Pubdate: Thu, 16 Jul 2015 Source: Barrie Examiner (CN ON) Copyright: 2015, Barrie Examiner Contact: http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/letters Website: http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2317 Author: Bob Bruton Page: A1 COPS KEEPING CLOSE TABS ON POT CROP Corn Fields Used to Hide Marijuana Plants Ontario Provincial Police are already taking special notice of this year's corn crop, and a particular weed that's growing amongst it. The outdoor marijuana season is in full bloom. "What ends up happening is they will take a section of the corn field and they'll clear it out, plant their marijuana in there," said Sgt. Peter Leon, the OPP's provincial media relations co-ordinator. "As it cultivates and grows, they keep an eye on it, obviously, and then they'll go in and harvest it." But it's not easily spotted with the naked eye, he said. "At this time of year, the growth of the corn plant around the marijuana - they contain each other. They hide each other fairly well," Leon said. But police said there are telltail signs that something other than corn is growing in the farmers' fields. A vehicle parked by the side of the road near a corn crop, at a weird time of day. Or even an obviously beaten-down path through the corn field. Not all marijuana crops are planted in corn fields, however. Reforestation areas are popular, as are wood lots adjacent to water sources, Leon said. But there is at least one common factor. "They're (growers are) going to be checking on their crop," he said. "They know exactly where they've planted it. They are certainly checking on their investment, so to speak." Sometimes the pot plants are spotted by the public, other times by the person working the land itself. "They're (growers are) going to be checking on their crop," he said. "They know exactly where they've planted it. They are certainly checking on their investment, so to speak." Sometimes the pot plants are spotted by the public, other times by the person working the land itself. "Sometimes we'll get a call from a farmer saying 'I've spotted something in my field and it's not what I planted,'" Leon said. "We can go in there and pull those plants before they do get harvested. "We'll have it destroyed properly," he added. OPP say illegal, outdoor grow operations are nothing new - but they do go in cycles, depending on a number of factors, weather nearly always being the most important one. "Looking at the corn, and I think that's one way to look at it, the corn fields have really started to grow quite a bit in the last couple of weeks, or the past week in particular, with the warm weather," Leon said. "Obviously the amount of rain we had in June probably made the growing process very limited, but with the moisture in the ground, with the heat I've certainly seen a certain increase in the height of the corn. "If the corn is an indication, certainly I think the same would certainly hold true for the marijuana," he added. Leon noted the marijuana isn't always from seed; some is transplanted at the same time the corn crop goes in. And conditions change as the seasons do. "Usually around early September, in and around harvest time, the marijuana is a different colour than the corn itself," Leon said. "So anybody who's doing an aerial flyover - many farmers will utilize the aircraft to fly over their fields - they will see a difference and sometimes we get information that way. Sometimes it does go undetected." Anyone who sees a marijuana crop, or indications of one, is asked to call OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Either way, police have the same goal. "Their (growers') investment has been intercepted before it makes its way to our streets, which is a good thing," Leon said. - --- [sidebar] AT A GLANCE Possession of marijuana is a criminal offence under Canada's Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. You don't have to own the marijuana - you just have to have, or possess, it. There are medical exceptions. For a first conviction, if you had less than 30 grams of marijuana, the maximum penalties are a fine of $1,000 or six months in jail, or both. But the penalty for a first offence is usually much less. You may also get a criminal record. That can prevent you from travelling to other countries, getting certain jobs, being bonded (which some jobs require), and applying for citizenship. Source: The Canadian Bar Association - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom