$18 MILLION POT SEIZURE, SIX ARRESTED

A massive pot bust at a Laxton Township property could have turned
deadly very quickly after police confronted six armed men posing as
police officers.

On Sunday, members of the OPP Emergency Response Team (ERT) and the
OPP drug enforcement section were conducting a search of a
15,000-plant marijuana grow off Kawartha Lakes Road 45 near Head Lake
when OPP say six men dressed as police officers entered the grow site
in a truck. Police say they were armed with handguns and one
30-caliber rifle, and were dressed in tactical police gear, including
windbreaker-style jackets and shirts, marked with the word "Police."

In addition to the clothing, police say the men were equipped with
plastic badges and collapsible batons while one of the men wore a
bulletproof vest.

As the men were in the process of harvesting the plants, OPP say ERT
members surrounded the men, leading to an armed stand-off before the
men were taken into custody.

No shots were fired during the incident.

At a press conference outside the Coboconk detachment Monday, OPP
Detective Inspector Frank Elbers of the OPP drug enforcement section
said officers were aware of the grow beforehand but were surprised
when the six men arrived on scene.

"We were not aware the people would be showing up."

He says the grow was arranged in two plots: one with about 4,000
plants and another of about 12,000 plants.

The pot has a street value of roughly $18 million, OPP
say.

Deputy Commissioner Vaughn Collins, of the OPP's investigation and
organized crime unit, says the confrontation could have turned deadly.

"I expect they were seconds away from a gun fight that could have
resulted in injury or even death to officers of members of the public."

A section of Kawartha Lakes Road 45 was closed while police were on
scene.

Deputy (Comissioner) Collins said investigators are still looking into
possible links to organized crime but notes it is difficult to imagine
the grow not being associated with a crime ring, given the sheer size
of it.

The Head Lake grow is an example of the "proliferation" and increased
violent nature of marijuana grows, he added.

Police have still not said whether they believe the men grew the pot
or were merely trying to steal it from another grower.

"Our initial belief was that it was a rip-off attempt."

Deputy (Comissioner) Collins noted it is virtually impossible for
police to stay on top of grows in the province as criminals continue
to receive relatively light court sentences compared to a high return
on the crime.

"There are so many of them, they're right in our face all of the
time."

He estimated roughly 15,000 large marijuana grows currently exist in
Ontario alone, the majority indoors.

Growers have been known to pose as police officers in other areas, the
senior officer said.

After the six men were taken into custody, OPP say members of the City
of Kawartha Lakes detachment, the canine unit and the tactics and
rescue unit searched the area to make sure no more suspects were on
the property.

A pick-up truck and a delivery van were also seized during the
arrests.

Gordon Churchill, 50, Jody Churchill, 26, and Nick Churchill, 29, all
of Port Perry, and Shane Prince, 30, of Oshawa, Garfield Lefort, 27,
of Port Perry, and Philip Weddel, 28, of Uxbridge are all charged with
several drug and weapons offences as well as impersonating police
officers. They were scheduled to appear in Lindsay court yesterday
(Monday).

Mr. Churchill was charged in February 2000 after OPP were tipped off
to his Burnt River area property where police seized almost $250,000
worth of stolen property.

The home was later seized under Proceeds of Crime legislation -- the
first-ever time in Ontario.