Pubdate: Thu, 10 Jul 2008
Source: Caledon Citizen (CN ON)
Copyright: 2008 Caledon Publishing Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.caledoncitizen.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4619

LOOK OUT FOR OUTDOOR MARIJUANA GROWS

Police Advise

As the warm weather arrives, Caledon OPP reports so does another 
season for outdoor marijuana grow operations.

During the May and June of every year, persons involved in growing 
marijuana head to the rural areas in search of property that they 
could plant this illicit crop. Marijuana growers look for the 
following areas: Swamps; corn fields; wooded areas; along rivers; and 
rural rental properties with large acreage

Once an area is located, police report growers will bring to the area 
large bags of fertilizer, shovels, chemicals, pails and of course the 
marijuana plants. The plants are put in the ground and maintained by 
the grower over the next five months while they mature. Due to the 
heartiness of the marijuana plant, they only have to be tended to 
approximately once every two weeks.

In late September or early October, the grower returns to harvest the 
plants, leaving the roots behind.

Marijuana plants are bright green, the leaves have seven jagged 
fingers, plants grow between three and five feet in height and give 
off an odour similar to that of a skunk.

Common indicators of outdoor marijuana grows include: Abandoned 
vehicles parked on side roads or trails; people observed walking in 
remote areas for no apparent reason; bags of fertilizer, planting 
trays or chemicals located in remote areas; well-trampled trails in 
wooded or swamp areas; cleared out areas in swamps, wooded area or 
corn fields; and numerous signs appear out of nowhere indicating "No 
Trespassing."

What to do if you discover an outdoor marijuana operation: * Call 
police or Crime stoppers if you suspect or locate a marijuana grow 
operation. * Do not touch the marihuana plants due to possible 
chemicals on them. * If confronted by a marijuana grower, just leave 
the area, record any licence plates and call police. * Do not 
approach an outdoor grow, due to the low percentage of grows being 
booby trapped or guarded.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart