The FBI has dismantled a significant marijuana trafficking operation allegedly run by Chinese nationals. The Justice Department announced the charges on Tuesday, revealing that seven individuals were involved in this scheme that operated out of Massachusetts and Maine.
The operation reportedly began in January 2020 and generated millions by distributing large quantities of marijuana. U.S. Attorney Leah Foley described the case as exposing a criminal enterprise that took advantage of the immigration system and local communities for profit. She emphasized that the defendants turned quiet homes into illegal grow houses, creating a multi-million-dollar black market.
The individuals charged include Jianxiong Chen, 39, Yuxiong Wu, 36, Dinghui Li, 38, Dechao Ma, 35, Peng Lian Zhu, 35, Hongbin Wu, 35, and Yanrong Zhu, 47. While most were taken into federal custody, Yanrong Zhu remains at large. They face charges of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana, with some also facing money laundering charges. Chen, identified as the mastermind, is additionally charged with smuggling people into the U.S.
According to investigators, Chen lived in Braintree, Massachusetts, and was involved in smuggling Chinese nationals across the Mexican border. These individuals were allegedly forced to work in marijuana grow houses to repay their smuggling debts and regain their passports. Investigators identified grow houses in Braintree, Melrose, and Greenfield, Massachusetts.
In October 2024, authorities seized over $270,000 in cash, a luxury car, and multiple Chinese passports from Chen’s home. They also confiscated more than 109 kilograms of marijuana and nearly $200,000 in cash from the homes of other conspirators.
This bust is part of a larger trend, as similar Chinese-backed marijuana operations have emerged across the United States. In Maine alone, authorities have found at least 270 illegal grow operations, raising concerns about national security. Congressional lawmakers are investigating these operations, highlighting the risks they pose to communities and the country.