POT GROW OPS KEEPING POLICE, FIRE BUSY

Ottawa police found 340 marijuana plants after firefighters cleared
the smoke from a Nepean home that caught fire last week.

The police arson squad has also been investigating last Thursday's
fire at 52 Sullivan Ave., southeast of Meadowlands Dr. and Woodroffe
Ave. Investigators believe the electrical setup used to power the
grow lights may have caused the blaze.

No arrests have been made in connection with the grow op, which used
a hydro bypass to conceal the amount of electricity the house was using.

Staff Sgt. Pete Gauthier, head of the drug squad, said detectives
have some good leads on who might be responsible for the grow op. He
noted that just because someone is listed as an owner of a house
doesn't mean that person is responsible for the drugs.

Firefighters initially had to pull out of the house after stumbling
upon the grow op in the basement. They had to reassess their response
since they didn't know what materials were in the basement.

Officials estimated the damage at $75,000 to the building and $10,000
to the contents.

It was one of three grow ops found in Ottawa that day.

The drug squad also busted an 84-plant grow op on Edgecliffe Ave., in
the Carlington area, and made two arrests.

Police found a 320-plant grow op on Cooper Hill Rd., north of
Metcalfe, and 2 kg of marijuana shake. There have been no arrests.

Gauthier said the three grow op discoveries are not related.

"It just happened we were working on the information the same day," he said.

With up to 250 marijuana grow ops in Ottawa at any given time,
Gauthier said his team could be making multiple busts each day, but
they have to concentrate on the most important cases.

It seems grow operators are becoming more cunning each year.

"They seem to be taking more caution," Gauthier said.

He said pot growers are also using different ventilation systems,
making it more challenging for cops to locate the indoor grow ops.