# Man's home 'invaded' by government search of fish tanks



## roadrunner (Apr 25, 2010)

and real criminals are slipping between fingers&#8230;..

Man's home 'invaded' by government search of fish tanks - Yahoo! News


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## Ursus sapien (Apr 21, 2010)

This is one of our own forum members! Mike's written about this incident here recently. He deserve's better - he's a great guy.


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## Captured Moments (Apr 22, 2010)

Personally I think the law enforcement has gone too far. I can live with the fact that they want to do an inspection to find out if you have a grow-op operation but that should remain at that. The authority should be limited for that sole purpose only as should be defined by some legislation. No incidental by the way... electrical not to code otherwise it becomes an invasion of privacy.
And then when they do find those grow-ops, they fine them some ridiculous amount.. the next week they just do it somewhere else.. they make that back in no time.


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## Rastapus (Apr 21, 2010)

A good customer/friend of mine in Ontario about 20 years back, ordered "pot" lamps. Back then the old Coralife halides were referred to as this. Within 20 minutes he had two police at his door. The company he was calling was in the US, pretty amazing back then that they were tied in so heavily with these companies that they would report cross border.


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## Ktowncichlids (Apr 23, 2010)

does this guy sell used tank equipment to and have a wholebasement full. I think I bought gear from him !


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## Ursus sapien (Apr 21, 2010)

Ktowncichlids said:


> does this guy sell used tank equipment to and have a wholebasement full. I think I bought gear from him !


Mike's in a trailer.


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## mikebike (Sep 8, 2010)

Hello,
no basement here as Storm pointed out I'm in a mobile home.
I did have my spare tanks stacked in the diveway 3 weeks ago but sent them to Doug at ARFA to sell.

Got to make room for my SSR in the garage<G>



Ktowncichlids said:


> does this guy sell used tank equipment to and have a wholebasement full. I think I bought gear from him !


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## neoh (Apr 22, 2010)

I had this happen to me before, but I didn't let them in. They came back 48 hours later with a warrant and kicked in my door. When they found no grow-op, they brought "inspectors" in which ruled that a grow op had been there no less than 24 hours prior (because they found nails and staples in the rafters, and a large water basin - that was empty and full of old clothes and cob webs) I was fined $6,000 and evicted with a big red sign that said "This residence has been condemned as a marijuana grow operation" or something of that nature. When I told the police that I wasn't lying, they got mad at me and restrained me, and proceeded to lecture me on how they can tell when someone is lying to them.

The reason for my conceived "grow op" was because a neighbor reported the smell of marijuana on premises, and when they came to investigate, they heard humming coming from my basement (which happened to be the sump pump) and a hose from a dehumidifier (from a flood due to heavy rain and deteriorating concrete) 

I hope when they walked on Mike's premises they felt stupid. Sure, they do catch a lot of grow ops, which is good for the community - but going off averages and consumption levels without a proper investigation is unacceptable in my opinion.

Send your bill to city hall and make them pay it, Mike. Because not only was it a violation of your personal space, but with enough complaints maybe they will take action.


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

I wonder that if in the future you can deny the inspectors and request the officer to come in alone, atleast this wont be a witch hunt for code infractions.

Also, just in perspective, its further targetting him because his hydro usage is just triple that in his neighbourhood, not that of the municipality, meaning lower income areas get higher scrutiny. Where as up where i live, hydro costs can be up to 600-700 a billing period (im usually between 250-450 depending on the cold and how many times the kids spill things).

With that being said, someone with a grow op up here, no appliances running, will still generate the same electricity. The grow op teams are placing way too much faith into these hydro raid, letting these grow ops in wealthy neighbourhoods and those on solar fall between the cracks. When it was hydro busts due to meter bypassing, there were constant raids here, but now that its back to reporting hydro usage, i've yet to see another raid.


