RCMP raid bear-guarded 1,100-plant grow-op at Christina Lake
Police raiding a suspected marijuana grow-op near Christina Lake on 30 July 2010 found about ten black bears apparently habituated to the property with dog food; the plots held an estimated 1,100 to 1,200 plants and the owner later faced wildlife and drug charges.
🇨🇦 Christina Lake, British Columbia · British Columbia, Canada
Police executing a search warrant at a suspected marijuana grow-op near Christina Lake on 30 July 2010 were surprised to find ten black bears on the property.[1]The West Kootenay Integrated Road Safety unit carried out the raid with Grand Forks RCMP, and Sgt. Fred Mansveld said the bears appeared habituated to the property by its residents, with a lot of dog food found at the scene.[1]
The owners had allegedly used the bears to guard plots containing between 1,100 and 1,200 marijuana plants.[2]Property owner Allen Piche, who called himself the Bear Dude, had attracted the bears for 12 years with daily offerings of dry dog food, and officers found the animals so tame they posed with them for pictures.[3]Piche later pleaded guilty to one count of feeding dangerous wildlife but pleaded not guilty to charges of running the grow-op, calling the guard-bear accusation ridiculous.[3]
Case data
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