HOMEGROWN POT ON RISE IN PEEL

$100 Million Worth Of Marijuana Seized In 27 Months

The numbers are staggering.

In the past 27 months, Peel Region police have seized nearly $100 million
worth of marijuana found growing in sophisticated residential laboratories.

Nearly 300 people have been arrested in connection with these illegal
home-growing pot operations.

But despite the weekly arrests, bank accounts being frozen and homes, cars
and properties being seized, drug officers keep finding these operations.

Based on the numbers, police say there's no reason to think the value of
marijuana seized in Mississauga and Brampton won't top the $200 million
mark by the end of 2002.

In one sweep of five homes last week, drug police seized almost $8 million
worth of marijuana plants.

"This industry is greed-driven," said Peel Superintendent John Nielsen.
"The profits to be made are huge and people are prepared to take risks and
do whatever it takes to make this profit.

"And that gives us other concerns because of the violence associated with
these operations. There have been several robberies and York Region had a
homicide (earlier this year) that was directly connected to a drug lab."

As head of Peel's drug squad, Nielsen says he has been stunned by the
increased activity in the region, especially since the middle of last year.

And courts have given pot growers little reason to stop, police say.

"We're starting to see some jail sentences of upwards of a year, but when
you're talking about the millions of dollars in profit, maybe this is
continuing because the deterrent isn't there," Nielsen said.

"You start out with a $7 seedling and within 60 to 90 days, you can produce
a $1,000 plant, which then winds up being worth $2,000 a pound."

In the first three months of this year, the force has dismantled more than
50 residential laboratories, seizing more than $21 million worth of marijuana.

During that time, more than 30 people have been charged with cultivation
offences, including 21 arrested last week as part of the 10-month
undercover Project POT-luck, which also resulted in the seizure of a
Mississauga business alleged to be a base for several illegal home labs.

Last year, 152 home-based operations were shut down, almost $54 million
worth of pot was seized and 210 people were charged with drug offences. In
2000, $24 million worth of marijuana was seized from 31 homes, and 41
people were charged.

Nielsen said police find an average of 300 plants at each location. They
can produce an annual yield worth about $1.5 million to $1.8 million on the
street, based on five or six crops.

In one house alone, police found 1,417 plants with an estimated street
value of $1.7 million.

"There are estimates that as many as 1,000 labs are operating in Greater
Toronto, but it's difficult to come up with an accurate number," Nielsen
said. "If we knew where they were, we'd be arresting everybody because all
of the police forces are taking a zero-tolerance approach to this problem."