Bears guarded B.C. grow-op: RCMP

Police in southeastern B.C. have raided a marijuana grow operation that was apparently guarded by black bears.

Officers conducting the raid two weeks ago at Christina Lake found a property with two residential buildings and a fenced-off grow-op with about 1,000 plants, police said Tuesday.

But they also found about 10 bears that the owner appeared to be using to keep people from stealing any pot plants, said RCMP Sgt. Fred Mansveld.

"[Officers] soon noticed the bears were docile and tame," Mansveld told CBC News. "One of them jumped on our unmarked car for a while. But it soon became apparent they were habituated to the grow operation."

It was evident the animals had lived on the property for some time, police said.

The woman accused of running the grow-op has been feeding the bears for years, one neighbour said.

Police are recommending that the woman face charges related to marijuana cultivation.

Conservation officers now have to decide what to do about the bears, which might have to be destroyed because they have become too used to human food and contact, police said.

Christina Lake is about 350 kilometres east of Vancouver.