CHARGES YET TO BE LAID IN MARIJUANA GROW-OP BUST

Investigators from Hamilton Police Service's Vice and Drug Units
continue to evaluate forensic evidence found at the various locations
involved in the biggest marijuana grow-op bust in Hamilton history.

After community members came forward about the possibility of
marijuana grow operations, police found 11,838 plants worth about
$11.8 million in 49 units in three of Riverdale neighbourhood's
highrise apartment buildings - 11 Grandville Ave., 50 Violet Dr. and
77 Delawana Dr. - owned by Di Cenzo Management Inc., last month.

Hamilton Police Service's media relations officer Sgt. Michael Webber
says the forensic evidence, coupled with information received from
various community partners, will hopefully identify the suspects.

"This investigation is ongoing and will be lengthy, due to the large
scope of the number of units identified as 'grow ops,'" he said.

Though no charges have been laid, concerns regarding the quality of
the air in the buildings, as well as any possible mould, have been
addressed, says City of Hamilton's director of health protection Robert Hall.

"Public Health Services has completed inspections of 49 apartment
units adjacent to the grow-op units in the three buildings
implicated," he said. "Our public health inspectors found no evidence
of mould or concerns with air quality within these occupied units."

Mr. Hall adds the city's building department has ordered the owner of
the building to conduct an environmental assessment, including air
quality monitoring in the common areas of the buildings and to
determine what needs to be done to the grow-op units prior to rehabilitation.

The environmental consultant hired, he says, has verbally confirmed
there is no concern for the air quality in the building based on air
quality testing.

The building department is awaiting the final report from the consultant.

Phone calls to Di Cenzo Management Inc. and the city's building
department were not returned by Stoney Creek News deadline.

"Public Health Services found no indications of mould in any occupied
apartments inspected," said Mr. Hall. "Public Health Services will
continue to work with the building department to see a successful
remediation of the grow-op apartments, prior to those apartments
being reoccupied in the future."