Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) busted eight marijuana grow operations in a one-day sweep in and around Edmonton, yielding over $5 million worth of weed, according to police.
“At ALERT, it is our goal to dismantle entire criminal organizations,” said Insp. Kevin Galvin in a release.
“We want the whole network.”
The properties, located in Edmonton, Sherwood Park, Fort Saskatchewan, Spruce Grove, Strathcona County and Parkland County, were targeted because police believed they belonged to a robust criminal organization that was cultivating marijuana and trafficking drugs in Western Canada with ties to the U.S.
“Many see marijuana as a harmless drug, but both the drug and the criminals that produce it pose many risks to the community, including public safety hazards,” said Galvin.
