medpot
08-19-2010, 06:38 AM
Telegraph-Journal (http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/front/article/1182235)
Letters to the Editor (http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/onsite.php?page=contact&letters#C)
N.B. Mounties make another significant marijuana seizure
Published Thursday August 19th, 2010
Drugs: Police say grow-ops are becoming very prevalent
in province, vow more seizures to come
A1Jennifer Pritchett
Telegraph-Journal
For the second time in as many days, the RCMP has seized hundreds of marijuana plants from areas in rural New Brunswick as part of its latest drug crackdown in a province where police say grow operations are "very prevalent."
RCMP Sgt. Jeff Johnston of the Kent detachment said the busts are part of the police's ongoing efforts to tackle the illegal cultivation of marijuana and there will be more seizures to come.
"The growing of marijuana in New Brunswick is a big problem and we're doing our best to eradicate grow operations and in turn, reduce crime in our communities," he said.
The most recent bust occurred on Tuesday when District 5 Kent RCMP seized more than 2,100 marijuana plants from various isolated wooded areas on private and Crown land in Bass River, Pointe-Sapin, Laketon, Saint-Ignace and Acadieville.
Some of these grow operations were situated in such remote areas that they're only accessible by four-wheeler or on foot.
There were no arrests made and the investigation is continuing.
Johnston estimated that if the plants had been fully grown, they could have yielded more than 1,050,000 marijuana joints.
The day before these seizures, District 4 Southeast RCMP seized 965 marijuana plants from wooded areas in Shediac, Cap-Pelé, Saint-André-Leblanc, Portage, Shemogue and Port Elgin. If fully grown, those plants could have yielded more than 482,000 marijuana joints, police estimate.
District 4 Southeast has executed 16 drug-related search warrants so far this year.
Johnston said RCMP are targeting the entire province for grow operations because "it's a problem everywhere."
He said police often rely on tips from the public to help them identify illegal grow operations.
"We locate (grow operations) on Crown land or on private property - sometimes homeowners who own large pieces of land don't realize that marijuana is growing on their property ... without the public some of these seizures wouldn't be possible," Johnston said. "We would like to thank the public for their assistance and encourage them to report any suspicious behaviour to us."
Citizens can also report these crimes anonymously by contacting Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS(8477). More information about the RCMP in New Brunswick's effort to eradicate marijuana grow-operations is available here.
Letters to the Editor (http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/onsite.php?page=contact&letters#C)
N.B. Mounties make another significant marijuana seizure
Published Thursday August 19th, 2010
Drugs: Police say grow-ops are becoming very prevalent
in province, vow more seizures to come
A1Jennifer Pritchett
Telegraph-Journal
For the second time in as many days, the RCMP has seized hundreds of marijuana plants from areas in rural New Brunswick as part of its latest drug crackdown in a province where police say grow operations are "very prevalent."
RCMP Sgt. Jeff Johnston of the Kent detachment said the busts are part of the police's ongoing efforts to tackle the illegal cultivation of marijuana and there will be more seizures to come.
"The growing of marijuana in New Brunswick is a big problem and we're doing our best to eradicate grow operations and in turn, reduce crime in our communities," he said.
The most recent bust occurred on Tuesday when District 5 Kent RCMP seized more than 2,100 marijuana plants from various isolated wooded areas on private and Crown land in Bass River, Pointe-Sapin, Laketon, Saint-Ignace and Acadieville.
Some of these grow operations were situated in such remote areas that they're only accessible by four-wheeler or on foot.
There were no arrests made and the investigation is continuing.
Johnston estimated that if the plants had been fully grown, they could have yielded more than 1,050,000 marijuana joints.
The day before these seizures, District 4 Southeast RCMP seized 965 marijuana plants from wooded areas in Shediac, Cap-Pelé, Saint-André-Leblanc, Portage, Shemogue and Port Elgin. If fully grown, those plants could have yielded more than 482,000 marijuana joints, police estimate.
District 4 Southeast has executed 16 drug-related search warrants so far this year.
Johnston said RCMP are targeting the entire province for grow operations because "it's a problem everywhere."
He said police often rely on tips from the public to help them identify illegal grow operations.
"We locate (grow operations) on Crown land or on private property - sometimes homeowners who own large pieces of land don't realize that marijuana is growing on their property ... without the public some of these seizures wouldn't be possible," Johnston said. "We would like to thank the public for their assistance and encourage them to report any suspicious behaviour to us."
Citizens can also report these crimes anonymously by contacting Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS(8477). More information about the RCMP in New Brunswick's effort to eradicate marijuana grow-operations is available here.