POLICE SEIZE HUNDREDS OF POT PLANTS FROM FIELD IN AMARANTH TOWNSHIP

Local drug enforcement officers thwarted a marijuana grow operation
Wednesday, confiscating more than $100,000 worth of plants in Amaranth
Township.

A crop of marijuana plants -- 113 plants in total -- was seized from
an open field on Fourth Line, near Fifth Sideroad, Sept. 17.

The street value of the marijuana plants have been tagged at $113,000,
says Const. Mark Taylor of Dufferin OPP.

"The amount found here is (substantial)," said Taylor, pointing to the
plants as officers hauled them into a truck.

Officers in an OPP helicopter spotted the crop while on a run over the
area; the helicopter has been used in several drug eradication
initiatives set out by police in this area in recent months.

Police have so far recovered more than $300,000 worth of plants this
summer alone; the last operation was conducted by officers in Caledon
nearly one month ago.

This bust was the result of the combined effort of several area police
detachments, including Dufferin OPP, the Caledon HEAT squad, the GTR
drug enforcement unit and Orangeville Police.

Taylor said police have laid no charges, nor attributed the plants to
any individual or group.

He says in many cases people living in rural areas are unaware that
grow operations are being set up. He said growers use existing
vegetation to shield the marijuana crops.

"A lot of the time neighbours don't even know it's there," said
Taylor. "Individuals use open fields because they are inconspicuous
and hard to find."

The plants were later taken to a construction site in Orangeville
where they were incinerated.