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Gardai Go Hi-Tech To Find Cannabis Farms
Pubdate: Sun, 28 Dec 2008
Source: Irish Independent (Ireland)
Copyright: Independent Newspapers (Ireland) Ltd
Contact: http://www.independent.ie/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/213
Author: Jim Cusack
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
GARDAI GO HI-TECH TO FIND CANNABIS FARMS
GARDAI are to consider the use of satellite or aircraft infrared
detection after discovering that marijuana-growing operations are
sprouting up all over the country.
So far at least five of the operations have been uncovered -- but
gardai believe there may be dozens or even a 100 more. The marijuana
cultivation operations have come to light following a major operation
by the PSNI which uncovered 65 of the cultivation operations run from
rented houses in the North.
Sources say satellite infrared technology was used there and in
Britain. Gardai are not certain if there is any direction connection
between the home-growing operations in the Britain and in Ireland.
The profits are spectacular as the price of cannabis and herbal
cannabis has risen in recent years.
Police in Scotland last year uncovered 143 of the plant-growing
operations in rented houses and estimated the annual turnover at
around €25m. So far the gardai have just begun uncovering the
marijuana growing operations by chance and by foot-slogging -- going
around auctioneers and letting agents and asking them if they have
had any unusual property lettings in the past year.
One marijuana operation here was detected in October when gardai were
tipped off by the PSNI about two rented houses outside Catleblayney
in Monaghan.They discovered 700 plants growing under 1000-watt
'grow-lights'. Gardai estimated the street value of the herbal
cannabis at over €400,000.
In the past week further growing operations have been uncovered in
Drumconrath, Co Meath; at Fassaroe, outside Bray, Co Wicklow; and at
Marshallstown in Co Wexford. It is understood that in each of these
around 350-400 plants were discovered, all under cultivation using
very similar techniques and equipment.
The find in Wexford last week followed a series of coincidences in
which gardai were called after a woman outside Ferns thought her car
was being broken into by two men.
When she went to investigate she found the two Chinese men had opened
the boot of her car and placed two suitcases in it. They apologised,
removed the suitcases and drove off. Gardai later stopped a taxi
driven by a Chinese national on the Gorey by-pass and arrested two men.
Gardai learned that the Chinese growers had been told to deposit the
suitcases containing the drug in a car parked outside Ferns which
would have its hazard lights on and they mistakenly put the drug in
the boot of the car belonging to the woman farmer -- whose car was
parked at the side of the road and had its hazard lights on.
The woman and her husband pursued the taxi and called the gardai. A
follow-up search by Wexford gardai uncovered the house in
Marshallstown where the drugs were recovered and they found that a
new crop was under cultivation. The house had been rented by a
Chinese national.
When they questioned the men and women found growing the marijuana,
UK police said that they all said they had been brought into Europe
illegally and were 'offered' work as 'gardeners' at around €200 to
€300 a week. They also said their passports and any other documents
are taken off them. The man arrested at the house in Wexford last
week had no documentation.
Up to now the only legal method for detecting such operation by
gardai is to go to auctioneers and letting agents and ask, in general
terms, if they have had any lettings which have raised their
suspicions. If they do receive a tip off then they have to go about
gathering more evidence before seeking a search warrant, a process
that could take weeks.
Although the UK authorities have not made any public comment it is
understood that they used satellite imaging to detect properties
where cannabis growing was underway. This technology is well
established and has been used in many other countries starting with
the United States. The infrared satellite cameras can show,
house-by-house, the amount of heat emanating from a building.
Domestic marijauna growing requires the use of the heat-emitting grow
lights which give off high amounts of infrared heat which is easily
detected by the satellite thermal imaging. Such satellite imaging has
already been used here for EU crop inspections.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom