Pubdate: Thu, 22 Jan 2004 Source: Barrie Examiner (CN ON) Copyright: 2004, Osprey Media Group Inc. Contact: http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2317 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) DRUGS DUG DEEP Talk About Burying The Evidence. More than 20,000 marijuana plants seized from Barrie's former Molson brewery plant are now buried in a landfill site - under 10 feet of earth and 10 feet of garbage. Police would not say where the stash from the largest and most sophisticated indoor marijuana grow operation in Canada is buried. Investigators are still at the Big Bay Point Road crime scene and are in the process of removing large equipment, such as ventilation apparatus and lights, used in the indoor grow operation. All equipment is being seized as evidence. The illegal operation was discovered when police executed a search warrant early Saturday, Jan. 10. More than 60,000 square feet of space in the facility was used for the factory-type setup, which operated on a 24-hour-a-day basis. The operation was capable of producing up to three or four crops a year, generating hundreds of millions of dollars for the criminals responsible for the process. Nine people have been charged so far and are currently before the courts. Members of the Huronia Combined Forces Drug Unit and Barrie city police, under the direction of the Ontario Provincial Police Criminal Investigation Branch, are continuing the investigation. Talk about burying the evidence. More than 20,000 marijuana plants seized from Barrie's former Molson brewery plant are now buried in a landfill site - under 10 feet of earth and 10 feet of garbage. Police would not say where the stash from the largest and most sophisticated indoor marijuana grow operation in Canada is buried. Investigators are still at the Big Bay Point Road crime scene and are in the process of removing large equipment, such as ventilation apparatus and lights, used in the indoor grow operation. All equipment is being seized as evidence. The illegal operation was discovered when police executed a search warrant early Saturday, Jan. 10. More than 60,000 square feet of space in the facility was used for the factory-type setup, which operated on a 24-hour-a-day basis. The operation was capable of producing up to three or four crops a year, generating hundreds of millions of dollars for the criminals responsible for the process. Nine people have been charged so far and are currently before the courts. Members of the Huronia Combined Forces Drug Unit and Barrie city police, under the direction of the Ontario Provincial Police Criminal Investigation Branch, are continuing the investigation. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin