BAD GUYS GOING TO POT

Top Cops Slam Light Sentences For Marijuana Grows

Organized-crime groups are combining forces because of "the
extraordinary money to be made,'' but police need more cash to fight
them off, says Toronto Chief Julian Fantino of a report released
yesterday on outlaw groups in Canada. Mobs and bike gangs are still
the most active groups as they move into hi-tech money-laundering and
increase their involvement in illicit marijuana-growing operations,
says the document prepared by Criminal Intelligence Service Canada.

"I don't think in this country people are aware of the seriousness
posed by grow operations," RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli said
after releasing the report.

"The highest level of criminal organizations are involved in this and
there are huge amounts of money being made," he said.

Fantino believes Toronto is a huge melting pot for all organized-
crime groups.

"They are all active and in some cases they cooperate with each other.
Now they work across traditional demarcations," he said.

STREET GANGS

"In a lot of cases you find there is cooperation amongst them because
of the extraordinary money to be made. And that's what drives
everything."

"We have the street gang situation, use of firearms and violence
associated with that," Fantino added. "We are very heavily challenged.
There are no added pools of resources I can draw on to do all the
things people expect from us."

Fantino said the rise of pot operations is especially frustrating
because they are becoming more pervasive and are being treated far too
lightly by the justice system.

"The sentences that these people are receiving in the courts are
totally and absolutely inadequate and in no way reflect the
seriousness of this particular and very difficult crime," Fantino said.

OPP Commissioner Gwen Boniface said, "In Ontario organized crime
exploits every gap and every opportunity and when they don't have to
work around boundaries they don't have to. There is only one reason
people get in this business and it is to make money."