GROW-OP BUSTS YIELD $6M IN POT

THREE WEEKS of raids on suspected marijuana grow operations have netted
police an estimated $6 million in pot and uncovered ties to organized
crime. Ottawa police and the RCMP seized 5,949 plants, about 45 kg of dried
marijuana, $451,000 worth of grow equipment and property, and $5,500 in
cash during the raids.

Twenty-four people were arrested and 80 criminal charges laid in relation
to the production of a controlled substance.

Dubbed Project MOTA, the drug sweep began in mid-April after public tips in
the wake of an international crackdown on an Ottawa-based drug cartel
identified 65 possible grow houses operating across the city.

After investigating each tip, police raided 21 locations that were
confirmed grow houses. They suspect at least eight of the 44 other
addresses had been grow ops at one time.

"We can't ask the public to help us with detecting crime unless we are
prepared to respond," said Ottawa police Staff Sgt. Marc Pinault. "We
depend upon people working with us by being vigilant about all crime within
their neighbourhoods."

According to Pinault, at least two of the grow ops are connected with drug
operations allegedly headed by 38-year-old Mai Le, who was arrested in
March during Project CODI.

150 ARRESTS

Project CODI resulted in more than 150 arrests across North America and
resulted in the seizure of more than $1 million in cash, 1,000 marijuana
plants and $100,000 in growing equipment and computers.

Pinault said the level of sophistication in many of the remaining grow
operations shut down in the past three weeks suggest connections to other
organized crime groups.

"We can still see some evidence of criminal organizations," said Pinault.
"You can't move that many plants or that much dope without transportation
in place and buyers and sellers."

Police said the 24 people charged were "farmers" who grow the marijuana and
are not believed to be the ringleaders of any criminal organizations.

"They are continuing to find people to take the hit for them," said
Pinault, adding the majority of the grow houses police raided presented a
risk to either the public or the growers.

Police say many of the grow houses had illegally bypassed electricity.
Police discovered a one-year-old child living in one mould-filled home
where 1,157 plants were being grown.

Pinault said it's too early to say if the two latest crackdowns have made a
dent in Ottawa's grow operations or if police have just snipped the tip of
the iceberg of Ottawa's pot industry.