Pubdate: Fri, 16 May 2008 Source: Barrhaven This Week (CN ON) Copyright: 2008 Ottawa Region Media Group Contact: http://www.runge.net/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4767 Author: Valerie McLaughlin Note: This article also appeared in the Nepean This Week RESIDENTIAL AREAS HOME TO CITY'S MARIJUANA GROW-OPS They can lurk anywhere in yoursuburb. It could be in the quiet, tidy house beside you or the house down the street that always has its drapes perpetually closed. Or it could be the two-storey home with the children's toys strewn outside the front door. Ottawa police estimate there are 200 marijuana grow-ops located across the city. One red hot active area for these operations appears to be Barrhaven. Residential areas are the perfect locations for these drug operations, said Staff Sgt. Pete Gauthier of the force's drug unit and proceeds of crime section. "They can be more concealed that way. By mixing with the general population you are less noticeable that way," Gauthier explained. Barrhaven seems to be a location of choice for these operations as the community has an abundance of housing and a variety of homes to choose from with unfinished basements, he said. Most grow-op locations have an attached garage so residents don't know who is entering and exiting the home, he added. But Barrhaven isn't alone. Other popular areas for these types of operations include the city's south end and Orleans. Many homes housing grow-ops have lights hooked up to timers. A television in the front living room may be on frequently. There will be furniture in the home only visible in areas where neighbours can see. "People want you to believe a family is living there," Gauthier said. Increasingly, people are living in homes housing grow-ops, including children. "It is certainly unsafe and it shows no care for human beings," he said. While police have no theories why adults would allow children to live in these residences, the force has taken the step of getting the Children's Aid Society involved. When children are found living at a grow-op, CAS authorities are called in and the organization will also investigate the situation. DISMANTLING GROW-OPS Of the 200 estimated grow-ops in the city, police estimate they dismantle 10 per cent of these drug operations a year. In 2005, police raided 37 grow ops, another 46 in 2006 and 27 last year. Police have dismantled 20 operations so far this year. To make the public more aware of the problem, the OPS has started posting addresses of former marijuana grow-ops on its website. In mid-March, police found 139 plants and 117 grams of dried marijuana at a home on Steeple Hill Road in Barrhaven. Police made two arrests and laid four charges. Another grow-op in Barrhaven was dismantled in early April, this time on Taradale Drive. While police found 500 plants, they made no arrests or laid any charges at the time. A week later, police raided two homes on Burntwood Crescent on the same day. One of the homes housed 1,105 marijuana plants. Police also found 21.2 grams of dried marijuana. One person was arrested and four charges were laid. A total of 531 plants were found at the second residence. One person was arrested and four charges were laid by police. Although police are keeping the addresses of dismantled grow-ops on the website for three months, one organization believes the postings should stay up for at least five years or longer. Rick Snell, president-elect of the Ottawa Real Estate Board, said the organization believes in full disclosure. By posting the addresses on the website for a longer period of time, it will give future homebuyers an important research tool when making one of the biggest purchases during their lives. "That way a buyer will know, even if the property has been remedied. They can do some extra checking," Snell said. Without the police registry, it makes it difficult for real estate agents and home inspectors to determine if someone's dream house was once used as a grow-op. "Unless they are on the registry, it is very hard to detect. When the plants are removed they can make modifications and clean up," he said. If the property is properly fixed, there shouldn't be any reoccurring problems in the future, Snell said. However, if the property was quickly cleaned up for sale, future property owners could find themselves facing costly repair bills. Mould can grow in grow-ops and the property can be a fire hazard if the wiring was tampered. The real estate firm that Snell works for has sold former growop properties that were remedied. Fixing the damage can cost anywhere between $50,000 to $70,000, he said. The police have received a positive response from the public since posting the addresses online, Gauthier said, adding some police services have called, wanting information about the registry. "There has been absolutely nothing negative," he said. DRUGS HEADED OUT OF TOWN Most grow-ops are operated by members of organized crime. While some of the locally grown marijuana will end up on city streets, most of the drug heads to the U.S. "The profits of growing marijuana are very large. We estimate $1,000 a plant," he said. A number of tips alerting police to potential grow-ops are generated by Crime Stoppers. For the most part, the information given to Crime Stoppers is credible and it takes a week to a couple of months for police to properly investigate. "They are very involved investigations and it is not anything that is done overnight," Gauthier said. "People are being observant and I'm glad people are taking the time to tell us about it." But the fight to dismantle growops also takes the eyes of the community. "It is dangerous to have a growop [in a community]. I am concerned with the criminal element associated with it," he said. "We really enjoy the bond we have with the community. We wish for that to continue because it is of great assistance to the drug section." - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D