Hot news from Barrie

I know it's a couple days old but....daaaaamn

quote:

9 Charged - Over $30 Million in Marihuana Seized BARRIE, ON, Jan. 12 /CNW/ - Officers from the Ontario Provincial Police Drug Enforcement Section and the Barrie Police Service have arrested and charged nine men, and seized over 30,000 marihuana plants with a street value of approximately $30 million, in two massive indoor grow operations. Officers executed a search warrant in Barrie early Saturday (Jan. 10th) morning at a former brewery site at One Big Bay Point Road in Barrie. Specialized OPP teams of officers from the Tactics and Rescue Unit (TRU), Emergency Response Teams (ERT), Drug Enforcement Officers and K-9 Teams, along with the Barrie Police Emergency Response Unit, arrested nine individuals and secured the building late that evening. A second search warrant was executed at 4921 Hwy 11 North, Oro-Medonte Township just north of Barrie. Officers seized approximately 3,000 more marihuana plants at a complex within this commercial site. Both locations were being run as factories that operated on a 24 hour a day basis. Areas had been set aside for living accommodations for up to 50 individuals at one time. These areas had been set up to accommodate the individuals looking after the marihuana plants and included common areas, beds, televisions, fridges and stoves similar to a dormitory-type facility. Over a thousand hydroponic lights were being used to provide artificial light for the plants and this operation would be capable of producing up to three or four crops per year, generating 100's of millions of dollars for the criminals responsible for this operation. "The Big Bay Point location is the largest and most sophisticated grow operation in Canada using more than 60,000 square feet of space," said Deputy Commissioner Vaughn Collins of the OPP Investigation and Organized Crime Command. "Commercial marihuana factories have reached epidemic proportions in Ontario, they are in every community and most are controlled by organized crime. "I am very pleased that we were able to shut down and dismantle what was the largest indoor marihuana growing operation within Canada; the fact that it resided in our community demonstrates the need for the public to be vigilant for suspicious activities which may be evidence of illegal drug production." said Chief Wayne Frechette of the Barrie Police Service. Charged are: 1. Michael DiCicco, 60, of Hallmark Ave. Toronto, Ontario Production of a Controlled Substance (Marihuana) 7(1) CDSA Possession for the Purpose (Marihuana) 5(2) CDSA 2. Robert Bleich, 29, of 12th Concession Stayner, Ontario Production of a Controlled Substance (Marihuana) 7(1) CDSA Possession for the Purpose (Marihuana) 5(2) CDSA 3. Scott Walker, 34, of Woodrow St. No. 212A St. Catharines, Ontario Production of a Controlled Substance (Marihuana) 7(1) CDSA Possession for the Purpose (Marihuana) 5(2) CDSA 4. Zoran Stojanovic, 49, of Ogdale Ave. No. 116 St. Catharines, Ontario Production of a Controlled Substance (Marihuana) 7(1) CDSA Possession for the Purpose (Marihuana) 5(2) CDSA 5. Tomas Gates, 33, of Cameron St. Unit No. 108 Corunna, Ontario Production of a Controlled Substance (Marihuana) 7(1) CDSA Possession for the Purpose (Marihuana) 5(2) CDSA 6. Craig Walker, 24, of Drummond Rd. Niagara Falls, Ontario Production of a Controlled Substance (Marihuana) 7(1) CDSA Possession for the Purpose (Marihuana) 5(2) CDSA 7. Scott Dillon, 23, of Autumn Circle Toronto, Ontario Production of a Controlled Substance (Marihuana) 7(1) CDSA Possession for the Purpose (Marihuana) 5(2) CDSA 8. Rayne Sauve, 36, of Woodrow Ave. St. Catherines, Ontario Production of a Controlled Substance (Marihuana) 7(1) CDSA Possession for the Purpose (Marihuana) 5(2) CDSA Possession of a Controlled Substance (Cocaine) 4(1) CDSA Possession of a Controlled Substance (Ecstasy) 4(1) CDSA 9. Edward MacAdam, 43, of Mundare Cr. Niagara Falls, Ontario Production of a Controlled Substance (Marihuana) 7(1) CDSA Possession for the Purpose (Marihuana) 5(2) CDSA Possession of a Controlled Substance (Marihuana Under 30g) 4(1) CDSA All charged persons are being held for a bail hearing in Barrie court scheduled for Tuesday Jan. 13, 2004. Photos of the indoor marihuana grow are available at www.opp.ca; go to the news releases section to view. For more information on the indoor marihuana grow problem in Ontario, go to the OPP Website and click on the Green Tide report. The investigation is continuing. Photographs can be seen by clicking on http://files.newswire.ca/156/marihuanaseizure.doc

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