MARIJUANA GROW OP LARGEST IN CANADA

The Ontario Provincial Police are calling Thursday's drug bust on
B-Line Road near Pembroke the largest ever in Canada.

More than 40,000 plants were seized at the farm property at 1970
B-Line Road in Laurentian Valley Township over the weekend, with an
estimated street value of $40 million.

On Thursday, members of the Upper Ottawa Valley OPP Crime Unit,
assisted by the OPP Drug Enforcement Section and the Emergency
Response Team, executed a Controlled Drugs and Substances Act warrant
on the 200-acre farm.

Police said the marijuana was hidden between stalks of corn in a
field adjacent to a house and barn, and was fed by an irrigation
system of plastic pipe from a pond and above-ground swimming pool.

Some plants were in the process of being harvested, and a
double-garage behind the residence had been prepared for the drying process.

On Thursday morning, a Ministry of Natural Resources helicopter began
scouring the property, assisting the officers with the investigation.
Sgt. Paul Henry, unit commander of the OPP Drug Enforcement Section
in Ottawa, said the investigation was prompted by a tip received from
a member of the public.

Although no arrests have been made, he said police have suspects and
are following numerous leads.

Neighbours adjacent to the property said they rarely saw any movement
on the farm.

Besides the corn field, the property also contained a wooded area and
a creek. Sheep were also kept on the farm.

Police also seized two tractors, a combine and several other pieces
of farming equipment.

"It's one of the largest grows that I've ever encountered," said Sgt.
Henry, who has been with the section for 22 years.

In 2003, police seized 30,000 plants at a former brewery in Barrie, Ont.

"It's unbelievable how many of these grow ops crop up all over the
province," he said.

He said growing marijuana is a lucrative business because "there's
just an unbelievable profit that can be made."

"Unfortunately, the sentencing is very rarely used to its extent when
it gets to court," he said.

He said large-scale grow operations create problems for the Ontario
Provincial Police because they deplete resources.

Sgt. Henry said there were approximately 30 officers at the scene at
one point during the investigation on B-Line Road.

"It's very cumbersome financially and resource wise," he said.

The police released the crime scene Monday morning, and confirmed all
plants have been destroyed.