QUIET SUMMER ON THE DUFFERIN POT FRONT

Dufferin OPP say they have had not been called in to eradicate an
outdoor marijuana grow-op this season, or made any arrests in that
regard.

It could be theorized that the cooler summer the area may have
discouraged the growth of pot, which ideally needs a constant
temperature between 18 and 27 degrees Celsius.

But that theory may have been blown out of the water by reports of an
outdoor grow-up uncovered last Thursday in Grey County.

The OPP Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau - Drug Enforcement Unit,
along with members of the Western Region Emergency Response Team and
Grey County Detachment uniformed officers executed a search on a rural
property in Georgian Bluffs township and found a grow with 1,740
marijuana plants that OPP said had an approximate street value in
excess of $1.7 million.The seized plants were mature.

A 40-year-old male was found on the scene and arrested. [redacted] of
Toronto was charged with production of marijuana and possession for
the purpose of trafficking.

In a previous press release, OPP pointed out that marijuana growers
look for the following areas: swamps, corn fields, wooded areas, along
rivers and rural rental properties with large acreage.

Once an area is located, growers will bring to the area large bags of
fertilizer, shovels, chemicals, pails and, of course, the marijuana
plants. The plants are planted and maintained by the growers over the
next five months while they mature.

Due to the heartiness of the marijuana plant, they only have to be
tended to about once every two weeks.

In late September or early October, the growers return to harvest
their plants, leaving the root of the plant behind.

For those unfamiliar with the plants, they are bright green in colour
and the leaves have seven jagged fingers.

They grow to between three and five feet in height and give off an
odour that resembles vegetation that has just been sprayed by a skunk.

Common indicators that a 'grow op' may be in your neighbourhood:
abandoned vehicles parked on side roads or trails; people observed
walking in remote areas for no apparent reason; bags of fertilizer,
planting trays or chemicals located in remote areas; well trampled
trails in wooded or swamp areas, and clearedout areas in swamps,
wooded areas or corn fields.