Pubdate: Fri, 1 Feb 2008
Source: Regina Leader-Post (CN SN)
Copyright: 2008 The Leader-Post Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/regina/leaderpost/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/361
Author: Barb Pacholik, Leader-Post
Note: MAP archives articles exactly as published, except that our 
editors may redact the names and addresses of accused persons who 
have not been convicted of a crime, if those named are not otherwise 
public figures or officials.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Marijuana - Canada)

NOTEBOOK DETAILS WORK DONE

 From germinating seeds on cookie sheets to weeding, watering and 
shovelling manure, there was plenty of work to go around at what the 
prosecution contends was the largest marijuana grow-op in Saskatchewan history.

A notebook labelled "payroll hours records" examined by jurors 
Thursday at a Regina drug trial gives a glimpse of long days and 
back-breaking work at the Fort Qu'Appelle-area site uncovered more 
than two years ago.

The document indicates someone identified only as "Bob" worked as 
much as 12 hours a day. Meanwhile, "Stan" spent more than 14 hours 
over two days "shovelling cow shit," as the record reads. "John" 
built a greenhouse; "Ian" was available "P/T after school;" and "The 
Briguy," who started Friday the 13th, had duties that included making 
water lines, weeding and "spegghetti (sic)." Even "Elvis" put in time.

The top of one page in the notebook reads, "first 3,000 out July." 
There's also notations indicating the "summer grow schedule" began 
April 20; there was transplanting into pots on May 18; "in ground" on 
June 15; and "finish" would occur between Aug. 15 and 20.

On Aug. 21, 2005 RCMP, including members of the Emergency Response 
Team (ERT), launched a pre-dawn raid on the site, located near the 
properties of Joseph and Robert Agecoutay on the Pasqua First Nation.

On trial for unlawful production of marijuana and possession of 
marijuana for the purpose of trafficking are [redacted].

Regina police Const. Jeff Wagner, a member of the integrated drug 
unit, said he counted 6,088 plants growing in plots or greenhouses on 
the site. When samples of those plants were analysed, they all 
returned the same result -- cannabis marijuana.

During cross-examination of several witnesses, some of the six 
defence lawyers have asked about industrial hemp.

Wagner also seized a laptop computer, found in the bushes by a police 
dog tracking three men -- later identified as [redacted] -- who fled 
from a teepee located near six large greenhouses.

Retired RCMP Cpl. Mike Boyce, who was with the technical crime unit, 
said the portable computer, on which the owner was identified only as 
"Luke," held thousands of photographs.

Among the images is a close-up of a lush, green plant that someone 
has titled "looks Mexican." Another picture of plants is named 
"breeders." In another photo named "Oooh baby," [redacted] is looking 
out the rear of a vehicle filled with leafy, green plants.

Wagner also took possession of three shotguns and eight rifles. 
According to analysis certificates, two of the shotguns -- found 
inside [redacted] house -- had shorter than regulation barrels. 
Wagner demonstrated how an approximately metre-long metal pipe was 
found on the end of a sawed-off shotgun.

Crown prosecutor Darrell Blais is expected to call his final two 
witnesses today and Monday. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake