BAD NEIGHBOURS

Criminals Spread Drug Operations Into Suburbs

Winnipeg's upscale neighbourhoods are going green.

We're not talking about geothermal heating units, open concepts and
non-toxic paint in eco-friendly homes.

Nestled in these quiet suburbs are some of the largest indoor
marijuana grow operations busted in Winnipeg this year, keeping with
trends that have seen larger, expensive homes used to grow massive
amounts of dope.

What's new is the grow ops are more sophisticated and larger than
those of even a year ago, said Sgt. Kerry Baldwin of the Winnipeg
police green team.

"These are not ma and pa grow operations," he said. "On average,
they're about 30% bigger than last year."

The green team investigates and dismantles indoor and outdoor
operations, which come in all sizes and all neighbourhoods. With
dozens of cases completed and more on the go, the team has no shortage
of work in 2008.

So far the unit has seized 58% more marijuana plants in 2008 compared
with 2007, Baldwin said.

As of Wednesday, at least 69 grow ops have been discovered in the
city, about the same as last year.

Last week alone police seized $5.3 million worth of plants from four
homes in Garden City, Whyte Ridge and River Heights.

Growing dope is a lucrative, multi-billion industry. Organized crime
groups are usually at the root of it.

Baldwin said police are paying close attention to an emerging concern
- -- human trafficking.

"It's probably a side of it that I don't think anybody's really talked
about," he said.

There have been several examples of people being recruited by Asian
crime groups in B.C. or elsewhere and shipped to Winnipeg to tend to
grow ops. Those people may not even realize they're victims of human
trafficking, Baldwin said.

WELL-INSULATED

One of the best-known examples was revealed in 2005 when RCMP raided a
massive dope farm near Sundown, where 28 Asian immigrants were arrested.

The masterminds behind large operations are rarely caught because they
tend to be well-insulated. The people who are arrested are usually
hired hands, who often don't reveal who they are working for, Baldwin
said.

A nightmare is left behind for the landlord or next owner -- from
widespread mould and poor air quality to structural damage and
electrical hazards.

Realtor Hannon Bell remembers the first time he walked into a former
grow house.

"There was staining on the carpet, there was a very heavy smell of
something and it felt like the whole house was a sauna," said Bell, a
realtor with Coldwell Banker National Preferred.

He listed the house but didn't know its sordid past until a neighbour
called.

Bell said he was up-front with interested buyers and told them it was
a former grow house. In the end, someone bought and renovated it.

"If (buyers) have any sort of funny suspicions, just be up-front and
ask (the realtor) off the bat if it was a grow house. If he doesn't
know, he should ask the vendor," Bell said.

Talking to neighbours is another good idea, Bell said.

For more information about grow ops, go to
www.winnipeg.ca/police/drug_awareness/marihuanagrowop.stm.

*SIDEBAR*

Lights on, nobody home

Winnipeg police say they are usually tipped off by neighbours who
suspect something odd is going on next door or across the street. Here
are the most common signs of a grow op:

- - Residents visit the home occasionally for short periods.

- - Large fans, lights, plastic plant containers, soil and other
equipment are carried into the house at odd hours.

- - The exterior of the property appears untidy.

- - People usually enter through the garage door, instead of the front
door, to conceal activities.

- - Garbage containing used soil and plant material is discarded in
surrounding areas.

- - Windows are covered to prevent light from entering the home and to
conceal activities.

- - Bright light can be seen escaping from windows, and windows are
often covered in condensation.

- - Hydro meters are tampered with.

- - Sounds of construction and ventilation fans can sometimes be
heard.

- - The growing marijuana produces a strong skunk-like odour that can be
smelled outside the home.

If you suspect a grow op is in your neighbourhood, don't put yourself
in harm's way. Call police at 986-6222 or Crime Stoppers at 786-8477