The Lucknow Sentinel, 1996-03-13, Page 24Five a-FiArat Negress c96'
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Lucrative 'cash crop' is illegal
by Ron Wassuk
Cash cropsprovedto be
lucrative for farmers last 'vara
There is one crop that brings
spectacular returns, but it can
also .land its groweris behind
bars
The eros is marijuaria and it
is, prevalent throughout .thegood
growing regions of liurori,
Bruce and Grey counties.
Like cow, marijuana thrives
in areas with high ,beat units,
fertile soil` and 'moderate rain
fall.
"We're lucky if ye're finding n
ding
10 per. centof it," says
Constable Andy Burgess of the
Kincardine OPP,
two years ago, law enforce -
meat officialsmet with area
pilots at airports in the regionto
give them lessons on how .to
spot the illegal crop. from the
air. =
It is difficult to find as :grow-
ers plant marijuana hi ;with corn,
along- edges of swamps and
bush lots. Some of the crop is
grown indoors in hydroponical- :..
ty equipped environments.
Police havefound marijuana
crops growing in attics and
basements.
Farmers, who are often the
victims of the illegal cash crop-
pers, can helppolice in thefight
against illegal drugs.
"We're always looking for Bruce isn't as potent . as.
drug information." Mexican imports and only.
Burgess says farmers can brings $1:,000 to $1,510 a
look for unusual activity, ,fund. .
Generally marijuana growers try Burgess says the Manshaul
to find: isolated areas, like blind would have dried. down to about
sideroadS9 for growing sites. 75 pounds, for a street value of
They ha: e.:been so bold, though, about .,$1 l 0 , 0 O t
t.;. waik right into a c *Ira field Last summer police ih
after a° farmer has planted his \ 1Iingt • n, Huron, Grey, Bruce
crop, pulled lip some of the coin and Perth counties conducted.
and transplanted marijuana in drug searches and seized 14,50
its place. . marijuana plants. Potential
(rowers will oftenprotect street value was 58 million.
their investment nvestment with chi kehe
. � . � Burgess says t police used
wire, to keepdeer from munch- the OPP helicopter to locate
ing on the delicacy, much of the illegal 'crops
Police have seized and har- between Kincardine and
;vested several crops in the past Lucknow,
fewyear's, - The growers aren't normally
Kinloss township, with its• farmers, Burgess says, but peo4
rolling .hills, bush and gravel pie who are trespassing on
Pits, seems to be a favorite area:.farn►land and using farmers'
for drug growers, . 'land to grow their crops,
About five years ago, police • Burgess advice, to farmers is
found about 40 plots'in,Kinloss, i
Huron, Culross, Bruce, Saugeen.. they spat y usual activity or
traffic to write down the license
'and Kincardine townships. plate and call police or Crime
There were 25 to 100 plants per. Stoppers.
site, ffik high percentage of the
Police ; found the cropcrops we find are along
grow-sideroads that have na farm
ich abuildings, usually grassland:
conerdidiarytions, fertiwhhxerdetrilliled secusoil
Often we find marijuana grow
-
was
-
ty of the sites, i.e.,how often ing•'ong river bottoms, or the
wass the farmer around. - edge of the Huron and Kinloss
The biggest haul was in township swamp,
lemons township two years ago. • "Usually the growers are out-
Police destroyed 150 marijuana. siders coming into the area,"
plants that were "full blown" .. Burgess says, not local people.
and were six feet tall. Meanwhile,. police are find
Marijuana, in its dry, usable ing an increase in substance
state, brings between $220 to abuse on the street. Acid and
$270 per ounce, or about $2,500' LSD is becoming more preva-
a pound .for the good stuff lent in the region.
Home grown marijuana harvest- "We've gone -from dependen-
ed from the fields of Huron, and cy toj addiction.
Bruce County's ,Finest
Meat Producers
For Over 50 Years
r
Constable Andy Burgess with file pictures of marijuana.:
(Ron Wassnk photo)