The U.S. Justice Department is intensifying its efforts against Chinese organized crime networks operating in Maine, following a series of raids targeting illicit marijuana cultivation sites throughout rural communities in the state.
On Tuesday, U.S. Attorney of Maine Darcie McElwee’s office filed lawsuits seeking the seizure of two properties raided earlier this year by county sheriffs, one on the Douty Hill Road in Sangerville and another on Upper Main Street in Norridgewock.
All told, the Department of Justice is now aiming to confiscate six properties suspected of being part of a sophisticated criminal enterprise operated by Chinese criminal organizations.
The public first became aware of the illegal cannabis operations through a leaked memo from the Department of Homeland Security. This memo disclosed that over 270 locations in Maine were being utilized as drug hubs by what DHS identified as Asian Transnational Criminal Organizations, a.k.a. Chinese mafia or Chinese triads.
Since Dec. 2023, local and county law enforcement have intensified efforts to identify and disrupt properties throughout Maine that have been purchased by out-of-state individuals and converted into illegal marijuana grows.
Police agencies of executed more than 40 search warrants in Lincoln, York, Franklin, Somerset, Penobscot, Washington, and Piscataquis counties, seizing tens of thousands of pounds of illegally grown cannabis and arresting dozens of Chinese individuals, including Chinese nationals, who’ve subsequently been charged with felony-level drug crimes.
The crackdown has revealed a vast network of sophisticated grow operations throughout central and northern Maine, fueling concerns about the extent of foreign criminal influence in the state.
Despite the broadly recognized presence of a vast criminal conspiracy in the state, Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) has yet to comment on the developments, and the Maine State Police have been involved in only a handful of enforcement actions against the organized crime networks.
In the latest developments, federal authorities have initiated civil forfeiture proceedings against multiple properties located at 1052 Douty Hill Road in Sangerville and 114 Upper Main St. in Norridgewock.
The properties in question were allegedly used for cultivating thousands of marijuana plants without the necessary state licenses, with some locations showing evidence of extensive electrical upgrades and significant energy consumption, indicative of industrial-scale operations.
The Norridgewock property now facing seizure is owned by Jiamin Liao, 29, a Chinese national who was arrested and charged with maintaining drug-involved premises.
This week, Liao became the second Chinese drug trafficker to face federal charges for her role in operating illegal marijuana cultivation sites in Maine.
During the raid on her properties connected to or owned by Liao, law enforcement officers seized approximately 600 marijuana plants and 30 pounds of processed cannabis. Liao, who was arrested in March, has since been released on a $5,000 bond after pleading not guilty to federal charges.
The two properties the Justice Department targeted this week join four others that were subject to law enforcement raids earlier this year, including 590 Hanson Road, China; 414 East Kennebec Road, Machias; 368 West Ridge Road, Cornville; and 9 St. Albans Road, Corinna.
The Justice Department took steps in May to seize all four properties.
1052 Douty Hill Road, Sangerville: This property was purchased Alvin Chen of 12 Keel Drive, Berlin, MD. in Feb. 2021 before he later transferred the deed to Alfinity Capital Holdings LLC. According to Maryland corporate records, Alfinity Capital Holdings is registered to Alvin Chen of 12 Keel Drive, Berlin, MD.
590 Hanson Road, China: 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.
414 East Kennebec Road, Machias: 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.
368 West Ridge Road, Cornville: 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.
9 St. Albans Road, Corinna: 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.
Although the Justice Department appears to be ramping up efforts to degrade the ability of Chinese criminal organizations to operate in Maine, law enforcement actions have only scratched the surface of the more than 270 properties the Department of Homeland Security believes to be involved in the ongoing criminal conspiracy.
Triad Weed: Chinese Mafia in Maine
Last year, a leaked Homeland Security memo revealed the existence of 270+ foreign drug hubs in Maine and hundreds more across the U.S. At these locations, marijuana is grown illegally or under false pretenses and distributed nationwide in violation of federal law.
Since the Maine Wire’s “Triad Weed” series began, law enforcement in Maine has executed over 40 search warrants and arrested numerous Chinese individuals for illegal marijuana cultivation and trafficking. However, these actions only touch the surface of widespread clandestine criminal activities that have cropped up in Maine since 2019.
Sources in Maine report to the Maine Wire that illegal Chinese marijuana grows have restarted at previously raided sites. Locations that went quiet during frequent law enforcement raids earlier this year are now active again. The smell of illegally grown weed is back, and several black market operators are filing paperwork with Maine’s Office of Cannabis Policy to seek legal protections for their activities.
Triad Weed: How Chinese Mafia Infiltrated Maine
If you’ve been following the Maine Wire’s aggressive and in-depth reporting on Chinese organized crime in Maine, you won’t want to miss our first-ever feature length documentary, “Triad Weed: How Chinese Mafia Infiltrated Maine.”
