Pubdate: Thu, 20 Sep 2007
Source: Daily Gleaner (CN NK)
Page: A3
Copyright: 2007 Brunswick News Inc.
Contact:  http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3857
Author: Michael Staples
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

RURAL RESIDENTS FUME OVER POT PLANTATIONS

People are looking over their shoulders after large seizures of 
marijuana plants from their neighbourhoods.

Brian Myshrall of Hawkins Corner, near Millville, one of the areas 
impacted by RCMP raids last week, said marijuana grow operations are 
troublesome to many in the community.

"I have a couple of small kids and they play in the woods and stuff," 
he said. "It is not good."

On Aug. 13, District 7 RCMP based in Woodstock, along with the 
force's marijuana enforcement team, seized 492 marijuana plants 
during a series of raids. Locations involved were in Dumfries, 
Springfield, Hawkins Corner, Hartley Settlement, Lower Knoxford, East 
Centerville and Fielding.

Combined with seizures in the area the previous week, almost 700 
plants were taken by the RCMP at 11 different locations.

The RCMP said earlier this week that least a quarter of the marijuana 
grown in New Brunswick finds its way into the hands of organized 
crime, which resells the drugs on the street through drug-marketing networks.

"I wouldn't say I am panicking," Myshrall said. "They (RCMP) are 
keeping it fairly under control."

Myshrall said people should keep their eyes open when they are 
four-wheeling and let police know if they find anything.

Other than that, he said, there isn't much that can be done because 
there are only so many RCMP officers.

"We are out in the country and they cannot monitor it all. The 
helicopter seems to work very well and they seem to get a few every year."

Stella Ingraham of Springfield said residents are aware that 
marijuana grow operations have been discovered in their community and 
aren't happy about it.

"We know these things go on and we would like to see it stopped," 
Ingraham said. "I really do not know who would be doing it."

Ingraham said she's glad the RCMP is cracking down on such illegal 
ventures and was pleased to hear the sound of the force's helicopter 
from above her community recently.

"You're aware of it when you hear of it," she said of the grow 
operations. "But I don't think too much about it because I don't smoke it."

Michael Boudreau, a criminology professor at St. Thomas University, 
said there is no reason for New Brunswickers to hit the panic button 
regarding organized crime and marijuana -- at least not yet.

He said such operations have the potential to attract criminal elements.

"The possibility of violence and/or more competition amongst 
organized-crime groups in this province is not yet at a serious 
point," he said. "It could become more serious if the province is 
seen as an important hub for the distribution of narcotics."

Communities, however, would have less reason to be concerned about 
organized crime if the federal government legalized marijuana and 
regulated its distribution, Boudreau said.

"I think it's an issue that we should have a much more serious 
discussion about in this country," Boudreau said. "I am not 
advocating that the federal government start doling out crack cocaine 
to people because of the serious medical consequences it can have 
upon people. But the legalization of things such as marijuana would 
help deal a fairly severe blow against the organized drug trade."

It wouldn't eliminate it, Boudreau said, but it would help.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom