CITY GOING TO POT, COPS SAY

The alluring prospect of easy money has turned the city into a hotbed of
independently run marijuana-growing operations, according to police.

In 2000, Ottawa police investigated two marijuana-growing operations in the
city. Last year, 52 growing operations were discovered.

In the past month alone there have been three grow operations found in
Ottawa, two of which were unknown to police until they went up in flames
because of overloaded electricity systems, said Ottawa police drug unit
Staff Sgt. Bob Pulfer.

The growing operations have become increasingly sophisticated over the
years and often go undetected by police, who mainly rely on tips from the
public to track these illegal operations down.

No Decline In Sight

The deluge of marijuana growers in the city over the past few years is not
expected to dissipate any time soon, said Pulfer.

"We see no reason for this to decline," he said.

Marijuana cultivation is so lucrative that Canadian pot will generally sell
for between $4,000 and $6,000 a pound in the U.S. Independent growers --
those with no affiliation to organized crime gangs -- are taking advantage
of consumer demand and exporting their product across the border for a
handsome profit, said Pulfer.

It is not unusual for police to seize hundreds of marijuana plants from one
growing operation.

Each plant has an estimated street value of $1,000.

Organized crime gangs have turned marijuana cultivation into a
multibillion-dollar industry.

Marijuana growing operations may have started in British Columbia, but the
cultivation trend has moved east and they are now operating in cities like
Ottawa.

Found In All Areas

Pot-growing operations are not confined to certain areas of the city and
are situated in the most unlikely neighbourhoods, said Pulfer.

The public plays an essential role in the detection of growing operations
and is on the front line when it comes to sniffing these operations out.

But the federal government's plan to just fine those caught with less than
15 grams of pot is sending the wrong message to the public in regard to the
seriousness of growing or possessing the drug, said Pulfer.

The Canadian Police Association has said the legislation fails to provide
more resources to catch drug-impaired drivers and crack down on
marijuana-growing operations.