The U.S. Justice Department is taking steps to seize of four properties in Maine linked to extensive illegal marijuana operations, according to recent court filings.
The crackdown, revealed in a series of legal filings obtained by the Maine Wire, is the first indication that U.S. Attorney for Maine Darcie McElwee intends to seize properties tied to the sprawling network of illicit drug trafficking sites, a network the Department of Homeland Security has said is being run at the behest of Asian Transnational Criminal Organizations with links to the Chinese Communist Party.
Four properties located at 590 Hanson Road, China, Maine; 414 East Kennebec Road, Machias, Maine; 368 West Ridge Road, Cornville, Maine; and 9 St. Albans Road, Corinna, Maine are featured in McElwee’s filings.
These properties, seized in various raids conducted by various law enforcement agencies between November 2023 and March 2024, were allegedly involved in large-scale marijuana cultivation and distribution, operating without appropriate licenses from the Maine Office of Cannabis Policy.
Specific Property Details:
1. 590 Hanson Road, China, Maine: Owned by Xiao Liao and later managed by Tat Chong Lio, this property was noted for its sophisticated grow operations spread across the residence and a detached garage, with substantial electricity usage indicating high-volume cultivation.
2. 414 East Kennebec Road, Machias, Maine: This property, owned by HBA Properties, LLC, managed by Fanny Sun, was identified as a hub for the cultivation of over 2,600 marijuana plants, with extensive modifications to support grow operations, including high electrical usage and specialized equipment. A source familiar with this property said the man who directed the initial building modifications was HBA Properties director Zhan “David” Su of Colorado. Other directors of the Mass.-based LLC include Qiao Yi Wu and Sinh Phat Voong.
3. 368 West Ridge Road, Cornville, Maine: Operated by Yuling Mei, this property underwent substantial alterations to transform nearly the entire house into grow areas, resulting in the seizure of hundreds of marijuana plants and processed cannabis. Mei, of Brooklyn, purchased the property in 2021.
4. 9 St. Albans Road, Corinna, Maine: Linked to 336 Apex Inc., managed by Wen Hui Li, and tenant Jing Zeng, the property was found to contain numerous grow rooms with thousands of marijuana plants, extensive electrical alterations, and high water usage suggestive of large-scale illegal operations. Although it is not mentioned in the filing, 336 Apex and Li are also connected to other properties in Maine, including a Garland residence at 1056 Dover Road and a boarding house at 113 Cross Road in Stetson.
[Related: Triad Weed: How Chinese Marijuana Grows Took Over Rural Maine…]
The Justice Department’s actions, detailed in court documents filed on Thursday emphasize the sophisticated nature of these operations, often involving multiple properties and significant alterations to facilitate illegal activities.
The filings seek the permanent forfeiture of these properties under statutes related to drug trafficking and the maintenance of drug-involved premises.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maine, under McElwee, is pursuing these cases, signaling for the first time since county sheriffs began cracking down on the illegal grows that the federal government will assume a bigger role in fighting organized crime in rural Maine.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="27843 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=27843">5 Comments
Finally, the Feds do something! Is there an election coming soon?
…let me see if I get this right, let Illegal Chinese grow operations to abound, then the government can confiscate them in the name of drug forfeiture. The government allowed these illegals to come here, set up for a couple years and then steals the property. SMH
It should have been stopped a long time ago. It is election year.
Why were our DC angles sleeping? It is election year
Why were our law enforcement sleeping? It is election year
They’re only going after the “large” operations. They will leave the small ones alone. Four operations out of hundreds. They are smoking it.
Should Mr. Robinson be working for the Justice Department?