What's new
  • Happy Birthday ICMag! Been 20 years since Gypsy Nirvana created the forum! We are celebrating with a 4/20 Giveaway and by launching a new Patreon tier called "420club". You can read more here.
  • Important notice: ICMag's T.O.U. has been updated. Please review it here. For your convenience, it is also available in the main forum menu, under 'Quick Links"!

Diary of a Hydro Raid

G

Green Supreme

Alright so I have a joint rolled and a bottle of water as well as some time so here we go.

The house is a small 2 bedroom main floor with a basement. I had a 10 x 14 foot flower room with 5000 watts of HPS. I had a double swamp cooler and a 2500 cfm exhaust fan. There were 2 Wing Devil fanx on the floor and a hepa filter. I had a Can100 cleaning the air in the room with the appropriate can fan.There were usually between 17 and 25 six foot plants in 5 gallon pots.

My veg room was 10 x 10 with one 1000 watt MH and 2 400 watt MH's. I had a 20 inch industrial fan on the floor moving the air. There were about 100 plants in veg at any given time, spread amongst about 45 strains. I also had at least 1 tray of 40 cuts covering 5 different strains at any given time. Rooted cuts went into 1 gallon pots for a month, then were transplanted to 2 gallon for a month and last into 5 gallon pots before going into flower. I do a perpetual harvest so there are always many stages of growth.

Spare bedroom upstairs was drying room it had an oil heater and Can50, I think with the appropriate fan to remove smell.

The house used about $695 in power every 2 months. Seems this was the limit for this house.
 
G

Green Supreme

At the end of June I got a notice from the city saying that the hedge out front had to be trimmed as it was badly over grown. I have neither the tools nor the skills for such a job, so I called the landlord. He said he would come deal with it one day. He phoned one day and said he was coming over and asked for a power cord to be left out through the mail slot. He came over and worked on it for 5 hours that day even going on the roof. So glad I was there to shut down the exhaust fan. 3 day later I get another note from the city about the hedge. I was there at the time so I ran out and asked the fellow what was up. He said there was still 6 inches of side walk that was covered. I asked if he had noticed that a trim was already done and he told me someone must have complained. He said sidewalk must be completely clear to 8 feet up. I called the landlord and he came back, this time a further 4 hours and complete raping of the hedge. Couple weeks later my bill comes and for that 2 month period I have suddenly used $985. In power. $300 more than usual. Oh my gawd. This ends the set up part of all this. Peace GS
 
G

Green Supreme

So I get the cop knock at my door. I have a friend from out of town staying with me and I look at him and say oh oh. I open my peep hole the there are 4 people at the door. The front guy tells me BC Hydro, my local power company, has turned me in for high power consumption. He wants to come in and examine the power box. I said I don`t see anything in the way of a warrant so I don`t think so. He informed me that that was not necessary and that is why this route is chosen. I say ok well not much for me to say then. The 4 people were 2 hydro workers, an animal workers and a cop. He asked when we examine you panel are we going to find a grow. I said yes. He said is it a med grow, I answered that I had been speaking to a lawyer about it the day before. This was true, although I was not trying to become legal, just stating that a med program is divide and conquer for weed peeps. Anyways my med view have little to do with all this. He said well this is how it will go then. We are going to chop your plants and your power and leave. I said right this way, not giving them any chance to examine the main floor. As we came down the stairs I had a small angry plant Black Seed x Nigerian I had just recently received in a beer cup on the drier. The animal worker stated if this is any indication what this grow is like this will be interesting. Time for another break. Peace GS
 
O

organizedcrime

rename this to diary of a dumbass becuase you let them in without a warrant. the worst that would have happened if you had denied them entry is you chopped everything, dismantled your grow, and moved out. or stayed and dealt with your pissed off landlord b/c your power is disconnected. either way its a severe impingement of your rights, they shouldnt be able to cut your power for no reason but they threatened you and you let them in. you could have dismantled and cleaned up and then got a good lawyer and called a couple papers and told them you are being unlawully discriminated against b/c of your private power usage and told them they threatened to turn off your power w/o any evidence. the entire EFSI program is fucked up and is a severe impingement on people's freedoms. if we have any left.



btw ive been a dumbass once before and never again. hope you learned your lesson and it seems like you came out scot free so take it well and learn from it.
 
G

Green Supreme

So soon as you get into the basement the panel is visible. He asked if I altered anything and I told him an electrician friend had put it together. I had a timer board made with a Intermatic T-104 timer hooked to the stove outlet. My ballasts sat open on the burners of the basement stove except one, which was in a box on the fridge. Wires ran from the kitchen into the flower room for the bulbs. One hydro dude followed the wiring, the other asked me who my friend the electrician was and we all laughed. As one of them said , like I was gonna say. They looked into the packed veg room in shock. I told them the saddest part about this is that there are 45 strains in there and some will never be recovered again. Was funny I actually saw shame on their faces.
 
G

Green Supreme

Cuz the laws are same as you area everywhere right. LOL. Thanks for your input, very helpful. Peace GS
 
O

organizedcrime

I'm talking about Vancouver. You fucked up. No matter where you live, you never let a cop in without a warrant. EFSI bullshit or not if you got plants chilling in the basement or not never let them . let them cut the power off and clear out. Its better than them seeing the plants and confirming that you grow. and your sarcasm aside i dont know what better advice you will get than what I've already told you: NEVER LET THE COPS IN . if theyve got a warrant they dont need to ask you for permission. and as for the hydro workers they can take their EFSI shit and jam it up their ass. your a renter, you can easily pack up your belongings and move out. if you search news articles in the Sun or Province you'll see standard procedure for this type of thing is the grower clears plants out, dismantles, and moves out. Usually I bet they keep their plants, not smart, but I doubt VPD is going to surveil a 6kw grow.

btw can you confirm if this was a legitimate EFSI inspection or some sort of spinoff for vancouver? b/c i didnt realize Vancouver had an EFSI program.
 
