Summer seizures continue as SQ nets largest pot crop in Argenteuil’s history

With fall just around the corner, farmers are busy harvesting their crops and officers from the Sûreté du Quebec (SQ) are busy hiking into the woods to seize cannabis plants being grown in remote areas of Argenteuil.

The largest recorded pot bust in the history of Argenteuil occurred on September 1, when 50 SQ officers armed with over 25 search warrants traveled to a property on Scotch Road in Grenville-sur-la-Rouge, where they seized more than 4,500 cannabis plants weighing close to 90 kilograms.

According to SQ Sgt. Gilles Mitchell, officers found bulk cannabis spread over tables to dry and plants growing in the woods. In addition, they also found firearms, ammunition, a tractor, three ATVs, two modified golf carts, generators, alarm systems and monitoring equipment valued at more than $35,000.

Five men between the ages of 40 and 67 years of age were arrested and each will face charges for production of cannabis and possession for the purpose of trafficking. They could also face charges of illegal firearms possession. Police are continuing to search for one other man wanted for questioning in regards to these crimes.

This is the third cannabis bust in less than a month in which officers from Lachute have seized more than 1,000 plants growing in a single location.

On August 25, SQ officers busted an interior growing operation at 1390 Chemin Bourbonnière in Lachute, where they found 1,630 plants, 407 cuttings, more than 465 grams of bulk cannabis and about $15,000 worth of equipment used to grow the plants.

A woman was arrested and conditionally released in association with these crimes. This case is still under investigation and according to Sgt. Mitchell, more arrests are expected to be made.

An additional 1,000 cannabis plants were seized during a police raid on August 17, at 1952 Rue Principale in Lachute. A citizen tip led police to the home of a 68-year-old man who was arrested for possession and production of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

The plants were growing in the basement of the single-family home, which was being rented by the man who was arrested. The owner of the residence is also under investigation.

This is the second incident in a year in which a senior citizen living in Argenteuil and renting a home was arrested for growing a large-scale cannabis operation in the basement of a rented house. Police speculate that organized crime may be involved in the operation.

In an interview with Ontario Provincial Police Const. Christine Labelle, to determine if this trend is also common to neighbouring Ontario, she explained that this was one of the first instances in which she had heard of a case in which a senior citizen may have potentially been used to divert attention from an interior grow-op.

Labelle further explained that as part of police exercises, OPP officers have been made aware of a trend becoming increasingly common in Toronto. She said single, unemployed young mothers are given free lodging in large homes in exclusive neighbourhoods and are told by drug producers to leave during the day and appear to hold a regular job, while the residences they live in are used to grow illicit substances.

Regardless of speculation that there is a possibility of organized crime relating to some of these busts, those arrested will still face charges for their crimes.

In addition to these larger busts, on August 15, SQ officers acted on a citizen tip to seize 230 cannabis plants and about $1,000 in irrigation equipment from a remote section along the shores of the Lost River in Harrington. The installation was being operated autonomously and according to police it appeared as if the growers were visiting it only periodically.

On August 26, police also seized 115 cannabis plants near the Van Allman bicycle trail in Brownsburg-Chatham. No arrests have been made in relation to either of these busts.

In an unusual case, the final cannabis bust to be reported in the past month occurred following a barn fire near civic address 1366 on Highway 344 in Brownsburg-Chatham, close to Highway 50.

Following the fire, police were able to establish that the second floor of the barn had been filled with more than $50,000 in equipment used to grow about 300 cannabis plants. Two men in their 40s were arrested on the premises and charged with the production of cannabis with the intention of distribution.

The odd part of this case was the fact that the address was erroneously reported as 1366 Highway 344. Police were informed of the error when the senior owner of said property called them to complain that his friends and neighbours were calling to ask if he survived the fire and if so, if he was also involved in the cannabis grow-op.

According to Sgt. Mitchell, the error occurred due to the fact that the owner of the property at 1366 Highway 344 subdivided his property many years ago, after which a second house and barn were constructed. The barn that burnt down belonged to an adjoining property that was never issued a civic address.

If you have any information regarding these or other crimes, please contact the Lachute division of the Sûreté du Quebec at 450-562-2442, or anonymously contact Info-Crime at 1-800-711-1800.