CALGARY -- A suspect leaving a door open allowed Nanton RCMP to spot an illegal cannabis grow operation last month, leading to the seizure of 250 plants and arrest of two people.
According to police, a man showed up at a rural residence at Highway 2 and Township Road 170 about 11 a.m. on Nov. 13 saying he had been involved in an accident and needed a ride.
Officers found an unoccupied vehicle that was damaged and had its door left open at a nearby residence. A man matching the description of the suspicious male was seen exiting a building and he left the door open.
Police were able to see inside, and spotted a cannabis grow operation.
A 27-year-old man from Edmonton was arrested for leaving the scene of a collision and is facing a number of charges, including:
- Failure to comply with a recognizance
- Driving while unauthorized
- Driving an uninsured motor vehicle
- Operating an unregistered motor vehicle
- Trespassing
His name has not been released.
Police then began an investigation into the cannabis grow operation and a warrant was obtained about 11 p.m. the same day.
A search of the building turned up 250 cannabis plants.
Leslie Nicole Gurr, 51, and Randle Mackenzie Loree, 36, both of Nanton, are now facing charges under the Cannabis Act, including:
- Unauthorized production of cannabis
- Possession for use in production or distribution of illicit cannabis
- Cultivation, propagation and harvesting exceeding the dwelling house limit
- Cultivation, propagation and harvesting without authorization
They are both scheduled to appear in court Jan. 8, 2020.
