Pubdate: Mon, 28 Jan 2002
Source: Burlington Post (CN ON)
Copyright: 2002 Burlington Post
Contact:  http://www.burlingtonpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1528
Author: Robb Swybrous

GROW HOUSES STILL OPERATING

Halton police ask residents to report suspicious neighbourhood activity

Recent raids on hydroponics grow houses in Halton mean significant dents 
are being made into the highly-lucrative home-grown marijuana business.

But Halton police say grow houses are still operating in the region and 
encourage residents to report any suspicious activity in their 
neighbourhoods to them.

"It's been pretty active in the GTA for 18 months to two years,' Det. Larry 
Burns of the police's narcotics unit said. "It's so lucrative. Some of 
these houses we're getting are going undetected; they're harvesting three 
to four times per year."

Burns and his unit successfully raided a number of houses in Halton 
recently. Inside the houses officers found as many as 500 plants growing 
under hydroponic light systems. In some cases hydro meters had been 
tampered with, giving the growers access to unlimited power without being 
easily detected by a utility company.

Burns says grow houses are often located in heavily-populated, middle class 
neighbourhoods in the region. He adds there are a number of clues residents 
can use to determine if a grow house is operating in their neighbourhood 
including:

* houses with covered windows;

* unusual noises such as hammering or drilling into the basement foundation;

* little or no garbage being put out;

* houses where individuals show up to shovel snow or cut grass then leave 
immediately;

* people bringing into the house unusual objects like bags of soil and 
potting plants

Police say other suspicious activity not usually associated with a 
neighbourhood may also indicate a grow house operation.

Burns adds tips from the public often assist police in learning of grow 
house operations and each time they raid a house it has a significant 
effect on the illegal drug trade.

'If we're getting 500 plants we're definitely taking a lot of marijuana off 
the street, there's no doubt about that," Burns said. "We've taken off in 
excess of $7 million in Halton just in the last year."

Residents wanting to report suspicious neighbourhood activity can call 
Crime Stoppers at 905-825-8477.
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MAP posted-by: Beth