G

Green Supreme

Would rather risk what happened than assume I was not being watched and get someone else involved by moving my problem to theirs. Anyways, would you prefer I stopped this thread? Peace GS
 
G

Green Supreme

Then another officer in full uniform with a gas mask entered and started cutting the veg plants. Meanwhile,the wire following hydro guy and the head cop from the front door went to check the flower room. Me, the other hydro dude and the animal control lady waited near the back door. She looks at the garbage bags by the door and her face drops, "Is that all bud?". No, used dirt I laughed. The guys come out of the flower room,"Man never seen one like that before. Lotta empty space in there". I was like sounds like you are trying to pigeon hole me into a wrong category. "Where's the CO2?" Again I say you are trying to pigeon hole me. I was like what are you folks going to do when cannabis is legal. The head dude say, "Oh they will always have work for me." Wire chaser says, I am gonna grow weed everyone will. I say, well not everyone makes booze and its legal. I then turned to them, "I bet you all drink booze, huh?" Again I see shame. They say you should get a med grow going, you seem to be good at what you do and you will be safer. I said I doubted being legal would mean I would be safer. I mean booze and alcohol are legal and you almost never hear of anyone stealing that shit. LOL.
 
GeorgeSmiley

GeorgeSmiley

Remembers
Veteran
F@ok no don't stop. No matter what anyone says or what you did right or wrong it's important to other to read.

My 2 loons
 
G

Green Supreme

I am sure they don't encounter may folks in this situation that remain as calm as I was, because they asked me all kinds of grow question. I did my best to answer. I figure curiosity is a step toward acceptance. By then the masked officer was done and moved on to the flowering plants. Took him maybe five minutes. Then they chopped power and shut off the gas. I let them out the basement door and locked it , then walked up stair. I looked out the window to see the masked officer walking toward a 5 ton cube van with 2 contractor bags. Not what they were expecting I guess.They left a sign on the front door saying the house was not fit for occupancy because of an illegal grow. The raid portion was over. No charges laid.

ps.They took nothing but the power,gas and the live plants. Upstairs the drying room and all my jars were intact.
 
G

Green Supreme

So this becomes mine and my friends first chance to discuss it all. We both agree its all very surreal. I was like are you ok. He said ,I was once I heard you laughing down there. Seems after a bit the head guy came up and asked him questions. Nothing too deep just name and what are you doing here kinda thing. Then my buddy educate him on Rick Simpson and how cannabis oil was saving his life. He said he laughed because the whole time they had to listen to iriefm.net on my computer``Jamaica`s number one reggae station``. I said let`s go puff with Marihuanaman and off we went.
 
Moneygrowonweed

Moneygrowonweed

Member
Ok you said cops hydro and animal control Right? Sorry this might be dumb but are you calling the the water company hydro or power don't no the term. So did you have to move out?
And just to say OG was right if they did not have a warrant then they were fishing for info but also sounds like a full set up they knew you had a dog hints animal control for there safety cop for there protection and hydro i guess to shut off power.
For the future if they ask to come in say no no matter what they say to you. Only if they have a warrant let them in but then they won't be asking.If they don't have a warrant then they are just guessing and hoping to get lucky. First rule learn your right and use them to your advantage Talk to a lawyer ask them of what i have said if you were never late on your bills and always paid your power bill on time not late not even once. then what they did was illegal and you could have destroyed them in the court. like i said ask a lawyer.
 
T

thc43

Active member
Veteran
"the hydro" if simular to my local would be the power company, from holiday photos canada looks like a a perfect country to dam and use for power..

The damage is done now GS lets hope you dont spend too much cash on staying safe and out of future trouble.. so they left you with the equipment that says alot if so, hopes for fine only and happy growings ahead once things cool down.. Although you should be ok until sentence date cant imagine they would risk the first case on a second posiability they may be plants at your home again.

Gl dude i hate this shit reminds me of my knock on the door, didnt come home until 14months later.. fuck that at 21
 
G

Green Supreme

Ok for those of you that are unaware some years back most communities in the lower mainland passed legislation allowing "Fire inspections" or "Hydro safety inspections". Fire inspections involved a fireman, hydro worker{Power Company}, a cop and an animal control officer. Hydro safety is Hydro worker, cop and animal control at least. The city of Surrey for instance claims to have removed 75% of grows in this manner. Peace GS

ps. Like I said no charges laid. What lawyer do you mean?
 
T

thc43

Active member
Veteran
really no charges at all thats quite suprising, it wouldnt go down like that in OZ. sorry bud i assumed there was charges laid with the plant numbers you had and its pretty clear this wasnt your first grow.

Take it easy
Thc
 
C

cannabi

Member
I wouldn't doubt that charges will be filed later as soon as your turn comes around if this is all true. They do have a backlog of cases that must be dealt with through the busy holiday season. Sorry about your luck.
 
G

Green Supreme

This is not my first raid in this city, others were with warrants. My first was 2003 and still no charges laid I believe the statute of limitations on that ran out last year. Peace GS.
 
G

Green Supreme

Ok so on to a bus and off to Pottv offices. We arrived and Marihuanaman asked how I was doing. I said not bad for a guy just busted. Seems one of the most frequent reactions is disbelief. We puffed a few joint then I ask Marihuanaman if they have had many growers just busted in here right after busts. He said you would be surprised how often it happens, but usually the growers are askin for weed to puff not getting him high lol. Hung around for a bit then back home. We spent the night in the house. For these purposes if not any others it is worth having a house with a fireplace. That and an oil lamp and nights not so bad. Peace GS
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Latest posts

Top