POT PROBE LEADS TO 31 ARRESTS

A two-month police probe into York Region marijuana grow houses ended with
31 arrests, netting millions of dollars in drugs and cash.

Project Stop Grow saw York Regional Police seize more than 10,000 plants
worth about $10 million during raids on 41 pot labs operating in residential
homes across the region.

Investigators also discovered a sophisticated "clearing house" on Dante
Crescent in Vaughan, used to store, package and distribute drugs.

More than 100 pounds of packaged marijuana was found in the house, along
with $250,000 in American currency and $125,000 Canadian money found in a
locked safe.

"That's a lot of money, we couldn't believe it," said drugs and vice Det.
Mike Klimm, adding police forced the safe open with the jaws of life, a
device used to extract victims in car crashes.

"The U.S. cash shows us there are U.S. customers, that it's going over the
border."

Police also seized 6,000 ecstasy pills worth $150,000 on the street,
something police are encountering more often as successful marijuana dealers
branch out, Det. Klimm explained.

"It's a business," he said. "It goes along with using money to make money,
then expanding your market. We're seeing this more often, other drugs along
with the marijuana plants."

Those arrested face more than 70 charges, including producing an illegal
substance, possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of
trafficking and theft of electricity.

Project Stop Grow's 18 investigators were aided by tips from the public
through the Crime Stoppers program as well as by hydro officials tracking
utility theft.

During the two-month operation, 22 Markham grow houses were raided, 10 in
Vaughan, eight in Richmond Hill and one in Mount Albert. The figures do not
include raids prior to Operation Stop Grow.

"The public is becoming more aware of what's going on and that helps us,"
Det. Klimm said, adding the safety of neighbours and area children can be
threatened by dangers that come with grow houses.

The risk of electrocution for the grower and immediate neighbours is one
such threat, as hydro is bypassed but without proper inspections.

"Also, if it's not done properly, it could charge the ground. Any little kid
coming after a ball could be at risk."

The fire hazard is high as well, especially since most grow houses are not
occupied.

"If a fire starts at 3 a.m., the house is fully engulfed before anyone is
alerted because these houses are usually empty," Det. Klimm said.

Det. Klimm said he is encouraged by his unit's relentless crackdown on grow
houses over the last two years, which he believes is making a dent in the
proliferation of the lucrative operations.

"We are starting to see results. It's become less common than it was even a
year ago," he said, adding regular spot checks conducted by hydro workers
have found that even six months ago one in every 100 homes was being used as
a grow lab -- now it's one in 500.

"That's fantastic news. We have had an impact and we're pretty proud of
that. We hear the word on the street is stay out of York Region."