POLICE: Grow op turned explosive leads to 22 charges

By Michael Wirischagin

Justin Douglas, 35, of Greenwood, BC, is facing numerous charges after police executed a search warrant on his property, on Aug. 19, 2010, located in the 100 - block of Gold Avenue.

Recovered from the property were nineteen sticks of dynamite, fifteen of which were bound together with a homemade fuse, along with three loaded weapons, and a hand grenade. A marijuana grow operation was also located within the house.

Kootenay Boundary Staff Sergeant Dan Seibel of the Nelson RCMP detachment says what initially led them to the bust in Greenwood was a phone call received from a residence in Greenwood in August.

“In mid-August the Grand Forks RCMP detachments sea container was broken into which was located outside the detachment,” explained Seibel. "Coincidentally, just prior to the b-and-e, we received a phone call from a residence in Greenwood, in which we responded to, that sent out all of our units from Grand Forks, ultimately leaving the Grand Forks detachment vacant for that period of time. Using plainclothes officers we were able to follow this up and it led us to Douglas.”

Stolen from the container were drug exhibits from the grow op with the bears in Fife and other drug busts. Douglas in now facing 22 charges and will make his second court appearance on October 19, in Grand Forks. Douglas was known to police prior to this incident.