Pubdate: Tue, 13 Feb 2007
Source: Chronicle Herald (CN NS)
Page: B3
Copyright: 2007 The Halifax Herald Limited
Contact:  http://thechronicleherald.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/180
Author: Jennifer Stewart, Court Reporter
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

GROW-OPS WORTH $200,000 A YEAR, OFFICER TESTIFIES

One of three major grow sites run by the founder of the Nova Scotia 
Marijuana party could have yielded $200,000 a year in profits had 
police not busted the operation, a former RCMP officer testified Monday.

Marc Gorbet, an expert in the valuation, propagation, cultivation and 
distribution of marijuana, said the 170 plants seized from a South 
Rawdon home seven years ago likely would have brought in between 
$5,500 and $7,700 a kilogram.

"That's the potential for a grow like this," Mr. Gorbet told Nova 
Scotia Supreme Court Justice Felix Cacchione after guiding him 
through a videotape of the sophisticated setup.

Throughout the testimony, Melanie Jane Stephen-Patriquen, who is on 
trial for money laundering and possessing proceeds of crime from the 
grow-op, sat quietly, at times letting out an audible sigh.

At the time of the bust on Feb. 28, 2000, Ms. Stephen-Patriquen was 
married to Michael Patriquen, who founded the Nova Scotia Marijuana 
Party. The couple and their two young children lived in Lower Sackville.

Mr. Patriquen was found to be the boss of the massive setup, which 
included grow-op residences in the Hants County communites of south 
and central Rawdon and Noel.

Mr. Patriquen was also accused of money laundering and possessing 
proceeds of crime from trafficking between 1995 and 2000. He pleaded 
guilty to the possession charge and was sentenced in January 2005 to 
three years to be served concurrently with a six-year sentence he 
received in September 2002 for conspiracy and drug trafficking. He 
was also fined$259,427.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom