LOCAL COPS WEED OUT NEARLY 40,000 POT PLANTS IN JOINT-FORCES PROJECT

A joint police force initiative to eradicate marijuana has netted
almost 40,000 plants in and around Ottawa over six weeks.

Project Sabot is an annual effort that runs across the country,
targeting grow ops and eliminating pot distribution. Aerial patrols
locate and seize marijuana crops.

This year, the RCMP teamed up with the OPP, Quebec provincial police,
and the MRC des Collines to form the 2006 combined-services Marijuana
Eradication Team.

A total of 38,859 marijuana plants and 172 kilos of buds were seized
during the operation, which ran from Aug. 22 to Oct. 5.

"When we join forces, we're able to locate and seize more marijuana
plants than any one of our agencies would be able to manage on its
own," said Staff Sgt. Jacques Lemieux, of the RCMP drug section.

The RCMP is asking anyone with information about a marijuana grow op
to call