PROVINCE HANGS SALE SIGN ON POT HOUSE

OSHAWA -- A home on a quiet suburban street that once housed a
half-million-dollar marijuana grow operation has been seized by the
province and will be sold to help victims of crime.

Durham cops dismantled the drug den in 2005, and after 18 months of
legal wrangling, the Ontario government has taken possession of the
bungalow at 208 Severn St. -- near Thornton Rd. N. and Adelaide Ave.
W. -- under the Civil Remedies Act and placed a "For sale" sign on
the front lawn of the property.

Police raided the home on suspicion of hydro theft and found more
than 500 pot plants stuffed into the basement. They also found an
illegal hydro bypass in the home.

Det. Cindi Bradley said the owner of the home was found guilty and
received a nine-month conditional sentence and two years probation --
meaning he never served any jail time.

Since November 2003, the province has collected $2.6 million through
such forfeitures and currently has $8.7 million in assets frozen under the act.