U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) questioned FBI Director Christopher Wray on Monday about what his agency is doing to help local and regional Maine law enforcement do to combat the proliferation of Asian Transnational Criminal Organizations (ATCOs) throughout rural Maine.
“What we’re also seeing in Maine is a new phenomenon that was reported by some enterprising journalists, and that is that Chinese nationals are establishing illegal marijuana growing operations all over the state,” Sen. Collins said.
“One public report estimates there are more than 200 of them, primarily in rural Maine. They’re unregulated. They’re illicit. They’re destroying homes because they’re growing the marijuana inside,” Collins said.
“What is the FBI doing to support local county and state officials? And why do you think the Chinese have have sent their citizens to rural America to establish these illegal growing operations?” she asked.
According to a leaked Department of Homeland Security memo first reported by immigration reporter Jennie Taer, there are more than 270 properties in Maine being used by ATCOs to illegally cultivate and traffick marijuana.
Subsequently, the Maine Wire has identified and visited well over 250 properties throughout the state of Maine, including sites that have been raided by law enforcement and many more that have not.
The Maine Wire has also uncovered, via real estate, tax, financial, and electrical records, connections between dozens of sites, suggesting that the individual locations are part of a broader organization or multiple organizations.
The Maine Wire has also identified a key financial player in the financing of the illicit grows.
Namely, Quontic Bank, a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that provide dozens of loans for these properties beginning in 2020.
The illegal marijuana growing operations are occuring in properties purchased after 2019 by individuals mostly from New York and Massachusetts, including many suspected Chinese nationals, illegal aliens, or asylum seekers.
Although Director Wray largely confirmed the veracity of the public reporting on the illegal Chinese weed epidemic in Maine, he didn’t have an explanation as to why the problem has proliferated throughout the state since 2020.
“We are tackling that through working with our state local law enforcement partners through a variety of task forces,” said Wray. “We’re trying to share intelligence with them to help get ahead of the threat. I’m not sure that I could give you a reason as to why it’s happening.”
In a letter earlier this year, Collins asked the Department of Justice to clamp down on the illegal Chinese cannabis sites, citing the Maine Wire’s reporting.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="26487 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=26487">14 Comments
It is interesting that Director Wray never has an explanation for anything when called before Congress. What is he being paid to do? I cringed when Trump appointed him. I thought it was obvious that he was just another slimy swamp creature like the rest of the Biden clown show.
Collins. Too little too late. SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN. you RINO(B)witch.
Whew, I feel.so much better now that Susie is asking some questions. 50+ Mainers died of an overdose in January, quite a death total Collins, King, Pingree and Golden are racking up.
Joe – you seem to forget that Wary was a Republican Representative appointed to be Director of the FBI by, wait for it, wait for it, President Donald J. Trump.
Wray doesn’t know why!? Yes he does.
Open borders.
This is the first serious issue that doesn’t include photo ops or fed grants Collins has addressed in a long time.
What we are seeing is totally willful stupidity at the top. If marijuana–ALL illegal drugs–were legalized, everyone would grow/make their own & sell them to everyone else, & the supply would become so stupendous that the drugs would lose ALL value, to the point where nobody would fight over them, smuggle them anywhere, the DEA would be out of its job, we’d save tons of $$$$$ on paying LEOs, & they’d have to find real jobs (putting more pressure on Collins to FIX THE ECONOMY!). When Portugal legalized drugs–and began universal healthcare, to take care of the addicts (w/out putting them IN JAIL–but maybe Portugal’s jails aren’t FOR PROFIT, like US jails are), its drug problem ended. No doubt a nightmare scenario for the likes of Collins & Wray.
Collins, King, Pingree and Golden you are permitted our kids to be killed! We do not need grants for airports. Our taxpayer money need to go toward catching every illegal grower , shutting them down and having the federal banking shut down these federal banks killing our citizens. But then again you can not even catch the three guys who shot up Saco in the middle of the day. What a SAD bunch.
FBI is more worried about mothers speaking up at school board meetings.
My recommendations to Collins would be to just sit back and coast your last term in congers. You’ve alienated every conservative in the state, there is no way you’ll be re elected.
Susan who? Does anyone care what she says anymore or why.
RINO Grilling = Had coffee chatted about anything.
called collins office and told the rep rosie that the information about the illegal chinese grows in maine is on page 46 of Blood Money by peter Schweitzer. maybe she could take a look and see what is happening to our country. There will be lots of other info about her colleagues in the book as well
Steve Robinson’s in-depth investigative reporting is very impressive to say the least.
Thier vid of her questioning, looked very scripted & perhaps even rehearsed. on his and her part. They probably did lunch after the hearing…