Illegal dynamite caches found in B.C.
RCMP in southeastern B.C. are looking for the source of two illegal caches of dynamite they uncovered in raids over the past week.
Officers were executing a search warrant Thursday at a home in Greenwood, located west of Grand Forks, when they found the first cache, according to Cpl. Dan Moskaluk.
"The suspects had actually taped a bundle of 15 sticks together with a homemade-style fuse. Two sticks were wrapped together with a homemade fuse and a third bundle of two sticks of dynamite as well were located," he said.
The officers also found a grenade, a loaded 12-gauge shotgun, two loaded rifles and some property that had been stolen from an RCMP storage locker in Grand Forks earlier in the month.
The house, which is located in the 100 block of South Gold Avenue, was also protected with a surveillance system that broadcast a live view of the front gate onto a 36-inch television inside the home.
James Douglas, 35, was arrested at the house and charged with various offences, including unlawful possession of explosives and possession of stolen property.
The RCMP's explosive disposal unit was called up from Vancouver to safely detonate the dynamite.
2nd bust at grow-op
Then on Sunday, police found four more sticks of dynamite during a bust at a grow-op in the nearby community of Christina Lake, located east of Grand Forks. Police also found about 230 marijuana plants and four firearms at the property on Dupee Road.
One man, Jason Wood, 33, was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of explosives, production of a controlled substance, trafficking, unlawful possession of firearms and unsafe storage of firearms.
The bomb disposal unit was once again called up from Vancouver to dispose of the dynamite. Moskaluk said the two busts raise questions about the origins of the dynamite.
"This incident marks the second time in a week that we run across unlawfully possessed explosives in the Kootenay area. We will look at determining it's origins and how these individuals came to possess it," said Moskaluk.
"This is not a common occurrence and is alarming to say the least. These individuals have no concern or thoughtfulness at all about the risk and danger that they put the general public in or to first responders," he said.