Pubdate: Fri, 01 Feb 2008
Source: StarPhoenix, The (CN SN)
Copyright: 2008 The StarPhoenix
Contact: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/400
Author: Barb Pacholik, Saskatchewan News Network; Regina Leader-Post

MASSIVE EFFORT WENT INTO ALLEGED GROW-OP, COURT HEARS

Notebook Details Workers' Hours, Growing Schedule

REGINA -- From germinating seeds on cookie sheets to weeding, 
watering and shovelling manure, there was plenty of work to go around 
at what the prosecution contends was the largest marijuana grow-op in 
Saskatchewan history.

A notebook labelled "payroll hours records" examined by jurors 
Thursday at a Regina drug trial gives a glimpse of long days and 
back-breaking work at the Fort Qu'Appelle-area site uncovered more 
than two years ago.

The document indicates someone identified only as "Bob" worked as 
many as 12 hours a day. Meanwhile, "Stan" spent more than 14 hours 
over two days "shovelling cow shit," as the record reads. "John" 
built a greenhouse; "Ian" was available "P T after school;" and "The 
Briguy," who started Friday the 13th, had duties that included making 
water lines, weeding and "spegghetti (sic)." Even "Elvis" put in time.

The top of one page in the notebook reads, "first 3,000 out July." 
There's also notations indicating the "summer grow schedule" began 
April 20; there was transplanting into pots on May 18; "in ground" on 
June 15; and "finish" would occur between Aug. 15 and 20.

On Aug. 21, 2005, RCMP, including members of the Emergency Response 
Team (ERT), launched a pre-dawn raid on the site, located near the 
properties of Joseph and Robert Agecoutay on the Pasqua First Nation.

On trial for unlawful production of marijuana and possession of 
marijuana for the purpose of trafficking are Lawrence Hubert 
Agecoutay, 52, Chester Fernand Girard, 59, Nelson Edward Northwood, 
58, Jack Allan Northwood, 55, Joseph Clayton Agecoutay, 47, and 
Robert Stanley Agecoutay, 48. All but Nelson Northwood are also 
facing a weapons possession charge, while Robert Agecoutay alone is 
also charged with being in possession of a prohibited weapon -- a 
sawed-off shotgun. Girard has an additional charge of forcible entry 
of a house.

Regina police Const. Jeff Wagner, a member of the integrated drug 
unit, said he counted 6,088 plants growing in plots or greenhouses on the site.

When samples of those plants were analyzed, they all returned the 
same result -- cannabis marijuana.

During cross-examination of several witnesses, some of the six 
defence lawyers have asked about industrial hemp.

Wagner also seized a laptop computer, found in the bushes by a police 
dog tracking three men -- later identified as Girard, Luke Zigovits 
and Brian McConnell -- who fled from a teepee located near six large 
greenhouses.

Retired RCMP Cpl. Mike Boyce, who was with the technical crime unit, 
said the portable computer, on which the owner was identified only as 
"Luke," held thousands of photographs.

Among the images is a close-up of a lush, green plant that someone 
has titled "looks Mexican." Another picture of plants is named "breeders."

In another photo named "Oooh baby," Girard is looking out the rear of 
a vehicle filled with leafy, green plants.

Wagner also took possession of three shotguns and eight rifles. 
According to analysis certificates, two of the shotguns -- found 
inside Robert Agecoutay's house -- had shorter than regulation 
barrels. Wagner demonstrated how an approximately metre-long metal 
pipe was found on the end of a sawed-off shotgun.

Crown prosecutor Darrell Blais is expected to call his final two 
witnesses today and Monday.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart