TIDE IS HIGH ON PREVENTION

Province, Police To Host Summit On Growing Problem Of Pot
Plantations

Canada has a growing reputation as a marijuana supplier to the world,
and Ontario politicians are looking for ways to curtail the reefer
madness. Community Safety Minister Monte Kwinter announced yesterday
that his government and the province's police chiefs will co-host the
"Green Tide Summit" to combat illegal operations such as the 41 grow
ops Ottawa police dismantled last year with marijuana yields worth a
potential $14,089,000.

"The fact that organized crime is behind these operations is of grave
concern to police and the citizens of Ontario," Kwinter said. "These
groups are well organized, well financed and ruthless in their pursuit
of profits -- and we need to be just as relentless in our efforts to
put them out of business and send them to jail for an appropriate
period of time."

This year, Ottawa police drug officers have seized marijuana plants
with an estimated street value of more than a million dollars from
grow operations.

In the past month, police raided at least five grow operations of
varying sizes throughout the city. In one instance, an estimated 100
plants were being cultivated on the 17th floor of a Bayswater Ave.
high-rise, endangering the lives of everyone in the building.

These illegal operations are not confined to any one area of the city
and can be found in quiet suburbs, high-end neighbourhoods and rural
communities.

Neighbours are often surprised when they return home to find tactical
officers raiding the bungalow next door.

The mushrooming problem of grow operations prompted the summit, which
is set for March 4-5 in Toronto. It will be co-hosted by the Ontario
Ministry of Co mmunity Safety and Correctional Services and the
Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police.

In addition to participation from the various levels of government and
law enforcement officials, there will also be representatives from
public utilities and the private sector.

Ed Houghton, chair of the Electricity Distributors Association, said
the forum will give power providers an opportunity to address issues
of electricity theft, the safety of hydro employees and the cost to
equipment.

It will also give them a chance to determine ways to assist law
enforcement officers in identifying potential grow operations.

INVOLVED IN FIGHT

"All of us need to get together to understand each other's positions,"
Houghton said.

Ottawa deputy fire chief Bruce Montone said it is vital for all
organizations affected by grow operations to be involved in fighting
the problem.

A system is needed so private sector agencies and police can identify
potential grow operations early on, he said.

A Hydro Ottawa source said the public utility regularly meets with
police to discuss the issue of diversion of power and will disconnect
power at police request for safety purposes.

Ottawa police drug section Staff Sgt. Marc Pinault said a national
strategy must be developed to target grow operations and shut them
down.

GROW OP RAID RESULTS

Grow ops dismantled by Ottawa police in recent years
include:

- - 2000: Police raided two grow ops, seizing $487,000 worth of
marijuana.

- - 2001: Police raided 30 grow ops, seizing $9,104,000 worth of
marijuana.

- - 2002: Police raided 52 grow ops, seizing $14,487,925 worth of
marijuana.

- - 2003: Police raided 41 grow ops, seizing $14,089,000 worth of
marijuana.