Pubdate: Wed, 26 Oct 2005
Source: Grimsby Lincoln News, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2005 The Grimsby Lincoln News
Contact:  http://www.thegrimsbylincolnnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3974
Author: Scott Rosts
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

COUPLE BUSTED FOR $3 MILLION GROW OP

Tips received beginning back in 2004 led police to a picturesque
country road in Smithville last week where they uncovered an
agricultural operation of the illegal kind. Through a joint effort,
Niagara and Hamilton police teamed up to dismantle a $3 million grow
op.

A West Lincoln couple was arrested and charged Friday morning after
police shut down the operation at their home, 7838 Twenty Rd. Nearly
3,000 marijuana plants and growing equipment were seized.

The bust, says Niagara Regional Police Intelligence and Drug Unit
Staff Sgt. George Ravenek, was made with the assistance of Hamilton
Police Service, who used thermal imaging, called FLIR, to detect the
grow operation in two barns on the property.

"They developed the information and since we don't have the technology
they said they would do it with the FLIR," said Staff Sgt. Ravenek.

The technology allowed police to find hot spots from the
roadway.

Det. Sgt. Mike Thomas of the Hamilton Police Service's Vice and Drug
Unit, said the Hamilton service has only been utilizing the FLIR
technology since April, but it has been effective.

"Using the FLIR we can identify unusual hot spots in businesses, homes
and farms," said Det. Sgt. Thomas. "It's especially effective in rural
grow operations like this," he said adding the Hamilton service helped
investigate the incident after receiving tips about a large grow
dating back to late 2004. They started the search in Hamilton,
eventually finding the operation inWest Lincoln.

After identifying the operation, police from both services teamed up
to execute a search warrant for the property at about 11:30 a.m.
Friday, in an operation they dubbed "Project Garfield".

Both of the accused were home at the time, says Staff Sgt.
Ravenek.

In addition to the discovery of the plants, police also recovered a
sawed-off Cooey 12-gauge single-shot shotgun during a search of the
residence.

The 57-year-old male and the 54-year old female were charged with
cultivation, possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of
a prohibited weapon and careless storage of a prohibited weapon. They
were being held in custody pending a bail hearing.

While police are pleased they were able to shut down the large
marijuana growing operation, they are calling on the public to work
with them in preventing drug-related crime and in shutting down grow
ops.

"We said it before and we say it again, there are a lot of signs when
people are involved and people should be more aware when things just
don't look right," said Staff Sgt. Ravenek. He said in this incident,
neighbours should have recognized the decline of the working farm. He
said utility workers, from hydro to workers delivering high-quantity
loads of diesel to the farm, which only had one 60HP tractor, must
have turned "a blind eye" to have not realized what was going on.
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