MOUNTIES SEIZE 1,500 POT PLANTS IN SERIES OF RAIDS

MOUNTIES seized almost 1,500 marijuana plants -- 195 of them from an
underground bunker hidden beneath a home in the Rural Municipality of
St. Clements -- in a series of raids this week aimed at illegal
growers and organized crime.

Mounties from The Pas, Gimli and Winnipeg participated in the raids,
which started Monday and ended yesterday with charges against six
people for growing marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

The raids appear to back up police claims that in past months some
large-scale growers have moved out of Winnipeg and into the country,
where they attract less attention from police and nosy neighbours.

Until recently, grow operations were taken down by police almost twice
a week in Winnipeg -- more than 100 in each of the past two years.
Many of the operations have been linked to Asian crime gangs who,
according to police, come to Canada to grow pot to satiate the
lucrative drug market in this country and the United States.

Police have complained these groups set up shop here because of the
country's lax penalties for growing and selling dope.

In the most dramatic raid this week, 35 officers, including the
heavily armed emergency response team, descended Monday on a rural
home north of the city, where they found the underground bunker. The
90-square-metre three-stage grow room was entered through a trap door
located in the porch of the residence. Sgt. Steve Colwell said
officers found 195 marijuana plants and approximately one pound of dry
"bud" ready for packaging. Seized along with the marijuana was a large
quantity of growing equipment. A male suspect was arrested at the scene.

Colwell said that raid was followed up by two more the same day -- one
at 5418 Main St. in the RM of St. Andrews and the other at 12
Eaglemere Dr. in Winnipeg. It's not known what, if anything, was
seized at these locations.

The second major raid happened Tuesday in The Pas when officers
uncovered a 120-plant marijuana grow operation on Settee Avenue.
Police also seized 1.5 kilos of dried marijuana from a second
location. A 45-year-old man was arrested at the property.

In the third blitz, RCMP in the East Interlake raided three properties
Thursday in a co-ordinated operation. The first took place at 7:45
a.m. at 99082 Road 14 East in the RM of Rockwood. Police found more
than 300 plants in the small bungalow and arrested two adult males.

The second raid Thursday happened just after 3 p.m. at 9093 Huminicki
Rd., Road 16 East in the RM of St. Andrews. A search of the residence,
also a bungalow, netted Mounties 450 marijuana plants. Police also
arrested an adult male.

The third search warrant was executed just before 5 p.m. at a rural
property in the RM of Armstrong on Hwy. 17 near Arborg. Police
searched a bi-level style home and double garage and found 450 plants.
An adult male was arrested at the residence.

Each of the four men arrested Thursday has been charged with four
counts of cultivation and possession of marijuana for the purpose of
trafficking.