COP ON GROW-OP RAP

York Officer, Husband Charged After Home Raid

A YORK Region cop accused of having a marijuana grow op and cocaine in her
rural home has been suspended with pay. Const. Nadine Morcos was arrested
after colleagues reported seizing drugs in her husband's vehicle, police
said yesterday.

The arrest of Morcos, 34, who was transferred to the Richmond Hill
detective office last month in "an administration capacity," shocked
colleagues, Chief Armand La Barge said.

An eight-year member of the force, mostly on uniform patrol, Marcos
surrendered at No. 5 police station one day after investigators raided the
couple's home in the Town of Georgina and seized marijuana, cocaine, "other
controlled substances and drug paraphernalia," Const. Laurie Perks alleged
in a statement.

The amount of marijuana and other drugs was not revealed, but La Barge said
it was not as large as officers have seized from other York homes filled
with plants.

"This is very unsettling, not only for me as the chief, but for every
member of the force," he said in an interview. "Our service is made up of
dedicated people. When incidents like this happen, it has an impact on all
of us."

He said a thorough investigation is continuing.

Drug and vice unit officers obtained a search warrant for the couple's
house after cocaine, ecstasy, marijuana, a large number of steroid pills
and a small amount of hashish was allegedly found on Friday in a vehicle
driven by her husband, Perks said.

She said the officer's husband had just left his business, Herbal Health
Food in Newmarket, when officers pulled over his vehicle in nearby East
Gwillimbury. He was held in custody while investigators drove to the
couple's home.

Morcos was arrested by Professional Standards Bureau officers. She and her
husband, Andrew Marter, are charged with possession of a controlled
substance for the purpose of trafficking.

Marter, 36, faces a total of nine charges, including four trafficking
offences, four counts of possessing a controlled substance and one count of
producing a controlled substance.

Morcos was released and ordered to appear in court on April 19.