“While most Albertans are focused on preparing for the holidays, it is clear our law enforcement personnel are still hard at work,” said Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security Fred Lindsay. “Medicine Hat residents are safer today because of the excellent work done by ALERT’s integrated policing teams.”

On December 17, the ALERT Medicine Hat Integrated Intelligence Unit and Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU) executed a search warrant at 119 Robinson Drive SE. The search of the residence revealed a sophisticated marijuana grow operation with 451 mature plants that had been harvested just hours prior to the execution of the search warrant. Police also discovered electrical and water bypass systems that allowed the setup to avoid detection.

Further investigation led to discovery of a second, related grow operation at 148 Somerset Way SE. Investigators executed a search warrant at this residence on December 18, and located 232 mature marijuana plants being supported by a sophisticated electrical, water filtration and ventilation system. Investigators also found another electrical bypass system.

No one was found at either residence and no arrests have been made at this time. The investigation is ongoing.

The Medicine Hat Integrated Intelligence Unit and CFSEU are integrated police teams made up of investigators from the Medicine Hat Police Service and the RCMP. They are part of the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT), an umbrella organization established by the Alberta government to bring together Alberta’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources to strategically tackle serious and organized crime.