SEASON'S MARIJUANA HAUL PEGGED AT $6,583,000

More than $6.5 million in marijuana plants were found by drug
investigators during a five-day sweep of the area last month.

Members of the Kawartha Combined Forces Drug Unit conducted the sweep
Sept. 18 to 22 in Peterborough County, City of Kawartha Lakes,
Northumberland County and Haliburton Highlands with the assistance of
the OPP eradication helicopter.

The eradication program is an annual program funded by the province.
Each year the Kawartha region and the Huronia region receive the
helicopter for one week, said Det. Sgt. Dean Steinke of the OPP Drug
Enforcement Section.

Officers located and eradicated more than 23 marijuana plots with a
total of 6,583 plants, the drug unit stated in a release. The
estimated street value of the plants is $6,583,000, the unit stated.

Steinke said this year's findings weren't particularly high.

"I would say that (figure) is probably lower than last year's. We've
had years where we've seized 8,000 plants just in one grow," Steinke said.

The plants were located in cornfields, swamps and along creeks, with
the largest plot being 1,500 plants in a swamp in the
Galway-Cavendish and Harvey Township area, police said.

"Over the years we have spotters that are quite familiar with what
marijuana looks like. It is not indigenous of the surroundings. It
doesn't grow naturally so it does stand out," Steinke said.