REGION DOESN'T WEIGH HEAVILY IN NATIONAL OPERATION GREENSWEEP

Police forces across the nation - including the Tri Force Drug Unit - have
completed a national blitz on indoor marijuana growing operations.

Operation Greensweep 2 was a 15-day strike from April 13 to 30 in response
to an increase in reported growing operations in the last 18 to 22 months.

"This is a big push to let the government and the public know this is a big
problem we face every day," said Detective Staff Sgt. John Horne, unit
commander for the Tri Force Kenora Joint Forces Drug Unit, adding grow
operations are the work of organized crime.

The OPP's drug enforcement section co-ordinated the effort in this
province. It says the majority of the growing operations were in the
Greater Toronto, or 905 area code.

The unit reports each operation can produce 1,600 plants a year and
generate $1.6 million in profit. With the majority of them in residential
areas they pose a fire and safety hazard.

Nationally, 208 search warrants were executed and 255 people were charged
with 369 drug offences.

In Ontario, 122 search warrants were executed, 125 people were arrested,
and 234 drug charges were laid.

Horne said this region didn't weigh heavily in the statistics. There were
no warrants executed in Kenora.

However, during the operation the Tri Force drug unit arrested eight
people, laid 16 charges and seized two prohibited knives during raids that
included operations in Thunder Bay, Nipigon and Fort Frances.

Seventy-six large plants worth about $76,000 were seized.

The drug unit made two further significant raids in Geraldton and Laclu on
Thursday and 104 plants with a street value of about $70,000 were seized. A
54-year-old Geraldton man is facing three drug-related charges, while a
25-year-old Laclu man currently faces one charge.

These busts were shortly after the Greensweep deadline and don't count
toward the operation totals.

Horne said we're lucky in this region, when compared to Southern Ontario or
British Columbia where people are going out and buying and gutting $200,000
to $300,000 homes capable of growing 1,000 plants.

We're fortunate, Horne said, because the member agencies of the Tri Force
Drug Unit have supplied enough officers so it can quickly act on production
reports.

Horne cautioned that doesn't mean there aren't 1,000-plant growing
operations in the region, but the manpower means the unit can respond quickly.