ON: $10M grow-op busted in central Ontario

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The Toronto Sun

Letters to the Editor: torsun.editor@sunmedia.ca


$10M grow-op busted in central Ontario


By Galen Eagle, QMI Agency

Last Updated: September 10, 2010 1:21pm


HAVELOCK, Ont. - Police seized 10,000 marijuana plants from a large-scale grow-op in a rural home in central Ontario.

The estimated street value of the plants, ready for harvest, would have been about $10 million.

Police, who had been investigating the operation for about two weeks, stopped two men in their vehicle leaving the residence as they swooped in to raid the home.

Sheng Zhang, 41, of Millbrook, and Jin Sun Gou, 46, of Toronto, are both charged with production and possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

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The Community Press

Letters to the Editor


Friday, September 10, 2010


$10 million grow op found near Havelock


Local News
Posted By Mark Hoult Community Press, with files from Galen Eagle


Mark Hoult

Community Press


Havelock-Belmont-Methuen — A $10-million marijuana crop discovered north of Havelock Thursday is probably "just the tip of the iceberg," says an OPP official.

"This is the first one of this size this year, and I have a feeling we're going to find a lot more," said Peterborough County OPP Const. Iain McEwan.

Police filled two dump trucks to the brim after yanking some four-tonnes of marijuana plants from a County Road 44 property, just north of Havelock.

After a two-week investigation into a large-scale grow operation, police stopped a vehicle coming out of the suspected property, police said.

Two men, the driver and a passenger, were arrested on the scene and police obtained a search warrant for the property, police said.

Detectives from the Ontario Provincial Police organized crime enforcement bureau, members of the emergency response team and the central region canine unit took part in the raid.

"They located 10,000 plants with an approximate street value of $10 million," McEwan said. "They took two tonnes out yesterday evening and they took another two tonnes or more (Friday)."

The large property featured a home and several barns. The marijuana was planted in fields west of the property that could not be seen from a roadway.

The home was located on a rural property in a secluded area with no immediate neighbours. The site was accessed by a gated dirt road. A railway runs parallel to the property, which features several small ponds and swamps.

The property north of Havelock was probably chosen because it is remote, has a good supply of water and is easily accessible, McEwan said.

Police are still investigating who owns the property, but it was clear the two men arrested were living in the home, police said.

McEwan characterized the grow-op as well organized with "lots of hoses, lots of things in there. It was well organized and it was well sized."

The marijuana plants were ripe for the picking, he added.

"It was ready to be harvested, ready to go," he said.

It appeared the drugs were going to be harvested by hand because there was no apparent harvesting equipment on site, he said.

McEwan said it wouldn't be surprising if more grow-ops were uncovered in the upcoming weeks, the period in which drug producers typically harvest their crops.

"This time of year, it's going to be expected," he said. "This season has been a very good growing season."

McEwan said while police are having some success in their battle against drugs, marijuana grow operations continue to spring up throughout Peterborough County — a region with a large number of vacant rural properties for sale.

Properties used for marijuana grow operations are usually purchased by people from the city, McEwan said. "They are not local to the area. But I often wonder how they come to know about the area."

Charged with production and possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking are Sheng Zhang, 41, of Markham and Jingsun Gou, 46, of Toronto. They appeared in court briefly Friday and were scheduled to return on Monday for a bail hearing.


—with files from Galen Eagle, QMI Agency

Article ID# 2752208