Pubdate: Fri, 15 Sep 2006
Source: Sault This Week (CN ON)
Copyright: 2006 Osprey Media Group, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.saultthisweek.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2398
Author:  Alan Montgomery, Sault Rcmp Const.

POLICE SERVICES TEAM UP FOR OUTDOOR MARIJUANA ERADICATION OPERATION

Five law enforcement agencies teamed up recently to conduct a 
three-day outdoor marijuana eradication operation to locate outdoor 
marijuana grows in the Algoma District. Dubbed Project SABOT, the 
initiative took place over the past few weeks.

The combined services Marijuana Eradication Team comprised officers 
from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Ontario Provincial 
Police, the Sault Ste. Marie Joint Forces Drug Unit, and the Ontario 
Ministry of Natural Resources.

All of these agencies shared information gathered from a number of 
sources to make strategic strikes against specific marijuana grow 
areas. They also combined human and technical resources to make the 
project both cost-efficient and effective. The partnership provided 
an opportunity to share training techniques and intelligence on drug 
issues in their communities.

Through a combined effort, larger amounts of marijuana can be seized 
at one time and taken from fields before it reaches the streets, 
making marijuana less available and reducing the risk to our communities.

The 2006 combined services Marijuana Eradication Team was formed to 
locate and destroy outdoor marijuana grows throughout Algoma 
including Wawa, Chapleau, Sault Ste. Marie, Thessalon, Elliot Lake 
and Serpent River First Nations. A total of approximately 3,700 
marijuana plants were seized over the three-day period.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine