Grow ops are buildings used by the drug trade to grow marijuana. Grow houses are in residential buildings, but grow ops can be in commercial or agricultural buildings as well. Estimates by police put the number of grow ops at 50,000 across Canada.
Grow ops are everywhere, and their numbers increase every day. They are in small towns, big cities and remote settings. No area is immune. They can occur anywhere.
Usually grow ops occur in residential areas- subdivisions or apartments – but they also crop up in agricultural and commercial spaces. Often several are found in the same area – sometimes even on the same street.
Growers are becoming more and more sophisticated. To prevent detection they try to make the house blend in and look like it is lived in. Crop sitters take up residence, sometimes with children, to dispel suspicions.
Many times rented properties are preferred, but recently growers have been buying properties for grow op purposes. Some are even built specially for the industry with additional features to suppress damage from mold and humidity.
Grow operations range widely in size. They can be a couple of plants in a closet, to ten in a basement room, to 10,000 in a warehouse. In January 2004 Barrie police discovered the largest grow op to date in an old Molson’s brewery. They discovered and destroyed more than 25,000 plants worth millions. This size of grow op is not typical, however.
Some parts of the country have more experience with grow ops than others. BC, Quebec and Ontario lead the way. Each are is different. In BC there is more indoor growing, while in Quebec there is more outdoor growing.
Because thre is a lot of money to be made marijuana growing has become widespread. relatively speaking the risks are quite low. Punishment is negligible. It has, as a result, become a million dollar industry.
According to law enforcement the small growers are being replaced by bigger, organized criminal enterprises. good returns and low risks make this an attractive activity. Growing demand and acceptance coupled with light penalties means grow ops will be with us for years to come.
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