Kelowna

Kelowna RCMP broke up what neighbours believe was a meth lab in a massive home in Kettle Valley on Friday afternoon.

Notices from the City of Kelowna advising people not to enter a house on Chute Lake Road, about a block away from Chute Lake Elementary, were taped onto the doors of the home.

Neighbours who talked to Castanet were nervous about giving their names because they believe a house nearby is also connected to the busted house.

"There was no one home at the time," said one man who lives with his family on the street behind the Chute Lake Road house. "I don't think anyone actually lives there."

The neighbour says Friday afternoon an RCMP van, two RCMP cars, Fortis BC, a City of Kelowna inspector and an electrical contractor van showed up at the house and went in.

"You could see inside the garage, there were bits of drywall hanging off the walls," he says. "We think they were by-passing the hydro."

The neighbour added that residents have called the police numerous times about "an awful lot of funny business" at the house for several months. "(The RCMP) must have been watching the house for some time now."

The neighbour says crews removed paraphernalia and were in the house for about two hours.

"This is a brand new area," he says, adding the house was being rented and never sold due to the real estate downturn.

Another neighbour says she never expected this kind of thing to happen in Kettle Valley. "We moved here thinking we were safe, that the people here were good people. My neighbours are nice, but then this happens?

"It just goes to show crime happens everywhere."

A spokesperson for the RCMP was unavailable for comment. Watch Castanet.net for updates.

Link: Meth lab turns out to be a grow-op