POT RAID NETS 8,600 PLANTS

York Region police have busted a large indoor marijuana-growing
operation, seizing more than 8,600 plants in a Vaughan industrial
building.

The estimated market value of the marijuana plants, seized yesterday
at 100 Bradwick Dr., near Dufferin St. and Langstaff Rd., is $8.5
million, said Detective Mike Klimm.

Also seized from the 10,000-square-foot greenhouse was $120,000 worth
of shades, lights and hydroponic gardening equipment.

The latest raid shows a growing problem faced by law enforcement
officials across Greater Toronto and southern Ontario, where the
traditionally family-run operations have become big money-making
machines, said Klimm.

"These have become organized commercial operations. They are well
done, large-scale operations," he said.

To date this year, York Region police have found 60 hydroponic
marijuana operations, compared to 20 last year. Eighty people have
been arrested so far.

In Peel Region, 24 pot-growing operations have been found, more than
$12 million worth of marijuana seized and nearly 40 people arrested
in the first five months of the year.

All last year, Peel drug cops seized an estimated $24 million worth
of marijuana in 33 raids on hydroponic labs, 10 of which were located
in industrial units.

Klimm said a marijuana plant takes three months to harvest and an
operation like the one busted yesterday could produce 2,000 to 3,000
plants each month.

A problem police face in cracking down on such operations is the
relatively light penalty marijuana growers get in Canada, Klimm
claimed. Growers are often given conditional sentences (house arrest)
and fines. The maximum penalty, according to Canada's Controlled
Substance Act, is seven years in jail.

Dennis Hould, 45, and Norm Salter, 40, both of Toronto, are charged
with possession for the purpose of trafficking and production of a
controlled substance.