One man has pleaded guilty to three charges stemming from the September 2005 arrests of eight men in a grow-operation bust by police.

As the trial for all eight men began this morning, Zhu Dong Liang pleaded guilty, through a Cantonesse translater, to producing marijuana, stealing more than $5,000 in electricity and possession of cocaine.

The plea was entered after territorial Judge Karen Ruddy approved an amendment to the cocaine charge. Originally, Liang was charged with possession of cocaine for trafficking.

The agreed statement of facts on Liang's case notes that in July and August of 2005 RCMP noticed suspicious activity at 208 Falcon Drive.

People were seen working inside the house for short periods and then not there again for days.

'These people did not appear to live in the house, as there were rarely any lights on during the evening and night hours and there was an overall lack of activity at the house,' reads the five-page statement of facts, which was also accompanied by photos and a sketch of the house.

Condensation was seen forming inside some windows of the house and then on August 15, 2005 two men were noticed examining the electrical meter.

Through August and September two RCMP officers noticed windows of the home covered by blinds, a loud humming noise coming from an enclosure under the deck, and that the electrical meter and its cover had been removed and then placed back on the house.

After police contacted the Yukon Electrical Co., the crown corporation investigated and found the amount of power being used was more than how much was recorded on the metre.

'These observations confirmed that electricity was being diverted around the electrical metre and into the house,' reads the statement.

Police also learned an infrared thermal detection device was being used at the house to detect temperature. RCMP eventually got a search warrant for Sept. 22, 2005 to look for evidence related to marijuana production and theft of electricity.

Liang was found in the basement of the house along with another person and both were arrested. Two envelopes containing a total of 1.5 ounces of cocaine were found in Liang's pants, says the agreed statement of facts.

He was also listed as the sole tenant of the house and on the electric account.

In the basement, four 'grow rooms' were found and it appeared some pot plants in one room had been harvested and removed from the house.

Items seized by police included:

• 877 'very healthy' female marijuana plants;

• 39, 1,000 watt high pressure lamps;

• an electrical breaker panel which was connected to an illegal electrical diversion;

• three electrical timers used for timing the grow lights;

• a submersible hydroponic watering pump;

• nine fans;

• two large air filters which were used to filter the 'skunky' odour created by marijuana; and

• plastic pots, soil and a large number of fertilizers and nutrients for plants.

The equipment was estimated to be worth more than $20,935, with the plants estimated at about $275,000 if sold at between $2,500 and $3,000 per pound, the statement reads.

If the pot was sold by the ounce at between $250 and $300 per ounce, the pot would be worth at least $440,000.

After revoking Liang's bail, Ruddy put the sentencing to Thursday morning, though she won't be the judge who sentences the 45-year-old.

Crown prosecutor Noel Sinclair proposed that a different judge do the sentencing so that Ruddy isn't influenced as she begins hearing the trial for the remaining seven men.

Outside the courtroom, Sinclair said over the next three weeks the trial will deal with a number of motions from defence counsels over the admissibility of evidence in relation to search warrants of properties, a vehicle and forensics on the case.

Searches were conducted on a number of other houses at 22 Tigereye Cres. and 23 Black Bear Lane; then, around Sept. 26, at 86 Falcon Dr.; around Sept. 28 at 16 Sitka Cres. and finally around Sept. 29 at 41 Grouse Cres.

The guilty plea by Liang has helped simplify matters somewhat, said Sinclair.

'It's one less hurdle that needs to be jumped over,' he said.

After the motions are dealt with, a further three weeks have been scheduled in January to deal with the actual trial.

Also facing a total of 18 charges each are Kiu Tin Yeung, Guang Xian Zhu, Wei Min Zhai, Wei Xiong Wen, Jian Xiong Zhou, Min Shan Jiang and Kwok Yiu Cheung. The each face six counts of producing marijuana, possession of marijuana for trafficking and stealing electricity.

Wen is also charged with having property (more than $5,000) obtained by crime, while Zai is charged separately for failing to comply with a condition.

Before entering the courtroom this morning, spectators, lawyers and others were searched by sheriffs.

Ruddy was to consider whether to continue with the searches this afternoon.