FEDS RECEIVE POT-SHOT OVER GROW HOUSES

OTTAWA -- Criminals are getting off too easily as neighbourhoods across
Canada are endangered by huge secret pot-growing operations, police groups
charged yesterday.

And the Liberal government's possible decriminalization of marijuana will
only make things worse, charged David Griffin, executive director of the
Canadian Police Association.

Griffin and others called on the federal government to beef up the Criminal
Code and impose minimum jail time for those convicted of turning 50,000
Canadian homes into marijuana "grow houses" - including an estimated 10,000
in the Toronto area.

The operations, which often generate up $500,000 per year per house, are
mainly controlled by crime gangs and much of the marijuana is smuggled into
the United States.

"We'd like to see some minimum sentences to give judges direction that this
is a serious crime," Griffin said.

"In B.C. (these offenders) are literally walking away."

If Justice Minister Martin Cauchon follows through and actually
decriminalizes pot, that would further dilute the seriousness of the
offence of running a grow house, Griffin argued.

His call for action came just days after a series of police raids across
Canada - code-named Operation Greensweep 3 - netted more than 73,000 plants
valued at $73 million.

Grow houses are fire hazards because of heavy lighting, police and fire
officials say.

They use an average of $1,500 worth of electricity stolen from local
utilities by bypassing meters.

And they are filled with chemical fumes and mould.

"It's quite discouraging for law enforcement when we are seeing conditional
sentences and even fines," said Sgt. Mike Laviolette, an Ottawa police
officer seconded to the Criminal Intelligence Service of Canada.

Det. Mike Klimm of York Regional Police said sentences for possession for
the purpose of trafficking and production of a controlled substance run
between seven and 15 years in the United States.

"Up until recently in Ontario we were getting conditional sentences like
house arrest," Klimm said.

"We're now starting to see real jail terms of from nine months to a year
for first offences.

"They're starting to understand. The judiciary is listening," KIimm said.

Cauchon denied that any decriminalization of marijuana would condone grow
houses and he suggested a move to minimum sentences was not favoured by
provincial justice ministers.