Pubdate: Wed, 16 Sep 2009
Source: Times & Transcript (Moncton, CN NK)
Page: A3
Copyright: 2009 New Brunswick Publishing Company
Contact:  http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2660
Author: Nick Moore

POLICE POT HARVEST TOPS THE 2008 TOTAL

15,000 marijuana plants been seized across N.B. to date, compared to 
13,500 plants by late September last year

FREDERICTON - New Brunswick's harvest of seized marijuana has already 
topped the entire amount netted by RCMP last year, and police aren't 
yet finished with this year's hunt.

Provincial Mounties estimate that 15,000 pot plants have been seized 
over the past four-weeks across New Brunswick. This is compared to 
13,500 plants seized in 2008 between mid-August and late-September, 
the prime time to harvest.

RCMP Sgt. Simon Roy, who's with the Mounties' Co-ordinated Marijuana 
Enforcement Team, said information collected from the public 
anonymously, especially from the province's Crime Stoppers hotline, 
is leading to an increase in pot seizures.

"That's the main source of information," he said.

Simon said the weather needed for growing a good marijuana crop was 
also ideal over the summer, making it "a very good year for harvesting."

"The plants need a lot of water which they certainly got this year, 
but they also need a lot of sun," he said. "So as far as the sun 
goes, the month of August was pretty good."

The rural terrain across New Brunswick makes the entire province 
ideal for growing cannabis.

"There's no specific area that would be the top contender," said 
Simon. "Each year it varies."

"This year, the hub areas are in the Richibucto area, Campbellton, 
the Edmundston area, as well as St. Stephen. These areas have 
resulted in the largest seizures."

Locally, over 4,000 marijuana plants have been seized in Kent County this year.

Just last week, District 5 RCMP and the RCMP Emergency Response Team 
seized several hundred plants, several pounds of marijuana bud and 
four long guns at a residence on Highway 480 in Acadieville.

In addition to public informants, the RCMP uses the technology of GPS 
(Global Positioning System) as well as all-terrain-vehicles to get to 
remote areas where marijuana is being grown.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom