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.