Pubdate: Wed, 29 Aug 2012
Source: Richmond Review, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Black Press
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/P92NTYdG
Website: http://drugsense.org/url/WcGUPNub
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/704
Author: Matthew Hoekstra

FIVE MARIJUANA GROW-OPS FOUND BY CITY INSPECTORS THIS YEAR

City's Electrical Inspection Team on Pace for Its Lowest Number of 
Investigations Since Program's Launch

City officials have uncovered five drug houses in the first six 
months of this year, continuing the downward trend of illegal 
marijuana grow-ops coming to the City of Richmond's attention.

The city's electrical and fire safety inspection team probed four 
houses and two commercial properties from January through June this 
year, finding grow-ops in nearly all of them, according to data 
obtained by The Richmond Review.

Last year, the team inspected 14 houses and four commercial 
properties, resulting in the discovery of 12 grow-ops.

But the numbers pale in comparison to the first year of the program. 
In 2007, inspectors were dispatched to 101 properties, finding 
grow-ops in 58. The drop, officials have suggested, is likely due to 
grow-ops locating elsewhere or finding alternative sources of 
power-including stealing it-to stay undetected.

Each year, the city's electrical and fire safety inspection team 
searches homes with higher-than-average electricity use-more than 93 
kilowatts per day-based on data provided by B.C. Hydro, along with 
following up on tips and RCMP investigations. The team focuses on 
safety, not putting growers behind bars.

The Richmond RCMP, however, does do criminal investigations into 
grow-ops-busting 10 so far this year, and 20 in 2011, according to the force.

[sidebar]

City electrical inspections

*2007: 101 inspections; 58 grow-ops

*2008: 52 inspections; 6 grow-ops*

*2009: 20 inspections; 11 grow-ops*

*2010: 36 inspections; 24 grow-ops

*2011: 28 inspections; 12 grow-ops

*2012: 6 inspections; 5 grow-ops

*program operated for only part of year
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom