DRUG HELICOPTER PROGRAM WORKING: COBOURG POLICE

COBOURG - A drug eradication program by Cobourg Police seems to be working,
says a detective with the service.

Detective Dave Cromlish says a drug sweep made last Friday, Aug. 9, by
local police, with assistance from the Durham Regional Police and a
helicopter, netted 168 marijuana plants with a street value of $420,000,
down from a $3 million-plus similar operation carried out last year.

"It's a real success story," says Det. Cromlish. "Last year it took us two
days, and we only covered a fraction of Hamilton Township because we found
so many grows. We were too busy just picking up the plants. This time,
there was one major area, and some smaller ones, and we covered the whole
township - in one day."

The detective says the helicopter is able to effectively cover the township
and plants are easy to spot from the low flying aircraft. Police act on
information supplied about specific crop areas, but also carry out a
general sweep.

There were no charges or arrests, says Det. Cromlish, because there were no
individuals tending the crops. Landowners in every case were completely
unaware of the plants, mostly hidden in cornfields, he says.