Pubdate: Fri, 28 Oct 2005 Source: Stonewall Argus and Teulon Times, The (CN MB) Copyright: 2005 Stonewall Argus and Teulon Times Contact: http://www.stonewallargusteulontimes.com/contact.php Website: http://www.stonewallargusteulontimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3979 Author: Rick Lawler Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) HIGH TIME TO WAKE UP AND SMELL THE BUD It comes as no surprise that an elaborate grow-op could be constructed and produce millions of dollars of marijuana for off-shore organized crime right under the noses of rural residents outside of Inwood. After all, most folks in the South Interlake are honest and law abiding, like most Canadians. And that's just what large criminal gangs are banking on in order to expand their operations. We respect our neighbours and their privacy. If people aren't forthcoming about their business, that's OK, it's a free country. When newcomers to an area buy property to farm and then don't seem to do much farming, tongues may wag around the coffee shop and that's as far as it goes. If they don't want to discuss their business with their neighbours it's not surprising. They're not from around here and they don't know anyone yet. It's not against the law to be private about your personal affairs. You can't complain to police about someone who says they "grow Chinese vegetables" in the middle of their bush-lot, as the Inwood group told some neighbours. As long as they keep to themselves, what do we care? Why did it take so long? It wasn't until mid-August -- some two years after the property had been sold -- that RCMP, through an anonymous source, became aware of this remote enterprise and started expensive and resource-intensive, around-the-clock surveillance, intent on keeping the product off the street and making arrests. Why did it take so long for somebody to come forward with information for the police? Didn't anyone notice anything fishy going on before that? Those railway rails and greenhouse frames had to come in on some pretty big trucks. If they were delivered at night, all the more reason for warning flags to wave. We can be thankful nobody stumbled upon those greenhouses by mistake. In July, at the height of production, it was a busy place. A group of teens out on their quads or a bird-watcher looking for a shortcut back to the highway wouldn't have been welcome on the property. It's not uncommon for large grow ops to be booby-trapped or protected by armed guards. It's not known if the Inwood grow had such security at the time, but what if? When faced with the possibility of losing millions of dollars, criminals can be ruthless. Don't be fooled by those that say to you "it's only marijuana, what's the big deal?" Weed is a cash cow for organized crime. It helps them buy the planes and sea containers and pay the bribes that bring in the heroin, cocaine and slaves for the sex trade. It funds the construction of crystal meth labs that put deadly, addictive drugs into school hallways. We're going to see more of these enterprises in rural Manitoba. Organized criminals are counting on our good nature and respect for individual's rights to allow them to operate right in our own backyards. Eighteenth century British statesman and philosopher, Edmund Burke is credited with saying "all that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing." Just like the urban parent who doesn't complain about prostitutes walking the streets in his neighbourhood until some john propositions his child on her way home from school, Interlake residents who continue to mind their own business, in the belief they have nothing to worry about, should think again. - - Rick Lawler - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom