Pubdate: Mon, 30 Jan 2012
Source: Metro, The (CN MB)
Copyright: 2012 The Metro
Contact:  http://www.canstarnews.com/page/paper/the_metro
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3558
Page: 3
Author: Chinta Puxley

GROW-OPS ON THE RISE IN MANITOBA, MOUNTIES SAY

Police are doing what they can to attack the organized criminals 
behind the drug trade, as well as growers and traffickers, RCMP say

One of Canada's top Mounties says more drug traffickers from across 
Canada are setting up elaborate and sophisticated grow-ops in rural 
Manitoba bankrolled by organized crime.

RCMP Assistant Commissioner Bill Robinson says the province's 
Mounties took 15,000 marijuana plants last year in just over 1,000 
seizures. That's double from the year before.

He says much of the pot was grown in sophisticated greenhouses in 
rural locations and was destined for streets across Canada. Some of 
it was genetically modified to produce "super-trees"  rather than 
regular marijuana plants.

The increasing number of non-residents arrested suggests a crackdown 
on drugs in other provinces is driving criminals to set up shop in 
rural Manitoba, Robinson said in a briefing Friday.

"We're seeing the end product of a lot of enforcement that's taking 
place in other parts of the country,"  he said. "In Manitoba, of 
course, we're a rural province. We've got lots of land. We've got 
some very isolated locations with old farmyards where people can set up.

"If you can grow 3,500 marijuana super-trees in greenhouses in a 
rural location versus a small basement in the north end (of 
Winnipeg), where are you going to go? You are going to go into a 
location where you are making the biggest bang for your buck."
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