POLICE DISMANTLING HUGE POT OPERATION

WINNIPEG police continued yesterday taking apart the largest indoor
marijuana grow operation ever found in the city.

Police now expect to have the building at 468 Ross Ave. cleared of the
10,000 plants and hydroponic growing equipment by tomorrow.

The two-story brick building near Isabel Street -- still under police
guard -- was raided by police early Thursday.

Officers have spent the past two days documenting what they discovered
and collecting forensic evidence.

Yesterday was spent dismantling the electrical system used to power
the grow system. It's believed hydro to the building was hooked up
illegally.

No arrests have been made. The building's owner, Kevin Saunders, was
unavailable for comment yesterday. Saunders has owned the building for
about four years, according to provincial documents.

He said he was renting out the building when he spoke to the Free
Press Thursday. He would not identify the renters. He declined further
comment.

The City of Winnipeg made an application earlier this year to put the
building up for a tax sale because property taxes haven't been paid
since 2000, according to Manitoba Land Titles records.

The building is still registered to a numbered company, 3857990
Manitoba Ltd., which provincial records show was dissolved in 2000.
The lone director, Stephen Alsip, is a former Winnipeg lawyer who now
lives in the Bahamas.

Police also confirmed yesterday the same building was raided Feb. 8,
2000. At that time, officers found about 1,000 marijuana plants.

Police would not comment on whether Thursday's raid and the one almost
five years ago are connected.