FOLLOW THE POT TRAIL

Stolen Weed Bust Leads To Grow Op

These crooks should get a medal. Three men carrying garbage bags full
of stolen pot plants led police to a massive marijuana grow operation
yesterday morning -- the third major dope bust on the weekend.

In the past, police have urged Winnipeg home owners to watch for
indicators of potential grow-op houses in their neighbourhood, such as
high condensation around the windows, light timers and heavy traffic.
This time it's a little different.

"The thieves recognized the house as a grow house," said police Staff
Sgt. Doug Lofto.

Officers patrolling the North End tried to stop the three men -- who
were lugging six green garbage bags -- near Powers Street and Selkirk
Avenue about 5 a.m. yesterday.

When the officers approached, the men dropped the green bags and ran,
police said.

Police found mature marijuana plants in the abandoned bags. One man
was caught by officers while the other two escaped.

After an investigation, police learned the suspects had allegedly just
stolen the plants from a house at 218 Salter St. That house was being
used for a marijuana grow operation, police said.

The Winnipeg police vice unit found 176 marijuana plants, with an
estimated street value of $295,000. They also located hydroponic grow
equipment at the house.

Yesterday afternoon, the brown house at the corner of Burrows Avenue
and Salter Street was quiet. Unlike other recent grow op busts in
which neighbours were shocked by an illegal operation in their midst,
no one seemed shocked by yesterday's find on Salter.

One neighbourhood resident passing by the house said he didn't
understand why police were targeting marijuana grow operations.

"I don't see the problem with weed. It's a lot less deadly than
alcohol. You're not going to take out your whole family smoking weed,"
said the man, who asked not to be named.

The man said he was not surprised the grow operation was found in the
building.

"What's surprising is the cops go after it instead of busting people
peddling crack."

THIRD ON WEEKEND

Police were still looking for the owner of the house and the owner of
the drugs yesterday.

A 21-year-old man will be charged with break and enter, theft and
possession for the purpose of trafficking. He was released on a
promise to appear in court at a later date.

Yesterday's pot bust was the third one on the weekend.

Police stopped a car with British Columbia plates near Portage Avenue
and Camp Manitou Road for a burnt out tail light about 8 p.m. Saturday.

They found about nine kilograms of marijuana hidden in several places
in the vehicle, with an estimated street value of $90,000.

The 37-year-old driver from Kalmias, B.C., was taken into custody. He
will likely be charged with possession for trafficking purposes.

On Friday, vice unit officers executed a search warrant at 133 Spruce
Thicket Walk about 9 p.m.

Duty Insp. Roy Smith said an unknown number of marijuana plants and
some weed-growing equipment were seized.