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

neoh said:


> I had this happen to me before, but I didn't let them in. They came back 48 hours later with a warrant and kicked in my door. When they found no grow-op, they brought "inspectors" in which ruled that a grow op had been there no less than 24 hours prior (because they found nails and staples in the rafters, and a large water basin - that was empty and full of old clothes and cob webs) I was fined $6,000 and evicted with a big red sign that said "This residence has been condemned as a marijuana grow operation" or something of that nature. When I told the police that I wasn't lying, they got mad at me and restrained me, and proceeded to lecture me on how they can tell when someone is lying to them.
> 
> The reason for my conceived "grow op" was because a neighbor reported the smell of marijuana on premises, and when they came to investigate, they heard humming coming from my basement (which happened to be the sump pump) and a hose from a dehumidifier (from a flood due to heavy rain and deteriorating concrete)
> 
> ...


another person i know, a salty fish keeper, Rented out his basement and also had roommates move in the same month. Because he was on equalized payments, when his year was up, he was dinged a huge bill and flagged for a grow op. Now because he's an actual decent landlord who renovates the homes he rents out often, there was a lot of work done to the place recently. The inspectors saw this as a must be grow op cover up, then labelled his home a grow op, fined him, etc.

2 years later, he won in court and the city had to reimburse him, his legal expenses, and remove his home from the list of grow ops houses. Thats what it took in coquitlam to get his money back, and i am for certain they leave these lawsuits out of their revenue neutral accounting of the program


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## Jasonator (Jul 12, 2011)

Sounds like all of us with 'MTS' or similar, need to take a seminar on our rights for such incidents!!


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## InfraredDream (Jun 24, 2010)

Funny enough, I just saw the story on a friend's G+ and was like "isn't that our mikebike who is such a great guy". I was sure I'll find more info here.
Not much I could add to what other said already. Sorry for the trouble, Mike, very silly story  Hope more experience people will help you get out of that mess without paying for this. Good luck!


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## raeven (May 12, 2011)

If you ask me, things like this are all the more reason marijuana just needs to get legalized already. Law enforcement are harassing more innocent people than guilty, for a drug that is actually better for you than a lot of the legal things these days, such as drinking and smoking. They need to spend more time going after the guys who are ready to jump a bank after one hit, than the ones who want to do nothing more than stay home and watch scooby doo with a bag of chips.


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## Grete_J (Oct 5, 2010)

raeven said:


> If you ask me, things like this are all the more reason marijuana just needs to get legalized already. Law enforcement are harassing more innocent people than guilty, for a drug that is actually better for you than a lot of the legal things these days, such as drinking and smoking. They need to spend more time going after the guys who are ready to jump a bank after one hit, than the ones who want to do nothing more than stay home and watch scooby doo with a bag of chips.


No offense, but that's a poor excuse to attempt marijuana legalization, a drug that still (obviously) contributes to poor judgment...plus it takes away from this thread. It's definitely got me on my toes now. I've been reported to the MOE for having "40+ snakes" in the house (there's 5) and pay ALOT more in utilities due to their heating needs. I'm so sorry you were put through that invasive crap Mike. What's funny though, is the shirt you were wearing when they interviewed you. Sure makes the City of Surrey & BC Hydro look like a pile of overpaid jacka**es


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## mikebike (Sep 8, 2010)

Thanks. Grete
I put that shirt on just to make the point that I'm not against the war on drugs only the method they used.


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## raeven (May 12, 2011)

Hardly an excuse. There are dozens of other reasons out there. If I wanted to change the subject, I would have mentioned every one of those.

I'm just explaining that this is one of the many things that our law enforcement shouldn't have to worry about. As I (and many others) mentioned above, they're going after innocent people. People that have to pay thousands out of their pocket for something as stupid as a virtually harmless plant, all because they think an expensive hydro bill makes you guilty. And once you're "convicted" in the mind of a power-hungry authorative figure, you're out of luck.


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## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

there idiots i lose all respect for athourty who acts like this . They are nothing more then power hungry assholes ... excuse my launguage but that is how i feel i have a cousin who was realy cool we always went mudding . had drinks together etc... he became a cop and is the biggest prick on the planet now. but what you guys are going through is absolute b.s and wish there was anyway you could have proper justice against these so called inspectors grrrrrr just makes me so mad when people do that


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## Luke78 (Apr 24, 2010)

Legalize marijuana why ? Do you know how much of this product is used to purchase other items(example: LARGE amounts of illegal firearms and ammunition,other narcotics, drug producing equipment,cars,planes,helicopters,boats,etc etc).Do some research before you come to your conclusion, this goes way deeper than you think.



raeven said:


> Hardly an excuse. There are dozens of other reasons out there. If I wanted to change the subject, I would have mentioned every one of those.
> 
> I'm just explaining that this is one of the many things that our law enforcement shouldn't have to worry about. As I (and many others) mentioned above, they're going after innocent people. People that have to pay thousands out of their pocket for something as stupid as a virtually harmless plant, all because they think an expensive hydro bill makes you guilty. And once you're "convicted" in the mind of a power-hungry authorative figure, you're out of luck.


