Pubdate: Thu, 07 Oct 2004 Source: Fort Frances Times (CN ON) Copyright: 2004 Fort Frances Times Limited Contact: http://www.fftimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2343 Author: CP Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) NEW POWERS SLATED TO FIGHT GROW-OPS Ontario residents soon may be forced to allow hydro, building, and other inspectors into their homes as part of a planned crackdown on marijuana grow-ops. Legislation will be introduced this fall to give the inspectors the power to enter homes if they suspect the illegal activity, Community Safety minister Monte Kwinter said today. "What happens now is that some of these people just aren't allowed to enter into a private home," said Kwinter. "We want to make sure that they have the ability to combat what is becoming a real scourge." Being able to knock on a door and demand entry is a power not even police have--unless they have first obtained a search warrant. The problem with that, Kwinter said, is that it's difficult to get a warrant without first knowing what's inside. "This will give authority to various of these agencies to be able to go in and do an inspection," he noted. Kwinter said inspectors "hopefully" would only act if they have "probable cause" to believe there's a grow-op inside. That could mean an unusual pattern of hydro use or excessive heat coming from a home--indicative of the bright lamps used for growing pot indoors. Grow-ops are estimated to cost $80 million a year in electricity theft, and there also are serious safety issues as they pose a major fire hazard and some of the homes have had children inside. In March, the RCMP reported phenomenal growth in the number of illegal grow-ops in Ontario. Police estimated as many as 15,000 operations were active and grow-op busts have become an almost daily occurrence. The problem is not exclusive to Ontario and is being seen across the country. Besides the dangers posed by the grow-ops, police have long maintained the cash they generate goes to organized crime. Kwinter also said insurance companies are going to become part of the solution by refusing to cover homes damaged by grow-ops--leaving the homeowner on the hook in case of rental properties. - ---