Four people have been charged in connection with an “elaborate” opium poppy-growing operation in northeast Edmonton, police say.
Edmonton police said in an Oct. 14 statement that a search warrant had been executed at a property in July, where approximately 60,000 opium poppy plants were found growing behind the residence. The plants have a total estimated value of between $160,000 and $500,000.
During the two-day operation, officers also found additional poppy seeds and doda powder, which is made from grinding opium poppy seeds to create a type of tea with analgesic effects.
“An opium grow of this size is rarely encountered in Canada and even though there was no indicia of further processing, due to the volume of plants, it was likely being grown to be sold on the illicit market,” said staff Sergeant Marco Antonio of the Edmonton Drug and Gang Enforcement (EDGE) Section. …