POT EQUIPMENT SELLOFFS AXED

Drug dealers will no longer be able to buy equipment used to grow
high-grade pot from federal government auctions, Public Works Minister
Scott Brison announced yesterday. Brison said the feds have now
"frozen" the sale of equipment -- such as lights, fans and ventilators
- -- seized during drug raids.

The move comes after reports that drug dealers busted during an August
raid on a grow operation north of Toronto got their hands on hundreds
of pieces of equipment sold by Public Works in order to run an illegal
$1.1-million grow operation.

'IMMEDIATE FREEZE'

"When I became aware of the situation I decided to put an immediate
freeze on any transactions of this nature," Brison told the Commons.

"There will be no reselling of this type of paraphernalia or equipment
that is used in hydroponic grow operations."

Brison has also asked his department staff to review how Public Works
auctions are organized, how people get access to the goods and the
security around the events.

'DISHEARTENING'

The equipment police seized during the August raid was eventually
traced to other drug raids dating back to 1999.

York Regional Police Chief Armand La Barge, who raised the case,
called it "disheartening" to drug officers to seize equipment at a
raid, only to find that it had been seized before and made its way
back into the hands of criminals.

Brison's spokeswoman, Susan Murray, said the minister called La Barge
to inform him of the freeze.

"How this stuff got into the hands of criminals again is hard to say
. but it is not an acceptable situation," said Murray.