a stairwell. Surrey police and bylaw officers have heard and seen it all recently as crooks scramble to keep up with a new noxious-substance bylaw. "We're tightening the rope around these people," RCMP Cpl. Roger Morrow said yesterday. "We'll make it not profitable to be in our city limits." Designed to shut down marijuana grow-ops, the new bylaw has put 26 operations out of business since being introduced last month. Morrow said the bylaw gives police a "super" tool to deal with commercial operations without having to go through the courts. He said the bylaw works by shutting down homes for safety reasons and makes the owner responsible for cleanups that can hit $100,000. Acting on a tip, city electrical inspectors request a home inspection for safety reasons. Homeowners have 48 hours to comply, during which time Surrey bylaw manager John Sherstone said the operation is often moved out. If a home has been found to house a grow operation, it is deemed uninhabitable until a costly cleaning has been carried out and approved. A total of 489 grow-ops were interrupted or dismantled last year before the bylaw came into effect and nearly 65,000 plants were seized. Fifteen homes are awaiting a decision on forfeiture under proceeds of crime legislation. Seven homes have been forfeited and the money sent to Ottawa. The number of grow-ops in Surrey on any given day is estimated at between 2,500 and 4,500. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom