Pubdate: Sat, 21 Sep 2002
Source: Packet & Times (CN ON)
Copyright: 2002, OSPREY MEDIA GROUP INC.
Contact:  http://www.orilliapacket.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2397
Author: Mike Tenszen

POLICE BUST UP $4M POT OUTFIT

Five Arrested After OPP Spot Marijuana In Field Near Bracebridge

BRACEBRIDGE - A $4-million marijuana operation has been shut down and cut 
down, and five Toronto people arrested and charged Thursday, when police 
raided a Speicher Lane property.

More than 4,000 marijuana plants have been seized by police. Yesterday, 
police were cutting down the illegal crop and removing the marijuana in trucks.

The names of the accused will not be released by provincial police until 
two other suspects are brought into custody and charged, OPP Const. Mary 
Hurley told The Packet yesterday. She said the arrests of the remaining two 
suspects are expected soon.

Federal Crown prosecutor Peter Heath told The Packet yesterday that one 
woman and four men have each been charged with one count of production of a 
controlled substance (marijuana) and with possession of marijuana for the 
purposes of trafficking.

Heath said that all five accused appeared yesterday before a justice of the 
peace at the Ontario Court of Justice in Bracebridge and their bail hearing 
was adjourned until Monday at 1:30 p.m.

According to Const. Hurley, the investigation began just before 11 a.m 
Thursday when officers in an OPP helicopter observed what they considered 
to be an illegal "grow operation" in an area about six kilometres east of 
Bracebridge in a heavily-wooded rural area.

Several people were arrested leaving the property, and then a search 
warrant was obtained and police raided the property at about 5:30 p.m.

Police found more than 1,000 plants growing in a field, and another 3,000 
plants inside a large storage barn and residence. The OPP estimated the 
plants' street value, if processed, at about $4 million.
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