Pubdate: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 Source: Comox Valley Record (CN BC) Copyright: 2010 Comox Valley Record Contact: http://www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/784 IT'S ALMOST HARVEST SEASON FOR THE RCMP, TOO As harvesting season nears, police officers from across Vancouver Island are working together to identify the locations of outdoor marijuana grow operations and to destroy illegal harvests. This is an annual effort undertaken jointly by Vancouver Island RCMP, the Victoria Police Department and Saanch Police. The integrated team receives support from the Canadian Forces in accessing some remote grow sites aboard helicopters. Officers routinely encounter grow operations averaging 200 plants in size, to as large as 900 plants. "By destroying them, we are disrupting the flow of illegal drugs to the streets of our communities, and in turn, disrupting the flow of funding to organized crime groups in the province," said Const. Tammy Douglas of the Comox Valley RCMP. Beyond the team of airborne officers, others on the ground work from detachments across the Island, eradicating sites which are accessible by land. "It's harvest season for Vancouver Island police," added Douglas. Police conduct marijuana grow eradication year round. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D