BUILDING SUPERINTENDENT CHARGED

High-Rise Grow-Op: Councillor To Hold Meeting On Health, Safety Of
Tenants

The superintendent of a Jane Street high-rise was named yesterday as
a player in one of the largest marijuana grow operations in Toronto's
history, with plants spread out over 22 apartment units.

Building superintendent Daniel Wallace, 37, and two other men were
charged in the operation, which saw at least one-sixth of the
building's units turned into a vertical farm.

At a news conference yesterday, police described an ''extremely
lucrative'' business, that produced high-quality marijuana.

''As far as 20 in one apartment building, I've never been to one that
size,'' said Detective Sergeant Dave Malcolm, who compared it to the
industrial sized grow-op discovered in a former Molson brewery near
Barrie last year.

Police originally went to 2600 Jane St. on Wednesday, with warrants
to search five apartments for marijuana operations. By the end of the
day, they had raided 22 units, on nine floors of the 117-unit, 13-
storey high rise.

The raids uncovered about 6,000 marijuana plants, worth more than $6-
million, and 30 pounds of dried marijuana, worth about $45,000.

The operations required 1,000-watt light bulbs, massive webs of
electrical wires, ventilation systems to ensure the smell was not
detected from within the building, and a watering system that
included hoses hooked to the shower.

Toxic liquids from the fertilizer were being drained into the city's
sewer system through the kitchen sinks.

Police say the toxic fertilizer, as well as spores floating through
the air and mould and moisture damage made the apartments unlivable,
and may have caused health concerns for others in the building.

Mr. Wallace was arrested for conspiracy to commit an indictable
offence. Toronto's Tat Thang Nguyen, 35, was charged with conspiracy
to commit an indictable offence and five counts of both producing and
possessing marijuana. Dihn Pham, 46, of Toronto, was charged with
conspiracy to commit an indictable offence and one charge of both
producing and possessing marijuana.

All three men appeared at Old City Hall yesterday. Police expect to
make more arrests.

One resident, whose apartment was across from one of the grow-ops,
said he had seen at least ''five couples,'' of male and female Asian-
Canadians entering the apartment over the past few months.

''It's no surprise they were arrested. I'm surprised it took so
long,'' he said, refusing to give his name because he feared for his
safety.

''We all knew what was happening. Everybody knows. Anyone who says
they don't is afraid.''

Toronto Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti announced he would hold an
emergency community meeting today.

''Are tenants safe in the building? Do tenants have to be moved?
There are too many questions that need to be asked with respect to
the health and safety of the community,'' said a letter he released
yesterday afternoon.