Pubdate: Sat, 25 Aug 2007
Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)
Copyright: 2007, The Globe and Mail Company
Contact:  http://www.globeandmail.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

B.C. BUD MAKING ITSELF AT HOME IN N.B.

MONCTON (CP) -- A new import from British Columbia is taking root in 
New Brunswick forests and the RCMP aren't too happy about it.

"It's a new type of marijuana plant called B.C. Bud and we're finding 
it in New Brunswick," said Kent, N.B., RCMP Sergeant David Mazerolle.

This particular species of plant is harder for police to see from the 
sky because it's quite short. It's also more efficient for those who 
grow it because it produces as many buds as a plant more than triple its size.

This is the time of year police will find marijuana plants because 
it's almost harvest season for illegal outdoor grow-ops. As they have 
the past few years, RCMP districts all over the province are 
descending on hidden grow-ops and tearing the plants out of the ground.

It's known as Operation Sabot, and J Division Sergeant Derek Strong 
said it started a few days ago and will likely continue for the next 
couple of weeks.

"It's quite simple," he explained. "An RCMP helicopter goes up in the 
air with spotters to look for marijuana fields, which are extremely 
visible from the air. The plants are a colour green you don't 
normally see, that almost glows. That makes it hard to hide."

Once a field is spotted, the co-ordinates are radioed to a ground 
team that heads in on all-terrain vehicles or whatever it takes to reach it.

Occasionally, the fields are so secluded the chopper has to land so 
the operation can be dismantled, but that's rare because the people 
growing the marijuana have to be able to get to it.

As of yesterday, Kent RCMP had seized 1,600 plants in the Cocagne, 
Bouctouche, Richibucto and Rexton areas and were following leads to 
more possible fields.

Last year, only about 15 to 20 of the plants seized in Kent County 
were B.C. Bud, but so far this year police have already uncovered 150.

"It seems it's becoming the plant of choice for many," Sgt. Mazerolle 
said. "This is the first year we've seen so much."
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