The Associated Press
SURREY, British Columbia (AP) -- The Mounties got their man, and a woman, during a news conference to announce a team approach to identify houses used by gangs for growing marijuana.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers were preparing to speak to reporters outside a home in this Vancouver suburb Thursday when a car arrived with a man and woman inside.
“We pulled them over as they were driving to the house and they saw the police and the media ... and did a quick U-turn and took off,” Constable Tim Shields said. “There was $10,000 (US$7,700) in cash in the car.”
The man and woman, in their early 40s, are believed to have lived at the home, which was forfeited to the government by court order on Wednesday after owner Thao Heidi Doan was convicted of using it to grow pot, Shields said.
Police believe the money found in the car was from marijuana sales.
The Mounties called the news conference to announce a new team of 20 officers assigned to work with real estate agents, utility personnel and municipal crews in identifying similar “hot houses.”
The house was the third in Surrey to be forfeited, and proceedings involving 11 others remain pending.
“We are trying to take the profit out of this,” Shields said.