MARIJUANA, MISERY, MONEY: A LOOK INSIDE A GROW HOUSE

GUELPH -- City police have about 40 files open on potential home
pot-growing operations, and there may be more.

"Potentially, I suppose there could be more than that," drug unit Const.
Tom Gill said after addressing the Guelph Police Services Board on the
problem Thursday.

Local police resources are just too stretched to properly investigate
potential marijuana growing operations, characterized by producing massive
quantities of plants with sophisticated equipment powered by stolen hydro.

"The harder we look, the more we find," Gill said.

The small Guelph Police drug unit is kept busy by other criminal activity.
The unit, in fact, has been concentrating on crack cocaine lately.

"It's a balancing act," Gill said.

Gill gave the same presentation to the board yesterday as local police
officers, firefighters and ambulance personnel receive so they understand
the extent and danger of grow operations, most of which are thought to be
run by organized crime.

City councillors were invited to the information session yesterday
afternoon as well, but only three -- David Birtwistle, police board members
Joe Young and Mayor Karen Farbridge --were there.

In April, Guelph Police and Wellington County OPP raided five grow
operations, arresting five people and recovering 1,400 plants as part of a
provincewide crackdown co-ordinated by police to gain media and public
attention. There have been many other raids in the area as well.

Still, Guelph Police Chief Rob Davis doesn't think most people have a full
grasp of the problem, which police connect to murders, assaults, forcible
confinement, extortion and other crimes.

"I don't think the public appreciates the magnitude and the seriousness of
it," he said.

Drug growers use a large amount of hydro to feed hot grow lights and other
electrical equipment by bypassing home hydro meters. The hydro is stolen by
punching holes in basement walls to access power lines underground.

There is a risk of fire, putting neighbours and firefighters in harm's way.

A house can contain 40-50 powerful lights switched on for more than 12
hours a day. They produce enough heat to cause condensation, creating mould
and structural damage in homes over the long term.

Police raiding homes face the risk of injury from booby traps, either meant
for criminals who break in to steal marijuana, or police officers.

At one Ontario grow home, police found a metal window frame and doorway had
been electrified to keep people out.

Gill told police board members that usually no one lives in grow homes,
except perhaps to create a false appearance at first for neighbours, even
moving in for a time with children.

Windows are covered, and in grow rooms windows and walls are often draped
in mylar film, a material good for reflecting light onto plants.

The people who look after these operations, known as caretakers, are often
transient and even forced into their roles because of debts.

In one city grow operation, police found a hand-drawn sign explaining the
local wet/dry garbage sorting process for a caretaker.

Chimneys, roof and laundry vents are used for piping systems that remove
hot air and pump in fresh air. Often, the air that is expelled is perfumed
or filtered first to remove marijuana odour.

A grow house can produce 400-600 plants several times a year. Each mature
plant is worth $1,000 on the street.

"That's a lot of money," Gill told the board, noting growers see the odd
drug raid as a cost of doing business.

Dave Clark, chair of the police board, said his eyes were opened a little
wider yesterday.

"I view it as a serious problem," he said.