RAIN AFFECTS KENT CO. POT CROP QUALITY

RCMP In Midst Of Operation To Search For And Eradicate Plants

RICHIBUCTO - The daily deluge of rain and grey skies has made the
summer of 2008 one to forget, but the RCMP in Kent County sees a
benefit in all of the soggy weather.

Cpl. Jamie Melanson, who has served in RCMP District 5, based in
Richibucto, for 11 years, said yesterday this year's constant rain
has affected marijuana growing operations in Kent County.

"We're probably seeing an average amount of activity, but the plants
are of lesser quality because of the weather," Melanson said.

"Marijuana plants need a lot of sunshine and a lot of water. Earlier,
we had a stretch of real hot, dry weather and that wasn't good for
the plants and since then it's been nothing but water and that has
had an impact on the plants, too."

Staff Sgt. Gary Cameron, of Fredericton's J Division, said RCMP
throughout New Brunswick are in the middle of Operation Sabot, which
sees officers searching for marijuana plantations then eradicating them.

"We have a variety of methods for gathering intelligence and
surveillance, but we get most of our information through tips from
the public," Cameron said.

"We are constantly getting tips and we don't need names. People can
remain anonymous through our toll-free tips line or calling their
local detachment. These tips lead us to a lot of illegal activity each year."

In Kent County, where growing operations are often found hidden in
the region's vast forests, the marijuana harvest is still a few weeks
away. Melanson said the growers usually wait until the autumn weather cools.

He compared the marijuana crop to the apple harvest. After a frost,
sugar is concentrated in the fruit of the apple and the active drug
in marijuana (THC) is concentrated in the buds, meaning it is the
best time for harvesting.

"If we have a real heavy frost, the crop will die," Melanson said.
"After a rainy summer, the quality of marijuana has been affected.
Now, if we get a heavy frost early, the quantity will be affected."

The veteran RCMP officer said marijuana growers have changed tactics.
There are no more huge operations, like the one busted in nearby
Adamsville three years ago, when 19,000 plants were seized.

"Kent County is more than 50 per cent forest so they can plant five
plants here, five more somewhere else and 10 here and there," he explained.

"The plants are not all concentrated in one area. They are spread out
so they are hard to detect, but we are diligent and we still find a
lot of them thanks to tips from the public and our own surveillance."

Police have to be careful when looking for plants because growers
have been known to set traps.

"I have seen bear traps a couple of times and other times they have
set up cameras, small enough to fit in pine cones, so they monitor
who comes in and out of the forest. We have to be careful and do our
homework." Yesterday, as part of Operation Sabot, RCMP in District 9
(Restigouche-Chaleur) seized approximately 700 marijuana plants at
numerous locations throughout the district. That's enough to produce
approximately 350,000 marijuana cigarettes.