Pubdate: Sat, 04 Dec 2004
Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2004, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  http://www.canoe.com/NewsStand/TorontoSun/home.html
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457
Author: Tracy Mclaughlin, Special To The Sun
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

7 'GARDENERS' GET STIFF JAIL TIME

Ran Grow-Op At Molson's Plant

FAMILY MEMBERS waved goodbye to seven solemn men who were taken into 
custody yesterday for working in Canada's largest and most sophisticated 
marijuana grow operation--a former Molson's brewery in Barrie. In one of 
the stiffest sentences ever handed down to so-called "gardeners," Justice 
James Crawford said it is the wives and family members who will aid the 
cause of justice by spreading the message that it doesn't pay to grow 
marijuana.

"This was the most sophisticated, efficient marijuana grow operation in 
Canadian history," said Crawford, who noted there is a strong possibility 
that it was exported to the United States where the resale market is three 
to four times higher than in Canada, or that it was traded in kind for cocaine.

Scott Walker, 34, of St. Catharines and Robert Bleich, 29, of Stayner, 
received five-year sentences.

ONE WALKED FREE

Thomas Gates, 33, of Corunna and Rayne Sauve, 36, of St. Catharines got 
four years; Craig Walker, 24, of Niagara Falls, received three years, six 
months; Scott Dillon, 23, of Toronto received only two years in a 
provincial institution because of his age.

The convictions were handed down for production and possession of marijuana 
for the purpose of trafficking.

One later walked free after being processed in court.

Michael DiCicco, 61, nick-named "chief" by co-workers because of his 
supervisory duties, received a two-year house arrest with three years 
probation because the judge agreed a jail sentence could kill him because 
of his poor health.

Normally, sentences for the same crime in Canada have netted less than 
two-year sentences in the form of a house arrest, often referred to by 
police as "a slap on the wrist."

100 OFFICERS

But Crawford also noted none of the men, who were caught with keys to 
dead-bolted doors that lead to the secret operation, were the brains behind 
the operation.

"None of these offenders was the controlling mind."

In fact, police said they will likely never catch whoever was at the helm 
of the giant jungle-like marijuana plant operating inside the plant that 
reaped $60-million a year.

About 100 officers raided the plant last January after police received a 
tip, but it took them about an hour to find the two warehouses filled with 
marijuana that grew behind hidden doors and secret walls.

"This was a multi-million dollar operation -- from the bad guys' point of 
view, they weren't going to let anything go wrong. I have no doubt it was 
run by organized crime members who knew exactly what they were doing," said 
OPP Det. Staff Sgt. Rick Barnum.
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