GREEN DAYS RETURNING

Marijuana harvest season is in full swing, which means drug cops are
also out in force hoping to stem the tidal wave of weed hitting the
streets this fall.

The Central North Drug Unit -- which covers a massive area in the
heart of Ontario -- has eradicated 34 plots in Simcoe County,
including almost 21,000 plants, since June. That's in addition to the
5,100 plants in Muskoka District, 1,500 in Dufferin County and 200 in
Peel Region.

The estimated street value so far this growing season is more than
$27.6 million. That's one of the best years on record, says unit
commander Staff Sgt. Clint Hunter.

"This year's increase was over 200%," said Hunter, who took over the
unit in May. "Every year, (our) guys get a little more experience and
they get a little better at it."

Police have arrested and charged 20 people this year in relation to
four of the 50 marijuana plots, and eradication efforts will continue
this month.

In 2008, Central North Drug Unit officers descended upon 17 marijuana
plots and seized 3,000 plants, but no one was arrested or charged.

"The problem hasn't gotten any smaller," said Hunter, who has been a
police officer for 24 years. "It's a significant issue, and it's not
going away. We devote a lot of resources -- time and money -- to the issue."

But it also begs the question: what happens to the plants? For
security reasons, Hunter said he was unable to provide a location or
speak specifically about disposal techniques, because criminals could
benefit from that information.

The drug unit's eradication program typically begins in June, with
the search for seedlings and young plants -- which can be more
difficult to find due to their size -- to the harvest season in early
fall when the plants are fully grown and easier to spot.

Due to Simcoe County's large rural area, it's "rife" with marijuana
plantations, Hunter said, although he added that city landscapes,
such as Barrie, are just as likely to have marijuana plants growing
somewhere outdoors.

"This is not about a person smoking a doobie in their backyard,"
Hunter said. "It's about big business.

"The province of Ontario is a rich playground for the bad guys," he
said, adding dope plants have been found everywhere, from apple
orchards and cornfields to just off the beaten track near heavily
padded hiking trails. "There's a lot of money to be made and it's
shipped across the world."

Det.-Const. Jason Dorion, a member of the Barrie police drug unit,
said local officers don't encounter a lot of outdoor marijuana
grow-ops, simply due to a lack of open space for such criminal
activity. "However, we do expect that to change as we expand towards
Innisfil," Dorion said.

The city is expected to increase by more than 5,600 acres in the
south end next year if boundary adjustment legislation passes at
Queen's Park. Most of the land Barrie would acquire is rural.

City police are more likely to bust a residential grow-op than a
field full of pot inside the city limits, although there have been
some smaller grow-ops uprooted in residential backyards, Dorion said.

Barrie police also found a small grow-op -- 21 plants -- near Little
Lake on Sept. 16, but Dorion said that's a drop in the bucket
compared to what provincial drug officers deal with.

The Central North Drug Unit's geographic coverage area includes
Simcoe and Dufferin counties, Muskoka District and parts of Peel
Region. Essentially, it stretches from Huntsville down to the Peel
Region-Toronto border in the Caledon area. From east to west, it also
goes from this side of Lake Simcoe over to the Meaford area where a
different unit then takes over responsibility.

The unit -- which includes assigned enforcement officers in addition
to officers based at specific detachments -- is deployed out of
Orillia. It also includes officers from Rama police and the City of
Kawartha Lakes.

Specialized officers are also brought in from the tactical support,
emergency response and canine units to help with some of the
grow-ops, many of which can be booby-trapped or patrolled by armed
guards, Hunter said.

Helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft are also used to locate marijuana
plots, but it's strictly eyes in the air, Hunter said. Infrared
imaging isn't being used yet.

"My officers are well-trained using the necessary tools available," he said.

Public assistance is critical, Hunter said, but people must also use
common sense.

"If anyone comes across a grow, they need to back off and get us the
information as soon as possible," he said.

That information can be relayed through at 1-888-310-1122.

Harvest numbers at a glance

Between June and September, police officers with the Central North
Drug Unit have been out searching for marijuana plants. So far, 50
plots have been eradicated in Simcoe and Dufferin counties, Muskoka
District and Peel Region. The breakdown is as follows: Simcoe County
- -- 34 plots: 20,790 plants Muskoka District -- six plots: 5,102
plants Dufferin County -- three plots: 1,516 plants Peel Region --
seven plots: 216 plants Total -- 50 plots: 27,624 plants Estimated
street value: $27,624,000