By CBC News
RMCP in North Vancouver say they have busted an outdoor marijuana grow-op, but despite having photographic evidence of the suspects amongst the plants, they won’t be able to press charges.
Police say they first got a tip that three men appeared to be unloading marijuana seedlings from a pick-up truck on Mount Seymour Road on June 22.
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Then three days later the RCMP bicycle patrol located an outdoor grow operation hidden in the forest, complete with about 66 plants, potting soil, pots, water and fertilizer.
A search of a nearby vehicle, which was linked to the original suspect, also turned up a camera, with photographs of the original suspect and others standing amidst the grow-operation.
But despite the photographic evidence none of the men were charged, because the photos were not enough evidence to make a case in court.
Cpl. Peter DeVries said the case demonstrates the “daunting task police face in gathering enough evidence to successfully prosecute criminals for the offences they commit.”
“In this case, even photos showing the suspects standing among the marijuana plants was insufficient. Demonstrating that a suspect had both knowledge that the plants were in fact marijuana, and the intent to grow and distribute it, requires more than simply a photo showing him standing next to them.
“Notwithstanding the police’s inability to secure a charge in this case, the fact that this batch of marijuana will never make it to the street helps in the effort to thwart some of the more insidious crimes associated with drug trafficking,” he said.