“Grow-Op on Wheels” Discovered in Edmonton

Edmonton…In what is believed to be a first in the province, Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) has discovered a marihuana “grow-op on wheels”. More than 150 plants were seized from a converted semi-trailer in Edmonton.

ALERT’s Green Team, an integrated team consisting of Edmonton Police Service and RCMP members, dismantled the grow-op on April 28. The semi-trailer was parked inside a West Edmonton warehouse, which also housed marihuana plants.

The trailer was outfitted with electrical lighting, ventilation, carbon dioxide generator, and self-watering system to produce the plants, with each individual plant capable of yielding between 4-10 ounces of marihuana in a four-month cycle. A total of 559 marihuana plants, worth an estimated $670,000, were removed.

The trailer was not without its hazards as black mould was evident throughout and water run-off, containing fertilizers and chemicals, was being drained into the warehouse. Remediation costs for the warehouse are expected to exceed $20,000.

This is the first time ALERT’s Green Team has encountered this type of grow-op trailer. However, similar operations have been reported in British Columbia.

Jan Michael Dumas, 37, is wanted on charges of production of marihuana, possession for the purpose of trafficking, and criminal mischief.

To report suspicious activity or a suspected marihuana grow operation in your community, contact police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS). For information on how to spot a marihuana grow operation, visit www.alert-ab.ca/growops

ALERT was established and is funded by the Alberta Government and is a compilation of the province’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources committed to tackling serious and organized crime. Members of Alberta Sheriffs, Calgary Police Service, Edmonton Police Service, Lethbridge Regional Police Service, Medicine Hat Police Service, and RCMP work in ALERT.

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