Pubdate: Mon, 02 Jun 2003
Source: Mississauga News (CN ON)
Copyright: The Mississauga News 2003
Contact:  http://www.mississauganews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/268
Author: Louie Rosella

POT GROWERS SETTING TRAPS

Gangs Protect Their Marijuana

Marijuana houses can be dangerous to your health in more ways than one. 
Detective Ian Calder of Peel's Morality Bureau said deadly traps are being 
discovered in pot houses in Mississauga.

He noted that in recent years, officers and even residents have found traps 
in Mississauga homes set for the sole purpose of injury, and possibly death.

Last year, investigators raided a Mississauga residence to find timers and 
wires mounted to a piece of plywood set above the side door.

The purpose was to trigger an electrocution once the door was opened.

"If we went through that door, we would have exposed the wire and there 
would have been a good chance one of our guys would have been 
electrocuted," said Calder. "These traps are set to prevent intruders from 
stealing their marijuana."

Recently, a real estate agent found copper wire around a pot house in 
Mississauga set to give off an electrical shock when touched.

Police say there have been at least three booby-trapped homes in 
Mississauga in the last three years, but it is a relatively new aspect of 
the pot-growing industry,

The trap issue arose at Friday's Peel Police Services Board (PSB) meeting. 
PSB members were informed the federal government introduced legislation 
making it a Criminal Code offence for setting a "deadly trap" in a place 
used for a criminal purpose.

"If firefighters or police officers are put at risk, injured or killed by 
traps set to defend these criminal enterprises from law enforcement or 
rival gangs, those who set the traps must feel the full weight of the law," 
said Justice Minister Martin Cauchon at a recent press conference.

The proposed legislation would impose a maximum sentence of 10 years in 
prison for those who set these traps. That increases to 14 years if injury 
occurs and a life sentence if someone is killed by a trap.

In other jurisdictions, officers have discovered guns connected to doors by 
trick wire that would go off when the door is opened, noted Calder.

The legislation was part of a controversial bill tabled by Cauchon Tuesday 
before the House of Commons that would decriminalize the possession of 
small amounts of pot, meaning offenders would be subjected to fines, 
instead of criminal prosecution.

This year, police have discovered around 55 pot houses in Mississauga. Last 
year, 147 were found.
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