Warning to Gardeners

I just received this news and although it's from Canada and yet to be proven or disproven, better to err on the side of caution. It's alleged that "both Wal-Mart and the Home Depot are curretnly working with the RCMP to bust marijuana grow ops by selectively flagging certain pieces of equipment, and then having cashiers contact in-house undercover police officers who then follow the buyers to their car and run their plates."

It's said that this scheme has triggered the bust of at least one grow-op providing cannabis for medical marijuana patients.

....but it is exactly what led to the RCMP raid of the VICS production and research facility: according to the particulars in the police arrest record, the purchase of 2 bags of soil, 2 table-top fans and a half wine barrel (which now holds mint on an exterior deck) at a Home Depot was deemed suspicious enough to warrant having the police radio in the license plate and obtain the hydro records of the purchaser.

Pretty innoucous purchases that anyone might make and they used this to justify calling the police. Suggests to me that the clerks based it more on the appearance of the customer. My regular readers know I've been promoting a boycott of Walmart for many years. This is one more very good reason not to shop there.