YORK POT HOUSES TARGETED

Electricity sellers have joined forces with York Region cops to pull the
plug on an "epidemic" of marijuana growing operations in private homes. The
aim of Operation York Connection is to catch pot growers who are stealing
thousands of dollars worth of hydro to provide light for their marijuana
plants, police said yesterday, two days into the two-week project.

Officers weeded out 160 marijuana operations in York Region homes last year
and charged 221 suspects.

Markham, where the power company estimates one in every 100 homes is a pot
house, had the most operations in York, with 75.

Power company staff are often first to spot signs of a home converted for
pot grows.

"These marijuana grow operations attract crimes such as robberies, home
invasions and even murder to our residential neighbourhoods," York police
Chief Armand La Barge said.

Homes are being booby-trapped in an attempt to thwart police raids, he said.
Once the pot is harvested, the usually rented homes are left full of mould,
dry rot and structural damage.