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St. Laurent operations closed, two held
RCMP have shut down two huge marijuana growing operations near St. Laurent,
scooping up about 1,900 plants with a street value of $1.75 million.
Police say it's one of the largest pot busts ever in rural Manitoba. St.
Laurent is located about 100 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg.
"Most of them were mature plants which would have yielded a considerable
amount of product," said RCMP spokesman Sgt. Steve Saunders. "The buds on
the plants were huge."
It's estimated that the plants would have produced about 400,000 marijuana
cigarettes.
On July 13, at least a dozen RCMP officers from Lundar, Ashern and the drug
division from Winnipeg swooped down on a property northeast of St. Laurent
after obtaining a search warrant. They netted 269 plants.
On Thursday, a second sweep was conducted at a property in the same area,
yielding 1,600 plants.
Const. Mike Leben of the Lundar detachment said the two grow operations
were not linked.
He said that in both instances the pot was being grown in barns and other
outbuildings. In the second case, Leben said, some marijuana was being
grown outside.
He said the areas are fairly secluded.
Police have two suspects and are in the process of laying charges. Other
people may also face charges.
Leben said police have not determined if the suspects were residents or
simply using the property to grow pot.
He said the plants will be destroyed. Identification and forensic units are
still analysing the equipment seized, such as sprinkler systems and lights.
Police could not say how long the operations had been running. Leben said
the investigation had been going on for months but would not say how police
found out about them.
Saunders said that in general, there are certain signs that can raise
suspicions. He said most people who move out to the country integrate
themselves into the community, whereas those running grow operations tend
to keep a low profile.
Growing pot also requires a lot of power to run lights and that can also
tip off police. "Some try to boost power or skip the meter or establish an
independent diesel generator for power," said Saunders.
Newshawk: Herb
Pubdate: July 21, 2001
Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)
Contact: letters@freepress.mb.ca
Address: 1355 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg Manitoba R2X 3B6
Fax: (204) 697-7288
Feedback: Winnipeg Free Press
Website: Winnipeg Free Press - Breaking News, Sports, Manitoba, Canada
Author: David Kuxhaus
RCMP have shut down two huge marijuana growing operations near St. Laurent,
scooping up about 1,900 plants with a street value of $1.75 million.
Police say it's one of the largest pot busts ever in rural Manitoba. St.
Laurent is located about 100 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg.
"Most of them were mature plants which would have yielded a considerable
amount of product," said RCMP spokesman Sgt. Steve Saunders. "The buds on
the plants were huge."
It's estimated that the plants would have produced about 400,000 marijuana
cigarettes.
On July 13, at least a dozen RCMP officers from Lundar, Ashern and the drug
division from Winnipeg swooped down on a property northeast of St. Laurent
after obtaining a search warrant. They netted 269 plants.
On Thursday, a second sweep was conducted at a property in the same area,
yielding 1,600 plants.
Const. Mike Leben of the Lundar detachment said the two grow operations
were not linked.
He said that in both instances the pot was being grown in barns and other
outbuildings. In the second case, Leben said, some marijuana was being
grown outside.
He said the areas are fairly secluded.
Police have two suspects and are in the process of laying charges. Other
people may also face charges.
Leben said police have not determined if the suspects were residents or
simply using the property to grow pot.
He said the plants will be destroyed. Identification and forensic units are
still analysing the equipment seized, such as sprinkler systems and lights.
Police could not say how long the operations had been running. Leben said
the investigation had been going on for months but would not say how police
found out about them.
Saunders said that in general, there are certain signs that can raise
suspicions. He said most people who move out to the country integrate
themselves into the community, whereas those running grow operations tend
to keep a low profile.
Growing pot also requires a lot of power to run lights and that can also
tip off police. "Some try to boost power or skip the meter or establish an
independent diesel generator for power," said Saunders.
Newshawk: Herb
Pubdate: July 21, 2001
Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)
Contact: letters@freepress.mb.ca
Address: 1355 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg Manitoba R2X 3B6
Fax: (204) 697-7288
Feedback: Winnipeg Free Press
Website: Winnipeg Free Press - Breaking News, Sports, Manitoba, Canada
Author: David Kuxhaus
