Calgary Men Charged after Illegal Medicinal Grow-ops Uncovered

February 5, 2015

Calgary… Two Calgary men are facing criminal charges in separate instances involving illegally operating medicinal marihuana grow-ops, according to Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT).

ALERT’s Green Team, an integrated unit consisting of Calgary Police Service and RCMP members, located the residential grow-ops in the Calgary communities of Sherwood and Harvest Hills. In both instances the homes were an authorized medicinal grow-op sites, but the terms and conditions of the license were violated with the number of permitted plants being exceeded.

At the Sherwood home, Green Team members removed 164 marihuana plants and seized quantities of hash oil, psilocybin, and processed marihuana. The estimated value of the seized drugs and plants is $216,000. Nearly a quarter million-dollars in cash proceeds of crime was seized and will be submitted to the province’s Civil Forfeiture Office.

The Sherwood grow-op was dismantled on November 19, at which point the investigation continued and a suspect was arrested on January 29. Dennis Bassett, 36, is charged with:

• Production of a controlled substance;
• Possession for the purpose of trafficking;
• Possession of property obtained by crime;
• Theft of utilities;
• Theft under $5,000.

At the Harvest Hills home, Green Team members removed 165 marihuana plants. The value of the seized plants is estimated at $206,000.

The Harvest Hills grow-op was dismantled on January 22. Fang Xie, a 44-year-old man, was arrested on January 27 and is charged with:

• Possession for the purpose of trafficking;
• Theft of electricity;
• Theft under $5,000.

The Green Team investigations began following tips concerning suspected theft of electricity. Inspections of both homes confirmed an electrical and water bypasses. Both residences were deemed uninhabitable following a health inspection.

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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