DUO SENTENCED IN MAJOR MARIJUANA GROW OPERATIONS

Two men charged in connection to two of the biggest marijuana outdoor
grow operations have been convicted and sentenced.

Zhi Ji Chu and Han Chu Hu, both 41, were charged two years ago in
connection with marijuana grow operations in Iroquois Falls and Matheson.

Both men were from the Toronto area and were charged with production
of a controlled substance under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

In total, more than 40,000 plants were seized at varied stages of
growth, which could have resulted to more than $40 million once they matured.

Ontario Provincial Police commissioner Julian Fantino responded in a
release announcing Chu and Hu's conviction regarding recent comments
made about the investigation.

The media release issued Wednesday said recent comments have been
made suggesting OPP officers based their investigation on racial
profiling observations rather than investigative techniques.

"The mere suggestion of profiling has undermined the important work
of OPP officers," said Fantino in the release. "In this case
effective communication linked the individuals, their vehicles and
their criminal associations to other grow operations in Ontario long
before the men were observed by OPP investigators taking their
shopping lists into the stores."

The release also said it is alleged police initiated their work after
seeing the men purchasing gardening supplies from an area retailer.
OPP is saying the investigation was launched 10 days earlier when OPP
were informed by another police service that the individuals involved
in other grow operations were likely setting up an operation in the
Timmins area.

"Of greater importance, 40,000 marijuana plants were destroyed,
keeping them off our streets," said Fantino.

The media release did not provide information as to what sentence Chu
and Hu received.