B
British_Bulldog
m@rg, which Growell are you talking about please? Solihull, Merry Hill or Fulham?
Peace
Peace
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What is with the paranoia about buying grow equipment some of you have?
- Thread starter TORO!
- Start date
B
British_Bulldog
Ok well one to avoid for sure then m@rg: surveillance cameras and growers don't mix
FrankRizzo
Listen to me jerky
I spend part of my summer in Oregon but normally live in another state. I buy my major equipment in Or and then take it home with me at the end of the summer. Not only is there so sales tax in Or. I figure crossing state line will make things a bit more complicated for the pigs to track me down. I'm sure it wouldn't be that hard for them if they really wanted to, but it means getting agencies from different states to work together. Not to mention all that work would go towards less then five total plants. That's a lot of government organization (hahaha) for next to nothing. I go to HD or Lowes to get the little things I may need in between.
I'm sure it's not possible for everyone here but if you live close to your states border maybe doing the same thing could ease you tension a bit. Stay safe out there.
-I also use multiple stores so I'm never walking out of one with more than a few things. Not that the piggers would look at it this way, but I figure a person walking out with just one fan looks much different than someone with a fan, lights, soil, ballasts, nutes etc.
I'm sure it's not possible for everyone here but if you live close to your states border maybe doing the same thing could ease you tension a bit. Stay safe out there.
-I also use multiple stores so I'm never walking out of one with more than a few things. Not that the piggers would look at it this way, but I figure a person walking out with just one fan looks much different than someone with a fan, lights, soil, ballasts, nutes etc.
FrankRizzo
Listen to me jerky
Here's another reason to be a bit paranoid
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=90115
"Boeheim said drug officers kept watch on the business, and whenever the trail led to a grow-op, they would raid it."
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=90115
"Boeheim said drug officers kept watch on the business, and whenever the trail led to a grow-op, they would raid it."
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wishbone420
Member
lot to be paranoid about these days. this is a game of high stakes in most states. at least mine.
Macster2
Member
I wasn't till I read this
Cops bust grow-op supplier
York cops lay 200 charges
By ROB LAMBERTI, SUN MEDIA
The Toronto Sun
A vast amount of marijuana grow equipment was seized during a two-year investigation, named Project Tropical Storm, which resulted in the seizure of $8 million dollars worth of illegal narcotics. (Dave Abel/Sun Media)
EAST GWILLIMBURY -- It took two years but a complete service marijuana shop that helped clandestine growers has been shut down, York Region narcotics officers say.
Police said yesterday they arrested two people who owned Tropical Distribution, a hydroponic business, one employee and 28 marijuana grow operators who bought equipment from the Concord company during the course of Project Tropical Storm. They face more than 200 drug-related and criminal charges.
Drug cops suspect there are other hydroponic shops that are helping out marijuana growers and police say they are "on our radar screens."
"There are not that many watermelons and vegetables being grown in Ontario to satisfy the needs of some of these stores," York Regional Police Chief Armand La Barge said.
ACTED AS BROKER
"Clearly you can see some of the product names and there is no doubt to the market they are serving."
The company is alleged to have supplied the material and savvy to grow marijuana, and at times acted as a broker between farmers and dealers.
Police seized $12.5 million worth of dope and $250,000 in property during the project, launched in October 2006.
Members of the drugs and vice unit began focusing on the Edgeley Blvd. business in January 2007, and even told the two owners and one employee that police were interested in the business.
Cops shut down 19 grow-ops -- all but one that relied on Tropical -- in Mississauga, Brampton, Toronto, Richmond Hill, Aurora, Newmarket and Vaughan during the course of the project. Authorities are in the process of seizing some of those homes, all of which are owned by the growers, as proceeds of crime.
One grower is also charged with fraud, allegedly arranging a $376,000 mortgage for a $385,000 house on Keffer Circle in Newmarket on false pretences. Police seized 346 plants at that house.
Detectives needed a tractor-trailer to carry the complete stock seized at the store and from the homes .
"We didn't hide it from" the Tropical staff, Det. Dieter Boeheim said of the investigation. "We went in there and talked to them, when we first started out, just to get a handle of what these people were all about."
Boeheim said drug officers kept watch on the business, and whenever the trail led to a grow-op, they would raid it.
Authorities were concerned about the chemical and fire hazards that the operations posed to the neighbourhoods, so police moved in quickly to dismantle the grow-ops.
Feeling the pressure from police, Tropical pulled up stakes from Concord last July and moved to 135 Ormont Dr. in North York.
"Pretty well, at that point, we knew what they were all about," Boeheim said.
Although the owners knew police were targeting them, they apparently didn't alter their business.
"It's a way of life," Boeheim alleged. "For some of these people, it's all they do."
The police presence and jail time is just the cost of doing business, he said.
Police raided the store on April 17, shutting it down and seizing all of its stock.
TARGETED SUPPLIER
It was the first time that York police targeted a supplier of grow operations.
Insp. Tom Carrique alleged the company was "engaged in supplying the operators" equipment, chemicals and knowledge needed to maintain marijuana crops.
Tropical also "attempted to work as brokers to facilitate sale and purchase" of both young plants and dried marijuana, he alleged.
The company offered "one-stop shopping, exactly," he said.
"This is not a police problem, it is a community problem," Carrique said. "We have to address the demand through the community and we have to address the supply through law enforcement."
Store owners Van Duong Le, 41, and wife Tu Cam Lam, 28, are charged with 18 counts each of production of a controlled substance and possession for the purpose of trafficking, as well as 17 counts of theft of electricity.
Employee Dai Tho Le, 28, of Mississauga, is charged with production of a controlled substance, possession for the purpose, theft of electricity and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
Cops bust grow-op supplier
York cops lay 200 charges
By ROB LAMBERTI, SUN MEDIA
The Toronto Sun
A vast amount of marijuana grow equipment was seized during a two-year investigation, named Project Tropical Storm, which resulted in the seizure of $8 million dollars worth of illegal narcotics. (Dave Abel/Sun Media)
EAST GWILLIMBURY -- It took two years but a complete service marijuana shop that helped clandestine growers has been shut down, York Region narcotics officers say.
Police said yesterday they arrested two people who owned Tropical Distribution, a hydroponic business, one employee and 28 marijuana grow operators who bought equipment from the Concord company during the course of Project Tropical Storm. They face more than 200 drug-related and criminal charges.
Drug cops suspect there are other hydroponic shops that are helping out marijuana growers and police say they are "on our radar screens."
"There are not that many watermelons and vegetables being grown in Ontario to satisfy the needs of some of these stores," York Regional Police Chief Armand La Barge said.
ACTED AS BROKER
"Clearly you can see some of the product names and there is no doubt to the market they are serving."
The company is alleged to have supplied the material and savvy to grow marijuana, and at times acted as a broker between farmers and dealers.
Police seized $12.5 million worth of dope and $250,000 in property during the project, launched in October 2006.
Members of the drugs and vice unit began focusing on the Edgeley Blvd. business in January 2007, and even told the two owners and one employee that police were interested in the business.
Cops shut down 19 grow-ops -- all but one that relied on Tropical -- in Mississauga, Brampton, Toronto, Richmond Hill, Aurora, Newmarket and Vaughan during the course of the project. Authorities are in the process of seizing some of those homes, all of which are owned by the growers, as proceeds of crime.
One grower is also charged with fraud, allegedly arranging a $376,000 mortgage for a $385,000 house on Keffer Circle in Newmarket on false pretences. Police seized 346 plants at that house.
Detectives needed a tractor-trailer to carry the complete stock seized at the store and from the homes .
"We didn't hide it from" the Tropical staff, Det. Dieter Boeheim said of the investigation. "We went in there and talked to them, when we first started out, just to get a handle of what these people were all about."
Boeheim said drug officers kept watch on the business, and whenever the trail led to a grow-op, they would raid it.
Authorities were concerned about the chemical and fire hazards that the operations posed to the neighbourhoods, so police moved in quickly to dismantle the grow-ops.
Feeling the pressure from police, Tropical pulled up stakes from Concord last July and moved to 135 Ormont Dr. in North York.
"Pretty well, at that point, we knew what they were all about," Boeheim said.
Although the owners knew police were targeting them, they apparently didn't alter their business.
"It's a way of life," Boeheim alleged. "For some of these people, it's all they do."
The police presence and jail time is just the cost of doing business, he said.
Police raided the store on April 17, shutting it down and seizing all of its stock.
TARGETED SUPPLIER
It was the first time that York police targeted a supplier of grow operations.
Insp. Tom Carrique alleged the company was "engaged in supplying the operators" equipment, chemicals and knowledge needed to maintain marijuana crops.
Tropical also "attempted to work as brokers to facilitate sale and purchase" of both young plants and dried marijuana, he alleged.
The company offered "one-stop shopping, exactly," he said.
"This is not a police problem, it is a community problem," Carrique said. "We have to address the demand through the community and we have to address the supply through law enforcement."
Store owners Van Duong Le, 41, and wife Tu Cam Lam, 28, are charged with 18 counts each of production of a controlled substance and possession for the purpose of trafficking, as well as 17 counts of theft of electricity.
Employee Dai Tho Le, 28, of Mississauga, is charged with production of a controlled substance, possession for the purpose, theft of electricity and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
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there's that old reliable "theft of electricity". natural selection at it's best.
B
British_Bulldog
To TORO, the originator of this thread: I think you can now see that it is indeed necessary to be very careful when buying equipment for growing herb.
I hope this has helped you become less naïve about what goes on, and also serves to educate others that it can be a dangerous pursuit in gathering supplies.
Peace
I hope this has helped you become less naïve about what goes on, and also serves to educate others that it can be a dangerous pursuit in gathering supplies.
Peace
EasyBakeIndica
Member
Why are we so paranoid?
Why are we so paranoid?
Because you can't trust anyone.
You never know what the owners of that hydro shop are upto: http://www.torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndGTA/2008/05/17/5594926-sun.html
"Police said yesterday they arrested two people who owned Tropical Distribution, a hydroponic business, one employee and 28 marijuana grow operators who bought equipment from the Concord company during the course of Project Tropical Storm.
'There are not that many watermelons and vegetables being grown in Ontario to satisfy the needs of some of these stores,' York Regional Police Chief Armand La Barge said."
Anyways, I try to buy from stores that have a wide-customer base (IE: They don't specialize in hydroponics/indoor growing equipment).
Why are we so paranoid?
Because you can't trust anyone.
You never know what the owners of that hydro shop are upto: http://www.torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndGTA/2008/05/17/5594926-sun.html
"Police said yesterday they arrested two people who owned Tropical Distribution, a hydroponic business, one employee and 28 marijuana grow operators who bought equipment from the Concord company during the course of Project Tropical Storm.
'There are not that many watermelons and vegetables being grown in Ontario to satisfy the needs of some of these stores,' York Regional Police Chief Armand La Barge said."
Anyways, I try to buy from stores that have a wide-customer base (IE: They don't specialize in hydroponics/indoor growing equipment).
Ajunta Pall
Member
Can any of you know it alls, who espouse that "borrowing a buddy's car" theory, how that isn't a trail leading back to you? How does that avoid the cops from doing a knock and talk on your friend's house? If you did not tell your friend that you were going to a grow shop, he might not appreciate the fact that the cops are at his house because of you. He may even give up your name and address just to get the pigs off his back. Same is true if your friend knows why you borrowed his car. And hence you are under investigation and/or busted.
Hell if you're going to do that it would be easier just to "borrow" your friend's license plates, or those of someone else. Only draw back on that is some states classify stealing plates as a felony.
I know some out there after reading my posts in this thread think that I'm a paranoid nut job, but what I do helps me to sleep better at night. After reading the thread, there is really no one else recommending that you take five minutes out of your trip to look around at your surroundings.
All that I am saying is that you should choose where you shop wisely. A store in a non crowded area where there is no cover works to your advantage.
I'm against the friend's car method, not because that it's immoral to lie to a friend, and use him to shield you from a consequence you would rather not pay. Rather, that I don't trust the fucker not to rat me out. Sure the former is naught but a step below the latter, but that's just me.
Hell if you're going to do that it would be easier just to "borrow" your friend's license plates, or those of someone else. Only draw back on that is some states classify stealing plates as a felony.
I know some out there after reading my posts in this thread think that I'm a paranoid nut job, but what I do helps me to sleep better at night. After reading the thread, there is really no one else recommending that you take five minutes out of your trip to look around at your surroundings.
All that I am saying is that you should choose where you shop wisely. A store in a non crowded area where there is no cover works to your advantage.
I'm against the friend's car method, not because that it's immoral to lie to a friend, and use him to shield you from a consequence you would rather not pay. Rather, that I don't trust the fucker not to rat me out. Sure the former is naught but a step below the latter, but that's just me.
If there's something you can get at the local nursery or home improvement store, get it there, no reason to go to the hydro store for things like that. I only go to the hydro store when I need nutes, because I'd rather go there and spend cash then use a CC online and have it delivered to my grow.
P
pimpjuice
Ajunta Pall said:
I've seen that theory play out horribly 3 times. They didn't do knock and talks either. In one case they raided both guys, they did enough surveilance they saw borrower of car at borrowed cars house. In another case brother borrowed sisters car, cops surveiled and saw brother mowing sisters yard they raided her house first & then raided brothers house next day after not finding anything at sisters house, dumbass didn't break it down in time. In the third case, guy got trailed from grow shop in his own car and took down a couple other people when he ran errands that day.
The sad thing all these cases involved one grow shop and even as word of the sting were circulating town a lot of people didn't believe it and continued shopping there. It was super easy for the cops to build cases around the grow shop surveilance, they "see suspious things" while your at the grocery store, they say your power bill is abnormal (even when it's the guy/girl you borrowed the car from and doesn't grow), they bring dogs to sniff your door, that's all it takes to get a warrant after they see you at the shop. They didn't seem to be targetting big growers, manufacturing is a felony period where this happened, mission accomplished with a felony conviction that's the metric they seem to use.
Unless you live in a medical state obtaining equipment is a little dicey. Obtaining a mailing address at a mail box etc, is one way of not shipping to your grow. Perhaps create a "aquarium design / maintence business", you can buy all sorts of hydro gear & lights from aquatic-ecosystems (I love their catalog) and it's not a hydroponic-centric business it's the perfect sort of place to get gear from because it makes up a small percentage of what they do. Legit nursery supply co's are good for gear, they may not have the coolest websites but they usually have what you need. I'm lucky where I live now you can buy rockwool & gen hydro nutes, fox farm, black gold, at ace hardware.
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ExEcutioner
Member
I hear you and i still want to know how to do all that stuff without breaking rule #1
B
British_Bulldog
ExEcutioner, good point, and I'd say it's almost impossible in the States from what I've heard.
What people do to keep Rule #1 is take more risks, and in the process try to minimise their risks while doing so.
Peace
What people do to keep Rule #1 is take more risks, and in the process try to minimise their risks while doing so.
Peace
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ExEcutioner
Member
Wow that sucks to hear,British_Bulldog said:
I don't have that keep quiet and don't bragg problem, but damn.
I'll have to approach this from the medicinal side and see how many plants i can grow legal, after i get a recommendation.
Where do i go to learn about that process?
B
British_Bulldog
ExEcutioner said:
I don't know how you'd go about that, as I'm not from the States, but have a read in the Med Forum and google it, and I'm sure you'll find out all the details soon.
If you drive to the growshop and stock up in your own car that's registered to the grow addy too, then you're taking a very big risk in the US I'd say.
Much less so in the UK, as there's no stalking growshops that I've ever heard of.
What happens is the police come in when they first open, have a look around and then leave them to it.
Even Vietnamese growers who go back every day for another large van full of soil don't get busted by any police stake outs.
Daemon
Member
You do have to be very careful when buying equipment, especially if you look like a "stoner" or criminal.
For example, I have always been into self reliance and producing my own food so even before I started growing MJ I have been a gardener. I've always grown my own veggies and some fruits both indoors and out, and I help with many community farming activities. Because of this, I'm always buying equipment/supplies of some sort. I also have many visible tattoos and dress, as some would think, in a rebellious manner(i.e. choking victim shirts, patches, etc). When LE sees me they definitely take notice so I DO have to be careful with buying supplies locally. I mean, really....if LE is watching a hydro shop and a guy with tattoos on his arms, knuckles, etc. and wearing a Leftover Crack shirt walks in a buys 10 1.5cu ft bags of potting soil, multiple gallon containers of nutrients, and a carbon filter, do you think they would follow him? I'd bet the farm(literally, lol), that they would. I sometimes even get a little nervous gardening outside. I mean really, it should be no big deal, but I wonder what the neighbors think? How often do you see someone with tattoos and all that out back surrounded by bales of ProMix and plants?
Just a thought....
For example, I have always been into self reliance and producing my own food so even before I started growing MJ I have been a gardener. I've always grown my own veggies and some fruits both indoors and out, and I help with many community farming activities. Because of this, I'm always buying equipment/supplies of some sort. I also have many visible tattoos and dress, as some would think, in a rebellious manner(i.e. choking victim shirts, patches, etc). When LE sees me they definitely take notice so I DO have to be careful with buying supplies locally. I mean, really....if LE is watching a hydro shop and a guy with tattoos on his arms, knuckles, etc. and wearing a Leftover Crack shirt walks in a buys 10 1.5cu ft bags of potting soil, multiple gallon containers of nutrients, and a carbon filter, do you think they would follow him? I'd bet the farm(literally, lol), that they would. I sometimes even get a little nervous gardening outside. I mean really, it should be no big deal, but I wonder what the neighbors think? How often do you see someone with tattoos and all that out back surrounded by bales of ProMix and plants?
Just a thought....
