Pubdate: Sat, 27 Aug 2005 Source: Intelligencer, The (CN ON) Copyright: 2005, Osprey Media Group Inc. Contact: http://www.intelligencer.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2332 Author: Jeremy Ashley Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) POT BUSTS NET MORE THAN $40 MILLION The Longarm of the law pulled apart a major marijuana growing network operating through the Bancroft area over the past month. Thursday, officers with a collaborative police drug enforcement effort dubbed Project Longarm raided a home in Richmond Hill, near Toronto, and seized a quantity of pot growing equipment and cash. The seizure, police report, was directly linked to raids at four Bancroft-area growing operations that resulted in the seizure of more than $40 million worth of marijuana plants, thousands of dollars and growing equipment. While police are still looking for as many as five additional suspects, two Toronto-area men are in custody facing a litany of drug-related charges. As of Friday afternoon, arrest warrants for four men and a woman in the Greater Toronto Area were issued by provincial police. Investigators with Project Longarm initiated an investigation a little more than a year ago with the assistance of the provincial police tactical team, canine and auxiliary units. Two locations in the Bancroft area, another in Sabine Township (north of Bancroft, near Lake St. Peter) and a fourth on Highway 41 near Denbigh were raided by officers armed with search warrants over the past two weeks. In addition to 40,000 marijuana plants, police say between the four operations shut down officers seized " ... well over $10,000 in U.S. funds, four vehicles, a dump truck and a significant amount of growing equipment." During one of the seizures near Bancroft, officers busted a "compound-like property" on Auto Wreckers Lane and seized more than $4 million worth of drugs and property. Police arrived at the fenced property in the early morning hours and arrested two males without incident. Police found numerous "rink like" structures surrounded by an eight-foot high fence. Within the perimeter were thousands of marijuana plants nearing maturity. The compound also housed a full irrigation system and drying facility for the operation. Four thousand healthy marijuana plants were seized, in addition to several pounds of processed marijuana and other associated growing equipment. Also seized was a quantity of crystal methamphetamine, psilocybin, ecstasy and cash. Belleville police chief Steve Tanner applauded the efforts of the Project Longarm team, noting his force has two officers dedicated to the unit full-time. "I mentioned earlier this month that Project Longarm has seized a total of $110 million in illegal drugs in Hastings and Prince Edward counties since its formation in 2001 ... and we will certainly continue to maintain a commitment to major drug enforcement in this area." Large growing farms tend to be operated by people associated with organized crime groups, he added. Tanner also cautioned that methamphetamine (crystal meth) is the next major problem facing cities and towns. "It's been popping up here ... and has literally become an epidemic in the U.S." As for the Bancroft operation, the two men charged -- Jiyang Feng, 42, of Scarborough and Wei Quiang, 35, of Oshawa -- are due to appear in Belleville court next week for a bail hearing. - --- MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman