THOSE WHO BOOBY TRAP CRIME SCENES FACE TOUGH PENALTIES

OTTAWA -- Canadians who protect their criminal enterprises - such as drug
labs or grow operations - with deadly traps will face harsh penalties under
legislation introduced Friday by Justice Minister Martin Cauchon.

The creation of a new Criminal Code offence responds to concerns raised by
firefighters and other emergency workers about the growing threat to their
safety posed by traps, including explosives and trip-wired firearms.

"Organized crime is using more and more traps in places where they proceed
with their offences," Cauchon said. "We have to protect emergency workers
. who may be exposed to dangerous situations."

The proposed maximum sentence of 10 years in prison increases to 14 years
if injury occurs, and to a life sentence if someone is killed by a trap.

Other known devices have included cut-aways and false floors to impede
police, emergency workers, or rival criminal gangs, firefighters said Friday.

Cauchon said cracking down on grow houses is not out of step with his
stated plan to decriminalize simple marijuana possession. He said his
department will continue to prosecute drug production and trafficking offences.

Organized crime gangs often rig marijuana grow operations to alert them to
the presence of police or to destroy evidence, he said.

A recent grow operation worth some $5 million in New Brunswick was riddled
with 30 spring-loaded animal traps, police said were there to injure
officers or anyone trying to steal plants

In another instance in Nova Scotia's Annapolis county, a boy was shot in
the leg after a trip wire in a marijuana field triggered a shotgun.