Our documentary will take you behind the scenes of the year-long investigation to expose the foreign criminal operators who have infiltrated Maine and exploited our communities to enrich themselves and their foreign criminal networks. The movie will premiere on Friday, Sept. 20 at the Saco Drive-In Theater on Route 1 in Saco. Parking spots are limited, so get your tickets now! (Carpooling is encouraged)
Read more of Maine Wire’s “Triad Weed” Reporting
- Triad Weed: How Chinese Marijuana Grows Took Over Rural Maine
- Maine Gov. Janet Mills’ Brother Helped Transfer Nine-Acre Black Market Cannabis Grow to Chinese National “Mother” Living in Guangdong Province
- How the U.S. Treasury Department Helps Chinese Organized Crime Transform American Homes Into Drug Dens
- Maine Sheriff Raids Another Black Market Drug House Run by Chinese Organized Crime — Cannabis and Meth Seized
- The Restaurateur: Bangor Business Owner Linked to Illicit Marijuana Grows
- Raid on Illegal Chinese Marijuana Operation in Western Maine Seizes Illicit Drugs Worth $1M+
- Three Chinese Nationals Caught Sneaking Into Maine from Canada Amid Asian Organized Crime Epidemic
- The Triad’s Electrician: Meet the 87-Year-Old “Frontman” for Chinese Marijuana Grows in Maine
- Welcomed to Maine by LePage, Eastport Seafood Biz Devolved Into Illicit Marijuana Trafficking Operation with Ties to Hong Kong
- One NYC Bank Financed More Than 50 Illicit Chinese Marijuana Grow Houses in Rural Maine
- Second Chinese National Arrested in Connection with Illegal Marijuana Grows in Maine Faces Federal Charges
- Maine Sheriff Raids 20th Chinese Mafia Drug House of 2024
- Maine State Police Raid Illicit Marijuana Grow in York County Linked to NH Restaurant
- Collins Grills FBI Chief Wray Over Chinese Mafia Drug Trafficking in Maine
- WATCH: CBS Morning News Features Maine Wire’s Steve Robinson and Triad Weed Investigative Series
- Triad Weed: Here Are All the Raids Maine Cops Have Conducted on Illegal Chinese Drug Trafficking Operations
- Illegal Marijuana Vexes Northern Maine Town Officials as Out-of-State Criminals Prosper
- Maine Sheriff Busts Trio of Brooklynites as Crackdown on Triad Drug Trafficking Continues – Maine State Police AWOL
Why is the governor so quiet about the Chinese mafias operating in her state? I truly hope there is no collusion. Also, does anyone expect any of the arrested to show up for court? It would be so easy for them to leave the country illegally, the same way they arrived.
“Despite the broadly recognized presence of a vast criminal conspiracy in the state, Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) has yet to comment on the developments, and the Maine State Police have been involved in only a handful of enforcement actions against the organized crime networks.”
To whom do the Maine State Police report? Who has a Brother who is involved in doing the legal work for the purchase of the properties? I know: I’ll soon read all about it in one or more of the Soros controlled MSM papers in Maine. (The Maine Wire is doing valuable reporting on crime in Maine, watch your six.)
More than fifty thousand military age Chinese men have illegally come across our border under Harris Biden . Where are they now ?
They are growing and selling fumigated poisoned pot that will leave the smokers with some sort of horrible disease in four or five years .
If Covid won’t kill the healthy ones let’s kill them with some poison pot .
Where does all the poisoned pot get shipped to ?
Not a WORD, SO MUCH AS A PEEP FROM JANET MILLS! where are you janet!??? Will you finally say something when one of your step daughters or step grand kids has an issue with some chineese illegal?¿ god forbid . Wakeup Janet!
Lots of democrats are in the pocket of China. Biden, Swalwell, Feinstein (was), Walz, just for staters
Here is a really good conspiracy theory for you .
All the Chinese illegals who cross the border and then disappear into the countryside ? You’ve heard about them right ? Mostly military aged men ?
They are working in these illegal marijuana grow farms ….all across the country wherever pot has been decriminalized / legalized . They are treating the pot with dangerous chemicals ( many of which are even banned in China ) that will result in chronic latent diseases later on in all those who smoke it .
Covid only worked on the elderly and infirm . The poisonous treated pot will work on the 18 and older population . The symptoms will appear sometime in the near future but are unknown now .
We can call this “ The Seagull Brief “ ….
Wow Billy Bob !
LMAO
That’s exactly what I was saying .
Ok. Because I’ve been thinking about it since the first week I moved here. Also, all of you who collaborated with those who made the illicit recordings of intellectual property inside my studio are also guilty of obstruction of justice, a fact I will now inform Chinese secret service about.
After her brothers involvement with the ccp and probably Mills herself, i’d dare a guess thats why she remains silent. What a mess democrats have been allowed to do to this state. Pkease do our state a life-saver move and do not vote for ANY democrat, including the ones posing as “Independent”.
Mills’ pockets must be getting something out of this.
Why are State cops not involved? Maybe MW can ask the Superintendent.
Something is not right with Democrat politicians, especially governors, being friendly with the Chinese Communist Government. These Chinese pot growers are sanctioned by the communist party. The leverage over US politicians is much more widespread than previously thought. We must put an end to Democrat control in the good state of Maine.