GROW-OP BUSTS YIELD $6M IN POT

THREE WEEKS of raids on suspected marijuana grow operations have netted police an estimated $6 million in pot and uncovered ties to organized crime.  Ottawa police and the RCMP seized 5,949 plants, about 45 kg of dried marijuana, $451,000 worth of grow equipment and property, and $5,500 in cash during the raids.

Twenty-four people were arrested and 80 criminal charges laid in relation to the production of a controlled substance.

Dubbed Project MOTA, the drug sweep began in mid-April after public tips in the wake of an international crackdown on an Ottawa-based drug cartel identified 65 possible grow houses operating across the city.

After investigating each tip, police raided 21 locations that were confirmed grow houses.  They suspect at least eight of the 44 other addresses had been grow ops at one time.

"We can't ask the public to help us with detecting crime unless we are prepared to respond," said Ottawa police Staff Sgt.  Marc Pinault.  "We depend upon people working with us by being vigilant about all crime within their neighbourhoods."

According to Pinault, at least two of the grow ops are connected with drug operations allegedly headed by 38-year-old Mai Le, who was arrested in March during Project CODI.

150 ARRESTS

Project CODI resulted in more than 150 arrests across North America and resulted in the seizure of more than $1 million in cash, 1,000 marijuana plants and $100,000 in growing equipment and computers.

Pinault said the level of sophistication in many of the remaining grow operations shut down in the past three weeks suggest connections to other organized crime groups.

"We can still see some evidence of criminal organizations," said Pinault.  "You can't move that many plants or that much dope without transportation in place and buyers and sellers."

Police said the 24 people charged were "farmers" who grow the marijuana and are not believed to be the ringleaders of any criminal organizations.

"They are continuing to find people to take the hit for them," said Pinault, adding the majority of the grow houses police raided presented a risk to either the public or the growers.

Police say many of the grow houses had illegally bypassed electricity.  Police discovered a one-year-old child living in one mould-filled home where 1,157 plants were being grown.

Pinault said it's too early to say if the two latest crackdowns have made a dent in Ottawa's grow operations or if police have just snipped the tip of the iceberg of Ottawa's pot industry.