Police Target Illegal Marihuana Grows

KITCHENER, ON, Sept. 2, 2014 /CNW/ - Between August 18^th and August 21st, 2014, several Police Services from across Southwestern Ontario and the Canadian Forces (CF) worked together in a multi-jurisdictional marihuana eradication program.

The project, dubbed O-SABOT, involved resources from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) - Kitchener, RCMP Emergency Response Team, the Canadian Forces (CF), Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), West Grey Police Service and Saugeen Shores Police Service.  Project O-SABOT is the Ontario portion of the Canada wide marihuana eradication program (operation SABOT) that is aimed at locating and destroying outdoor marihuana grow operations to reduce the supply of illegal marihuana to Canadian communities.

This group effort required police services to share information and intelligence in order to identify the marihuana grow sites.  In total, police seized and destroyed 4,000 marihuana plants from 80 different illegal grow sites.

In September, 2011, the RCMP launched the Marihuana Grow Initiative to combat the prevalence of marihuana production being run and exploited by organized crime groups in Canada. This joint forces operation is an example of the collaboration envisioned within the Initiative and is a needed step in building a coordinated, collective response to this issue across Canada.

"Marihuana production fuels a wide range of criminal activity and violence which puts Canadian communities and Canadian citizens at risk. There are also many individual and community health and safety concerns with the existence of illegal marihuana grow sites. We will continue to work with our police and community partners and take aggressive and coordinated action to eradicate illegal marihuana production, stated Insp. Todd Gilmore, OIC RCMP Kitchener Detachment. 

For photos please visit the RCMP "O" Division (Ontario) Newsroom.

Police would like to thank the concerned citizens who provided information which resulted in the success of this program.  If a citizen has information about a marihuana grow site or any other illegal activity, they can anonymously supply information by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

SOURCE: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Cst Mark SCHAGENA
RCMP Kitchener Media Relations Officer
Office: [phone] ext. 278 Cell: [phone]

S/Sgt. Peter Koersvelt,
Acting RCMP Media Relations officer
RCMP "O" Division
519-995-8372

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/on/index-eng.htm

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