Pubdate: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON) Copyright: 2002, Canoe Limited Partnership. Contact: http://www.fyitoronto.com/torsun.shtml Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457 Author: Jonathan Jenkins POT EMPIRE FALLS IN GTA Realtors Branded Masterminds Two real estate agents are accused of being the masterminds behind a $35-million hydroponic marijuana kingdom centred in York Region but stretching through 56 homes across the GTA, police said yesterday. "At every grow house we try and follow up with all the documentation we can," York Region police Insp. Denis Mulholland said of how cops allegedly cracked the case. "We found the same real estate agents were coming up in numerous investigations, not only in York, but in Peel, Halton, Durham," he alleged. Phu Nhi "John" Trac, 39, of North York, and Sau San "Jennifer" Wu, 37, of Scarborough, were arrested Thursday along with 14 other people, after a six-month investigation. Trac worked for Living Realty in Markham and Wu for Remax Realty in Markham and Sutton Group in Richmond Hill. Police say those firms were in the dark about any illegal activities and cooperated fully. Cops alleged the two realtors faked lease deals for dozens of homes, creating bogus tenants, then hiring dope farmers to bypass the hydro meters and grow acres and acres of hydroponic marijuana. The raids turned up 35,518 plants worth $35.5 million, four Taser stun guns, $105,000 US cash, $176,000 in Canadian money and a Canadian bank draft worth $135,000. Six houses, two cars and a whopping $950,000 in bank accounts have been seized under proceeds-of-crime legislation. Mulholland said the grow houses stole an estimated $1 million worth of power a year, and that damage was extensive to the homes. The investigation involved cops from across the GTA, as well as the RCMP and OPP. - --- MAP posted-by: Alex