Pubdate: Sat, 16 Feb 2002
Source: Kitchener-Waterloo Record (CN ON)
Copyright: 2002 Kitchener-Waterloo Record
Contact:  http://www.therecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/225
Author: Carol Goodwin

POLICE RAID FOUR POT-GROWING OPERATIONS

Two children have been taken into care and five adults are in custody 
following the most recent police raids of illegal marijuana-growing 
operations in four homes across Waterloo Region. The raids, by members of 
the Waterloo regional police drug unit, netted more than 1,800 marijuana 
plants in two days, said unit head Staff Sgt. Ray Massicotte.

As many as 1,100 plants were seized at one house, "the largest number of 
plants we have found in one residence to date," Massicotte said.

The home-grow operations were raided yesterday at two Cambridge addresses, 
one in Kitchener -- where the two children, aged six and seven, were found 
and placed in the care of Family and Children's Services of Waterloo 
Region. The fourth home-grow was discovered in Elmira on Thursday.

In Cambridge, in the area Staff Sgt. Doug Ghent called "The Clemens Mills 
Horticultural Society," police found the biggest haul, 1,100 plants at 79 
Hilborn Ave., and arrested a man and a woman.

At 397 Saginaw Parkway, 143 plants were found, but no arrests were made 
since nobody was home.

At 128 Carlyle Drive in Kitchener, 368 plants were found, a man and woman 
were taken into custody, and the children put in care.

The suspects in yesterday's raids will remain in custody until they are 
charged, Massicotte said.

On Thursday, at 29 Falcon Drive, Elmira, police uncovered 262 plants and 
arrested a 42-year-old man. Son Pham is charged with production of a 
controlled substance, possession for the purpose of trafficking and theft 
of hydro-electricity.

So far this year, police have raided 14 homes for illegal pot-growing -- 
and one common thread is the sophistication of the operations and the fact 
they are happening in all kinds of neighbourhoods, Massicotte said. "In 
Waterloo Region, anyone would find a home-grow within five minutes' walk of 
where they live. The thing is to find them and prove it in a court of law," 
he said.

"So we know they are out there, but we know absolutely that we haven't got 
them all."

Police get tips from neighbours noticing covered-up windows or heavy 
condensation. Or they hear from hydro companies noticing the amount of 
electricity used is far in excess of what is paid for. It's estimated that 
the stolen hydro costs local utility companies about $2 million a year.

Apart from the illegality, police are worried about the danger.

"Home-grow operations are a significant danger to the public. We've had 
near tragedies -- two electrical house fires since June 2000, when we 
(discovered) the first sophisticated home-grow," Massicotte said.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart