HYDRO BYPASS LEADS COPS TO POT HOUSE

ST. GEORGE - St. George's clean-living image was tarnished Friday when
Brant County OPP busted a major pot-growing operation in an upscale
neighbourhood.

It was the first home grow bust in the village, said OPP Constable Tom
Reansbury.

"I guess you can say these things are growing everywhere," he said.

The bust was little different than many others in Waterloo Region to the north.

OPP said they were drawn to 1 Highgate Dr., St. George, when an illegal
hydro bypass was detected. That's usually found at home grows, because it
hides the huge amount of electricity used for fans and lights needed to
grow the plants. With a bypass, energy consumption isn't tracked by the
electricity meter at the house.

No one was in the house at the time and police would not disclose a
description of the suspects.

Two marijuana growing rooms were flourishing in the house. An undisclosed
quantity of plants and hydroponic growing equipment was seized, police said.