Idiots? You put more than several thousand police officers in this province in the same bunch and put one label for all? You couldn't be any more wrong! There's plenty of decent officers out there doing the job the way it was intended to be done.YOU do not have the slightest clue what law enforcement does, or really is about.Please educate me how you came to your conclusion? interested to hear your through response..



big_bubba_B said:


> there idiots i lose all respect for athourty who acts like this . They are nothing more then power hungry assholes ... excuse my launguage but that is how i feel i have a cousin who was realy cool we always went mudding . had drinks together etc... he became a cop and is the biggest prick on the planet now. but what you guys are going through is absolute b.s and wish there was anyway you could have proper justice against these so called inspectors grrrrrr just makes me so mad when people do that


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## davefrombc (Apr 21, 2010)

Luke78 said:


> Legalize marijuana why ? Do you know how much of this product is used to purchase other items(example: LARGE amounts of illegal firearms and ammunition,other narcotics, drug producing equipment,cars,planes,helicopters,boats,etc etc).Do some research before you come to your conclusion, this goes way deeper than you think .


Legalizing marijuana will take the big bucks out of it that the gangs use now to buy illegal firearms and other illegal items.. That is one reason so many in law enforcement are for its legalization. Pot has much the same influence on gang and mob activity as liquor did during prohibition. Legalizing liquor removed the big money from booze; just as it will from pot .. It will not stop gangs and criminal activity. It will force them to seek other ways to make their money; and remove the stigma of a criminal file for the people that use it for either recreational or medical reasons. Just as having a beer, wine with dinner , or a shot of hard liquor should not brand a person a criminal as it did during prohibition. 
Look up the statistics on drug use .. You will find a LOT more medical, violence, and legal problems created by smoking and alcohol consumption .. both legal drugs.
By the way .. Just so you can't pass me off as another pot head trying to justify his use , I do not use marijuana or any other recreational drugs. I quit smoking over 10 years ago ... after having quad bypasses; and although I enjoy the occasional beer on a hot day if one is offered, or a shot of hard liquor occasionally, I normally only drink coffee. I do know a lot of people who use marijuana for medical and recreational purposes, and have not known any of them to get into the accidents, violence and medical problems of the ones I know who have been problem drinkers.


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## raeven (May 12, 2011)

I'm not a heavy marijuana user myself. Once on a blue moon, maybe, but I can quite literally count on one hand how many times I've used it in the past year.

The big reason weed is such a high money maker is BECAUSE it's illegal. 

Let's also think about what else it can be used for. How about paper? It grows a hell of a lot faster than trees, takes up far less room, you won't need big industrial machines to take out a forest (which I can't even begin to tell you that this will be beneficial against global warming), and you won't be forcing wild life out of their homes and into a city.

Funny thing, really. You can get in more trouble with a cop by lighting a cigarette in front of a door, than sparking up a joint. When the Olympics were here, they brought international law enforcement, and you know what they told them? "If you see someone smoking marijuana, just leave it."


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## davefrombc (Apr 21, 2010)

Hemp, which marijuana is a strain of, doesn't contain the levels of thc that gives the pot high has many uses. It's fiber is stronger and longer lasting than cotton . The seeds are high in protein and high quality oil. Hemp was grown at onetime for its fiber, (recognize good old hemp rope?) and its seed for the oil for cooking , and the meal for food, both human and animal feed. The cotton and synthetic fiber manufacturers were among those pushing for the banning of growing hemp. At one time hemp rope was the best rope fiber , and played a big part of war supplies during WW I and WW II. 
You want to make something worth more than gold ? .. just make something people want , especially for recreation purposes, illegal . As I pointed out before , that was the case for liquor during prohibition, and would be for tobacco if it were banned now ..Legalize pot , make tobacco illegal and see what the gangs would drop and go into in a big hurry then .


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