Thousands of marijuana plants valued at $20 million were destroyed prior to police executing a search warrant at a property north of Simcoe Tuesday.
“The plants were destroyed before police arrived,” Acting OPP Sgt. Ed Sanchuk said on Wednesday morning.
Three people were taken into custody and more arrests are expected after police executed the search warrant at the marijuana grow operation on Highway 24.
Several police vehicles were at the property early Tuesday.
Some residents in the area were keeping watch on the happenings, with some taking photographs of the police action.
“Our Community Street Crimes Unit has been very effective with proactive drug investigations. This is yet another example that highlights how the police and Norfolk County By-Law Enforcement continue to work with members of the community in partnership to resolve crime,” said Inspector Shawn Johnson, Interim Detachment Commander, Norfolk County OPP, in a media release.
Assisting the Ontario Provincial Police at the scene were Haldimand/Norfolk Community Street Crime Unit, the Provincial Joint Forces Cannabis Enforcement Team, Brant/Oxford and Elgin/Middlesex Community Street Crime Units and Emergency Response Team members.
Meanwhile, the chair of the Norfolk County Police Services Board, said the dismantling of the $20 million marijuana grow-op shows concerns raised by residents are being heard.
“This is something that has plagued this community for the past two-and-a-half, three years that I’ve been on the board,” George Santos said Wednesday following a police services board meeting. “A lot of work went into the dismantling of this grow-op.
“There’s still more work to be done but this is a great beginning.”
The drug bust and subsequent arrests should provide assurance to residents that work is being done to address them, Santos said adding investigations take time.
The Tuesday raid was the result of a lot of people and organizations working together, Santos said.
Orval Slack, a retired police officer, who has raised concerns about grow-ops in the community on numerous occasions applauded Tuesday’s drug bust.
But Slack called it a ‘small step’ towards addressing a huge problem in Norfolk.
Slack said the bust comes four years too late but added better late than never.
Everybody was aware of the grow-op and its dismantling will come as a relief to those who live nearby, he added.
Still there are a lot more grow-ops that need to be addressed, Slack said.
“This is a beginning, a small step towards addressing a huge problem,” Slack said. “They’ve got a lot more work to do.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Norfolk County OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or leave an anonymous online message at www.helpsolvecrime.com.