Pubdate: Sat, 20 Jan 2007
Source: Maple Ridge News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2007 Maple Ridge News
Contact:  http://www.mapleridgenews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1328
Author: Monisha Martins, Staff Reporter
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?241 (Methamphetamine - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Marijuana - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy)

METH LAB BILL CLOSE TO $100K

The owner of a property which housed a methamphetamine  and ecstasy
lab has been billed close to $100,000 by  the District of Maple Ridge.

But the bill hasn't been paid yet, nor has anyone been  charged in
connection with the meth lab.

The clean-up bill is the largest issued by the district  since its
grow operation, health, nuisance and safety  bylaw was crafted in 2004.

"It's a first for us," said bylaws manager Brock  McDonald.

Under the bylaw, property owners must pay all costs  incurred by the
municipality while dismantling drug  labs or marijuana grow
operations. The bill will be  tacked onto the owner's property taxes
but McDonald  said he will be discussing details with the owner next
week.

The Lougheed Highway property, owned by Surrey  businessman Sukhvir
Singh Mann, was raided by RCMP last  July.

Police found enough chemicals to blow up four blocks  inside the home,
located on an isolated stretch of the  highway near Maple Ridge Chrysler.

Traffic came to a standstill for hours as hazardous  material teams
secured the site. The task of logging  and removing the chemicals took
more than two days to  complete.

Ridge Meadows RCMP said the bill for police and the  fire department
is more than $43,000.

Approximately 30 RCMP officers were at the scene during  the two days,
including 12 auxiliary members, a  10-person emergency response team,
two battalions of  firefighters, six staff from the health and welfare
  branch and an eight-person hazmat team.

McDonald said the bill almost doubled once the district  added third
party costs, which included disposal of the  noxious chemicals.

McDonald will be meeting the owner next week to discuss  the
costs.

The house on the property is slated for demolition and  soil on the
property will have to be remediated and  free of contamination before
it is redeveloped.

"The bylaw is to encourage property owners to be more  vigilant in
trying to visit the property," McDonald  said.

Although one man was arrested when police raided the  home, no one has
been charged.

The property owner said last July that he bought the  land as an
investment. The home was rented by three  people.

In comparison, it cost the district between $12,000 and  $15,000 to
dismantle the largest marijuana grow  operation found in Maple Ridge
last September.

Police seized 6,800 marijuana plants and 39.2 kilograms  (86.5 pounds)
of dried marijuana worth an estimated $10  million from the property
on Cedar Way. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake