Pubdate: Thu, 10 Jul 2008
Source: Orangeville Citizen (CN ON)
Copyright: 2008 Orangeville Citizen
Contact:  http://www.citizen.on.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2529
Author: Dan Pelton
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

SECLUDED AREAS IN DANGER OF GOING TO POT

As everyone knows, the agricultural sector is a vital  factor in the 
economy of Dufferin County. One  particular area of farming is quite 
lucrative but  doesn't contribute to the tax base and is a cause for 
perennial consternation.

Police say outdoor marijuana grow operations are  becoming more 
common in the secluded areas around the  county. So much so, that 
they were a topic at a recent  Town of Mono council meeting.

When OPP Sergeant Steve Sills was presenting the  force's annual 
report on the force's activities in  Mono, Councillor Jean Castel 
spoke of an incident where  his wife and her friend were taking a 
stroll along the  Fourth Line.

It turned into an unnerving experience when a pickup  truck passed 
them five times and the driver, a stranger  to them, was scrutinizing 
them in a lessthan friendly  manner.

There have also been reports of people hiking in the  woods, only to 
come upon a "No Trespassing" sign.

They had a right to be confused since the sign was on  their own 
property and they hadn't put it there.

Sgt. Sills ventured that the driver checking out Ms.  Castel could be 
among "people coming up from the city  and growing their own 
marijuana on other people's  property." He also said the OPP is 
involved in a "visibility campaign" to help officers and the 
public  deal with the problem.

In a recent release, the OPP pointed out that marijuana  growers look 
for the following areas: swamps, corn  fields, wooded areas, along 
rivers and rural rental  properties with large acreage.

Once an area is located, growers will bring to the area  large bags 
of fertilizer, shovels, chemicals, pails  and, of course, the 
marijuana plants. The plants are  planted and maintained by the 
growers over the next  five months while they mature.

Due to the heartiness of the marijuana plant, they only  have to be 
tended to approximately once every two  weeks.

In late September or early October, the growers return  to harvest 
their plants, leaving the root of the plant  behind.

For those unfamiliar with the plants, they are bright  green in 
colour and the leaves have seven jagged  fingers.

They grow to between three and five feet in height and  give off an 
odour that resembles vegetation that has  just been sprayed by a skunk.

Common indicators that a 'grow op' may be in your  neighbourhood: 
abandoned vehicles parked on side roads  or trails; people observed 
walking in remote areas for  no apparent reason; bags of fertilizer, 
planting trays  or chemicals located in remote areas; well trampled 
trails in wooded or swamp areas, and clearedout areas  in swamps, 
wooded areas or corn fields.

If someone suspects such an operation is taking place,  he or she is 
asked to not intervene, but to contact  police with pertinent 
information, such as licence  plate numbers.

Call your local OPP drug force member or the Drug  Enforcement 
Section at (705) 735-4750 (an after-hours  name and number is 
provided) or Crime Stoppers at 1 800  222- TIPS.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom