WEATHER HAMPERS MARIJUANA ERADICATION

Tips Have Assisted With Seizures

Tillsonburg News -- Weather has hampered the Ontario Provincial
Police's annual marijuana eradication campaign.

Constable Mark Foster of Norfolk OPP said the OPP helicopter was
scheduled to be in Norfolk to assist with aerial spotting of illegal
crops. Mechanical problems with the helicopter and rainy weather
resulted in no air time over Norfolk.

"You can't fly when it's raining to do the type of work we're trying
to do," Foster said.

Public tips have assisted with other seizures throughout the summer.
With the exception of seizing 527 plants in former Townsend Township,
most of the seizures have been small. OPP Const. Dennis Harwood said
there have been no large plantings of illegal crops found yet this
year by Oxford OPP either.

He said it's nearing the time of year when there starts to be more
activity in the fields.

"It's nearing the end of the growing season," Harwood said.
"Certainly the idea is to get the marijuana before the combines do."

If people have information on the location of marijuana plantations
in rural areas, Harwood asked they contact either Crime Stoppers or
their local police. He said the public's assistance is instrumental
in assisting police to find the illegal grows.