RCMP in the Kelowna area seized more marijuana plants than any other detachment in the province over the last year, illustrating a trend of growing operations migrating away from big cities, authorities say. "There's certainly a distinct trend that's happening ... for grow operations to migrate towards areas that are more rural in nature, that haven't necessarily developed the bylaws or abilities to combat them as effectively as, say, the larger centres have," said Kelowna RCMP Const. Kris Clark. An RCMP database listing growing operations shows Kelowna officers seized 13,706 plants between April 2011 and March 2012. Surrey RCMP came in a close second, seizing 13,389 plants over the same period. When combined with the nearby communities of West Kelowna and Lake County, however, the Kelowna figure rises to 26,926 plants seized. Kelowna RCMP have made some significant seizures in recent months that have bumped up their numbers, Clark said. In February of this year, they made two seizures of 3,575 plants and 5,539 plants within three days of each other. The biggest seizure over the last year occurred in Falkland, a community of about 600 along Highway 97 between Kamloops and Vernon, where RCMP seized 13,383 marijuana plants - almost as many as were seized in Surrey over the entire year - on March 21. (more)
Top 10 municipalities, by number of plants seized, April 2011 to March 2012
Kelowna (13,706 plants)Surrey (13,389 plants)
Falkland (13,383 plants)
Prince George (11,176 plants)
Maple Ridge (9,207 plants)
100 Mile House (8,844 plants) Lake Country (8,042 plants + 8,288
grams) Pitt Meadows (6,211 plants)
West Kelowna (5,178 plants)
Richmond (4,527 plants)
Source: RCMP *Only includes communities policed by RCMP
No comments:
Post a Comment