HTTP/1.0 200 OK Content-Type: text/html Raids Put Dent In Budding Crime
Pubdate: Thu, 31 Jan 2002
Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2002, Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact:  http://www.fyiottawa.com/ottsun.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/329
Author: John Steinbachs
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

RAIDS PUT DENT IN BUDDING CRIME

Ottawa police raided a half dozen homes yesterday as part of a national 
crackdown on indoor marijuana-growing operations.

"We could have done more than six today but we don't have the resources," 
said Ottawa Police Chief Vince Bevan.

Police said there are probably another 50-200 of the operations in the city.

Across the country, about 500 officers executed 139 search warrants and 
seized 47,000 plants as part of Operation Green Sweep. Police arrested 136 
people and 28 children were found in houses where the plants were being grown.

In Ottawa, officers seized more than 1,300 plants and thousands of dollars 
in growing equipment.

Hull police raided one home, arresting one man and seizing 100 plants.

Public Relations Effort

The operation was as much public relations effort as it was drug 
eradication project.

Police are hoping to raise public awareness that a new breed of drug 
dealers have sprouted up in nice neighbourhoods and are turning residential 
homes into marijuana factories.

In Ottawa, officers picked homes throughout the city to show that indoor 
grows have moved into non-traditional areas.

Bevan said the homes pose a fire hazard because many operators crudely 
reroute hydro. There is also a concern about the amount of crime taking 
place in upscale neighbourhoods, including feuding drug gangs who rob each 
other.

"We've seen a sharp increase in the number of home invasions," said Bevan.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth