GROW-OP RAID FOLLOWUP DELUGES POLICE WITH TIPS

Two months after police raided homes and businesses across North America,
including an Ottawa business alleged to be a money-laundering operation,
Ottawa police say they have followed up on a deluge of marijuana grow
operation tips.

Police received tips about 65 locations. Over a three-week period, they
executed search warrants at 21 locations and eliminated another 44
locations because of insufficient information.

The investigations under the follow-up project being conducted by Ottawa
police and RCMP wrapped up yesterday. In all, 24 people face 80 charges.
Almost 6,000 marijuana plants worth about $6 million were seized, police
said, along with $5,500 in cash and $451,000 in equipment and property as
well as 45.4 kilograms of dried marijuana. In one house where marijuana was
being grown, a one-year-old child was found and turned over to child
protection officials, say police.