Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
Local Leaders Are Upset That Medical Marijuana Growers Are Targets Of Violence.
Legal marijuana is proving a major crime headache for the Langleys.
On Sunday morning, a medicinal marijuana grow operation in Brookswood was raided by armed thieves, the RCMP say.
Two men knocked on the door at about 3:30 a.m., claiming they had car troubles. They forced their way past the residents, and tied up and blindfolded the victim.
The two home invaders, armed with a rifle and a knife, ransacked the home looking for drugs, money, and weapons, said Cpl. Holly Marks, spokesperson for the Langley RCMP. The legal grow op in the garage was cut down and taken.
Police arrived 10 minutes after the suspects had fled, at around 6 a.m. The suspects had fled in a red GMC pickup and a 1996 brown Buick Regal stolen from the homeowner.
This is not the first time a medical marijuana grow op has been the target of violent crime in Langley, and the repeated incidents are a worry for politicians and police officers.
Supt. Derek Cooke, head of the Langley RCMP, said it's a significant concern.
Officers know of one particular medicinal grow in the Township, he said.
"It's been subjected to two attempted grow rips, and it's right across the street from an elementary school," Cooke said.
There have been several invasions and armed robberies of these legal marijuana farms over the past year, he said.
Two days after the most recent attack, the mayors of both Langleys officially sent a letter to the federal government, asking for changes.
"We believe that the time for consultation is over and that action needs to be taken," the letter, sent by City Mayor Peter Fassbender and Township Mayor Rick Green, reads.
The issues are a lack of knowledge of who has a medical marijuana license, and where they are growing, an inability to regulate grows for safety, the home invasions, health issues due to indoor growing in homes, and the fact that some medical grow ops produce far, far more than they are licensed for.
The letter asks that current licenses to grow medical marijuana be cancelled, and that the drug be distributed through pharmacies and grown in government-regulated facilities.
Cooke agrees the drug should be sold by pharmacies, if it is used medically at all.
If that doesn't happen, he would still like to know where the legal grow operations are in Langley.
Police would be aware of the risks of a given property, and they could help owners reduce their likelihood of becoming targets for violent thugs.
Police are still seeking the armed robbers from the most recent attack. The two Caucasian men are in their early 20s. One stands about 5'8" and has short blonde brush-cut hair. The other is almost 6' and thin, with dark hair.
Anyone with information that could help police can call the Langley RCMP at 604-532-3200
NewsHawk: Jim Behr: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Langley Advance (CN BC)
Copyright: 2011 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc.
Contact: editorial@langleyadvance.com
Website: Langley Advance
Details: MapInc
Author: Matthew Claxton
Legal marijuana is proving a major crime headache for the Langleys.
On Sunday morning, a medicinal marijuana grow operation in Brookswood was raided by armed thieves, the RCMP say.
Two men knocked on the door at about 3:30 a.m., claiming they had car troubles. They forced their way past the residents, and tied up and blindfolded the victim.
The two home invaders, armed with a rifle and a knife, ransacked the home looking for drugs, money, and weapons, said Cpl. Holly Marks, spokesperson for the Langley RCMP. The legal grow op in the garage was cut down and taken.
Police arrived 10 minutes after the suspects had fled, at around 6 a.m. The suspects had fled in a red GMC pickup and a 1996 brown Buick Regal stolen from the homeowner.
This is not the first time a medical marijuana grow op has been the target of violent crime in Langley, and the repeated incidents are a worry for politicians and police officers.
Supt. Derek Cooke, head of the Langley RCMP, said it's a significant concern.
Officers know of one particular medicinal grow in the Township, he said.
"It's been subjected to two attempted grow rips, and it's right across the street from an elementary school," Cooke said.
There have been several invasions and armed robberies of these legal marijuana farms over the past year, he said.
Two days after the most recent attack, the mayors of both Langleys officially sent a letter to the federal government, asking for changes.
"We believe that the time for consultation is over and that action needs to be taken," the letter, sent by City Mayor Peter Fassbender and Township Mayor Rick Green, reads.
The issues are a lack of knowledge of who has a medical marijuana license, and where they are growing, an inability to regulate grows for safety, the home invasions, health issues due to indoor growing in homes, and the fact that some medical grow ops produce far, far more than they are licensed for.
The letter asks that current licenses to grow medical marijuana be cancelled, and that the drug be distributed through pharmacies and grown in government-regulated facilities.
Cooke agrees the drug should be sold by pharmacies, if it is used medically at all.
If that doesn't happen, he would still like to know where the legal grow operations are in Langley.
Police would be aware of the risks of a given property, and they could help owners reduce their likelihood of becoming targets for violent thugs.
Police are still seeking the armed robbers from the most recent attack. The two Caucasian men are in their early 20s. One stands about 5'8" and has short blonde brush-cut hair. The other is almost 6' and thin, with dark hair.
Anyone with information that could help police can call the Langley RCMP at 604-532-3200
NewsHawk: Jim Behr: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Langley Advance (CN BC)
Copyright: 2011 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc.
Contact: editorial@langleyadvance.com
Website: Langley Advance
Details: MapInc
Author: Matthew Claxton
