NCJ Number
209381
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 72 Issue: 3 Dated: March 2005 Pages: 28-31
Date Published
March 2005
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article documents the prevalence of indoor marijuana growing operations in Canada and describes the strategy and operations of the York Regional Police (Ontario Province) to counter this problem.
Abstract
Canada has become a main source country for marijuana exportation. Ontario, for example, had indoor marijuana growing operations capable of producing 1.2 million kilograms (2.6 million pounds) of marketable marijuana between 2000 and 2003. The most costly element of an indoor marijuana growing operation is electricity for lighting. Growers typically eliminate this cost by tampering with meters or, more commonly, by diverting the electricity from the main supply line with a bypass. In 2002, a York Region utility that served a population of approximately 300,000 disconnected 191 grow operations that stole electricity worth approximately $1 million. The process of creating a bypass to steal electricity can create dangerous and even lethal electrical environments when grounds surrounding the grow site become charged due to outside wires that are not grounded. Other risks linked to marijuana growing operations are the displacement of oxygen with carbon dioxide in the air, carbon monoxide poisoning, and the creation of various health-damaging molds. The York Regional Police Indoor Marijuana Grow Operation Strategy is an ongoing effort of the police, community, and businesses, including utilities, to identify and terminate grow operations. The utilities help identify possible indoor grow operations where large amounts of power are being used. The Electrical Safety Authority (a provincial agency) has the authority to inspect a site when notified by the electrical utility that suspicious electrical activity is occurring inside the premises. An unsafe electrical situation results in disconnection; and if marijuana is discovered, the agency notifies police, who can then obtain and execute a search warrant and seize the marijuana. Some signs of an indoor marijuana growing operation (property and behavior) are listed.