A strong odor is emanating inside Vernon’s RCMP office.
The local detachment busted a substantial marijuana grow operation Saturday evening, collecting 1,500 plants.
B.C. Hydro called the office to report they attended a service call in the 7800 block of Wilson Jackson Road (off Silver Star Road) and discovered the grow-op and power diversion.
“They were stealing 14,500 volts right off the pole,” said Gord Molendyk, RCMP spokesperson. “It was pretty advanced.”
The operation was located in the garage and shed, as well as a transformer.
Considering the amount of power diverted, Hydro attended the scene with RCMP to ensure no one was injured or killed in dismantling the grow-op.
“There were a few tense moments at the property as the owners had a generator on site that came on when the power was turned off,” said Molendyk. “The generator then recharged the power lines.”
A 27-year-old male was arrested on scene and released on a promise to appear to charges of production of a controlled substance, possession for the purpose of trafficking and theft of telecommunications.
