Ä Area: FidoNet - Marijuana Chat ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 1683 Date: 06-09-93 17:00 From: Northcoast OH NORML Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: DEA Surveillance Tactics ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ *************************** Another Oregon NORML file "Escaping the DEA" Version One *************************** It is our mission at Oregon NORML to reform marijuana laws, not break them. It would be out of our pristine moral bounds to produce a file explaining how to circumvent law enforcement. I have something better. The following file is taken verbatim from Vol. 11 "Best of" High Times magazine. The file (and their article) is an excerpt from The Pennsylvania Crime Commission's 1991 Annual Report on Drug use. Growing cannabis indoors is becoming more popular. This type of cultivation has traditionally been more common on the West Coast than in the East. The followingn is a list of indicators and investigative techniques, adapted from a list compiled by S/A Charles Stowell, DEA Sacramento, CA, and Detective Rob Ringsage, Oregon State Police, and other material distributed at the Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program Conference in Nashville, TN, in February 1991. EQUIPMENT USED IN CANNABIS CULTIVATION Lighting ~~~~~~~~ * 1000 or 400 watt metal halides or high pressure sodium bulbs * Ballasts for the above bulbs * "Sun circles," "Whirligigs" or runners to move lights * Chain systems to raise and lower lights * Metallic or white dome-type lamp shades * Various brands, lengths and styles of grow lights * Mylar or white plastic * Light meters and ampmeters to measure lamp output and ballast amperage * Auto and manual timers * Generators of various sizes and outputs * Alligator clamps and leads to assist in electrical bypass Grow-Room equipment (other than lighting equipment) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * Hydroponics setup in 5-gallon buckets * Drip-irrigation systems, including PVC pipe, pumps, float valves, 55-gallon polydrums, etc * Growing mediums, such as lava rock or potting soil * Insecticides, electric soil sterilizer, natural predators, such as ladybugs * CO2 Injection system with valves, regulators, air filters, dehumidifyers * Air-conditioning units, exhaust fans, oscillating fans Clone or nursery-room equipment ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * Pruning shears * Cloning trays * Rootone or hormonal solutions to stimulate plant growth * Tubular grow lights or Phototrons * Water-bed heaters * Seed sources INDICATORS ~~~~~~~~~~ * Suspect appears on the DEA Green Merchant list * Suspect is a member of the Hydroponic Society of America, PO box 6067, Concord, CA 94524 * Suspect receives frequent calls from known marijuana growers or distributors * Suspect's phone tolls reveal contact with outlets that sell equipment related to marijauana growing, IE Dansco or Hamilton * Suspect uses a business front for money laundering * Suspect buys property and places someone else in it, or "straw purchase" * Suspect has a lease with an option to buy, or has no credit but makes large cash payments * Suspect buys a ranch or farm, but does not operate it in a norm matter * Neighbors indicate that the ranch is supporting more people than normal c1* Suspect has guard dogs, such as rottweilers, pit bulls, Doberman pinschers, or German Shepherds * Suspect is unfriendly and acts paranoid toward neighbors and others, e.g. public utilities, telephone service, or power service * Suspect has large outbuildings on the property that are kept closed, i.e. barns, sheds, excavations, etc. * Windows that would normally be open are always covered * Outbuildings have swamp coolers or air conditioners * Excessive water usage, or water lines or electrical cords running to basement or outbuildings * Unusual number of roof vents, exhaust-fan, ballast noise or windows sweating in outbuildings or house * Meter seals broken or tampered with, or access to meter denied * Backline feed c1* Potting soil present around outbuildings and flower beds * Lava rock or other hydroponic medium scattered around outbuildings * Suspect uses outside contractors to construct buildings * Suspect request that underground power lines going into newly constructed building be left uncovered * Property posted for no trespassing, or presence of security gates and alarm systems * Eratic or sudden increase/decrease in power consumption * Delivery of large amounts of propane, diesel, or wood * Suspect purchases a power generator * U-Haul or delivery trucks arriving late at night * Suspect tells conflicting stories aobut how he earns his money, claiming it is from inheritance, lottery, etc * Suspect frequently observed using pay phone * Suspect has a portable or car phone * Suspect has a beeper * Suspect goes on unexplained trips * Suspect deals in cash, and request receipts made out to "cash" * Suspect avoids leaving paper trail * Suspect buys a large amount of Baggies, Seal-a-Meal, or other packing materials * Increased activity at the suspects location every 45-90 days * Suspect purchases a large quantity of 3 and 5 gallon buckets or PVC pipe, fans, vents, pumps, mylar, etc * Companies delivering potting soil and fertilizers to any location other than site where soil is to be used * Suspect owns only a few items of furniture * Suspect indicates taht he is self-employed on rental applications * Suspect rents or leases property, such as a single-family home with attached garage, or a single-family ranch/home with attached garage, or outbuildings * Houses rented under an assumed name * Boxes, bags, or suitcases often carried in or out of residence * Suspect may leave a PO box or paper telephone number as contact point * Presence of packaging material from 400 to 1000 watt metal halide or high pressure sodium bulbs POSSIBLE INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * Obtain phone tolls of businesses that sell marijuana-growing equip. * Obtain suspect's power bills for the last 6 months to a year * Obtain suspect's water bills for the last 6 months to a year * Surveil outlets that sell marijuana growing equipment * Educate utilty companies and establish contact person within the company * Check with companies that sell sea-freight containers, semitrailers, vans, 55 gallon poly drums or 3 and 5 gallon plastic buckets * Check with companies that sell generators, propane, diesel, or wood * Check with hardware stores for large purchase of fans, dehumidifier pruning shears, etc. * Check with nurseries for sales of potting soil and fertilizers * Consider thermal imager or FLIR surveillance to confirm the presence of "grow lights" and active vents SOURCES: "Profiles of Indoor Cannabis Growers", Drug Enforcement Administration, compiled by DEA S/A Charles A. Stowell, and detective Rob Ringsage, Oregon State Police. cd Help Fight Back - Support Your Local N.O.R.M.L.! Northcoast Ohio N.O.R.M.L. -!-