MARIJUANA BUST SETS RECORD

Valley Plantation Proves Extent Of Problem In Ontario, Canada: Police

Ontario Provincial Police say they shut down the largest marijuana
grow operation in Canadian history with the discovery last week of
plants worth as much as $40 million at a farm near Pembroke.

A police raid Thursday on the farm on B Line Road, just south of
Pembroke, found more than 40,000 marijuana plants growing between
stalks of corn and irrigated by a system of plastic pipes fed by a
pond and an above-ground pool.

Police worked through the weekend to harvest the crop, said Sgt.
Kristine Rae. While they haven't made any arrests, they are looking
for "persons of interest," she said.

Details of the raid, which was prompted by what police said was
"information received," were made public yesterday.

"This is the largest marijuana grow operation seen by the OPP since
the former Barrie brewery plant operation in 2003," said Supt. Frank
Elbers, director of the force's drug enforcement section. "This
indicates the extent of the illegal marijuana grow problem in Ontario
and Canada."

In the Barrie case, police seized more than 30,000 plants that had
been grown inside the abandoned brewery buildings.

Authorities commonly use an estimate of $1,000 per plant in
determining the street value of a seized marijuana crop.

Using the force's helicopter division, the OPP drug enforcement
section conducts yearly marijuana eradication programs in
co-operation with area OPP detachments and other police forces.

In the past four years, they have uncovered 2,486 marijuana grow-ops,
indoor and outdoor, and have destroyed 997,622 plants.

According to police, the vast majority of marijuana produced in
Ontario is destined for the U.S. in exchange for cocaine and cash.
This has resulted in an increase in cocaine use, especially crack
cocaine, and led to seizures in excess of 355 kilograms in the past four years.

Some plants at the Pembroke area farm had already been harvested and
a double garage behind the residence had been prepared to dry the crop.

Officers also seized two tractors, a combine and other farming equipment.

Sgt. Rae said the Pembroke plantation had not been protected by booby
traps, which are often used by growers to protect their crops.

Yesterday, the OPP urged people who come across any kind of marijuana
grow operation to be cautious. Sgt. Rae said the best course of
action is to stay away from the plants and call police.