Pubdate: Mon, 02 Jul 2007
Source: Review, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2007 Osprey Media Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2907
Author: Alison Langley
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

LANDLORD JAILED FOR RENTING GROW-OP HOUSE TO FAMILY

A Niagara Falls landlord will spend the next 60 days  behind bars for 
knowingly renting a toxic home to an  unsuspecting family of five.

Shortly after the family moved in to the Arthur Street  bungalow, the 
children began experiencing health  problems, including an 
unexplained rash that was  resistant to medications.

In Niagara Falls provincial court last week, Justice of  the Peace 
Carolyn Straughan was told their mysterious  illnesses stemmed from 
the fact the property once  housed an elaborate marijuana growing operation.

"This was the worst of the worst cases we've  experienced in terms of 
the damage a grow op can do and  what they did to this innocent 
family," said Jim  Jessop, a fire inspector with the Niagara Falls 
Fire  Department.

Hoi Nguyen was placed on probation for 12 months and  ordered not to 
possess any hydroponic growing equipment  after she pleaded guilty to 
failing to obey a No  Occupancy order.

Her husband, Huu Nguyen, was handed a 60-day jail term  after 
pleading guilty to failing to ensure activities  that create a hazard 
were not carried out in the  building.

Lawyer Charles Rovan had asked for a 30-day sentence,  saying the 
couple's former tenants were responsible for  the clandestine drug 
lab and that Huu Nguyen had spent  approximately $40,000 to make the 
home suitable for  habitation.

Straughan dismissed the plea for leniency, saying the  cost to clean 
up the property was "the cost of doing  business as a landlord."

"They are the owners of this property and it appears  they neglected 
their responsibilities as the  landlords," she said.

Niagara Regional Police scored a $250,000 pot bust  after searching 
the home in January, 2006. More than  360 plants, along with $15,000 
in growing equipment,  was seized.

As a result of the condition of the home, the city  issued an unsafe 
building order and a No Occupancy  order against the property.

Fire officials learned the home had been rented six  weeks after the drug bust.

Apart from a fresh coat of paint throughout the large  four-bedroom, 
three-bath, two-kitchen home, the  building had not been property 
remediated, as required  by law.

The family had no idea their "dream home" was once a  drug lab.

They were forced to leave it, and many of their  possessions, as 
everything was contaminated with mould  and a dangerous combination 
of chemicals that was left  to rot on the floor after police raided the home.

The former tenant had used a bathtub to mix the  chemicals - the same 
bathtub the three children had  been using.

"There had to be a punishment and it has to be severe,"  prosecutor 
Anne Swayze said.

Rovan said his clients didn't know of the hazards  caused by grow ops.

"They are now," he told court.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman