COUNTY - Police are cracking down on marijuana growers.

In recent months, the South Shore street squad - whose mandate includes dealing with street level drugs in Lunenburg and Queens counties - has busted a number of grow operations, seizing plants, equipment and pounds of processed marijuana.

Those cases are beginning to make their way to the courts.

The provincial court docket in Bridgewater on November 19 included the names of six people charged with producing marijuana.

A father and son - 69-year-old Anthony Edwin Eisnor of Upper Cornwall and 43-year-old Edwin Eugene Eisnor of Newburne - are accused of growing marijuana in Newburne on September 5.

The pair did not appear in court November 19. Two women who showed up on their behalf indicated the father was in hospital while the son was working. The Eisnors are expected to appear in court November 26.

Pleasantville resident Stephen Roger Freeman, 28, is charged with producing and possessing marijuana after police searched his home on September 30. He asked the judge for time to find a lawyer, so the charges were bumped to January 7.

James Douglas Hiltz, 44, of Baker Settlement was charged after a September 25 search allegedly turned up more than 11 pounds of processed marijuana bud, more than five pounds of unprocessed bud and several mature marijuana plants.

He's been charged with possessing marijuana for the purpose of trafficking, as well as production.

Mr. Hiltz told the judge he expects to have a lawyer soon. His case was adjourned until December 17.

Meanwhile, a legal aid lawyer spoke on behalf of a Chester woman charged after police found a grow-op in the basement of a Robinsons Corner home on August 26. The case involving Heather Joanne Boutilier, 31, was delayed until December 10.

Ms Boutilier also faces charges under the federal Excise Act and the provincial Revenue Act because police found illegal cigarettes during the search.

The same legal aid lawyer also appeared on behalf of Randy McInnis, a 50-year-old resident of Mill Cove. He's charged with producing and possessing marijuana in that community on September 5.

Another case involving marijuana was also on last Wednesday's docket. Nineteen-year-old Jonathan George Hatt of Chester Basin isn't charged with producing cannabis, but he is charged with trafficking in marijuana and possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking, as well as breaching probation. The offences allegedly happened in Chester on September 12.

Mr. Hatt is due to return to court December 10.

© 2004 H.U.M.A.N.: Hemp Users Medical Access Network - Toronto Medical Marijuana