In August of 2023, immigration reporter Jennie Taer published a leaked Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memo that revealed Asian Transnational Criminal Organizations — a.k.a. the Chinese mafia — had established more than 270 drug trafficking hubs throughout rural Maine.
These foreign criminal organizations, the memo revealed, were making billions of dollars illegally growing cannabis throughout rural Maine, taking advantage of our state’s rural character, lax law enforcement, and laissez-faire attitude toward our neighbors. These criminal organizations were using their profits to support narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, and sending profits back to the People’s Republic of China to support the Chinese Communist Party’s malign anti-American activities.
That was the start of The Maine Wire’s biggest ever investigative project.
Triad Weed: How Chinese Mafia Infiltrated Maine
We set out to locate the Chinese pot grows, unmask the owners, reveal the financial backers, and get to the bottom of how this vast criminal conspiracy could have proliferated throughout our beloved state. It might just be a coincidence, but ever since The Maine Wire began doggedly pursuing this story, law enforcement agencies have raided more than 40 illegal Chinese marijuana grows, arrested dozens of “New York” men and “Massachusetts” women. The surge in law enforcement actions has severely disrupted the Chinese mafia’s ability to get rich at our expense, but the state has barely begun to grapple with the enormity of the criminal operations which continue to flourish in rural Maine.
Revealing the locations of these properties and the individuals who own them only scratched the surface of this massive criminal conspiracy. Through our investigative reporting, the Maine Wire has exposed how seemingly legitimate Maine businesses — from seafood exporters to restaurants — are connected to the Chinese criminal operations. We’ve also exposed how U.S. taxpayers are bankrolling these real estate transactions through a little-known Treasury Department program that helps foreign nationals acquire U.S. land. We reported exclusively on Gov. Janet Mills’ brother Paul Mills providing legal services to Chinese drug traffickers in Corinna. Last week we revealed that Chinese-made toxic pesticides are making their way from China to central Maine.
But there’s much, much more that we have yet to reveal of the transnational criminal organizations operating in Maine.
We offered several times to share our information with the Maine State Police, but they wouldn’t even take a meeting with us. That’s when we decided that the story was so big, so complex, and so important for the people of Maine to understand, that we had to do more than publish written reports about our findings. So we began the video documentary project that will culminate with the release this month of our first-ever documentary project.
We’ve decided to premiere the movie at brick-and-mortar theaters throughout Maine so that Mainers — the people most impacted by this ongoing criminal conspiracy — have an opportunity to see the film before it’s presented to a broader audience. The first screening will be on Friday, Sept. 20 at the Saco Drive-In Theater on Route 1 in Saco.
Our goal is to get as many Mainers as possible to watch the documentary because we think it’s entertaining, informative, and important to the future of the state. So we’ve dropped the price for the premiere to just $50 per car (and we’ve offered refunds to everyone who sprang for the original $100 per car price). There’s no limit to the number of passengers per car, so feel free to carpool.
Purchase Tickets Here
Prior to the beginning of the film, we’ll be hosting a pre-show over the theater’s small FM transmitter for anyone who arrives early. Maine Wire Editor-in-Chief Steve Robinson will talk about the investigative process behind Triad Weed, why we decided to devote major resources to this project, and what the future of Maine’s efforts to confront Chinese organized crime may look like.
Because we believe it’s so important for people to see this documentary, and because we understand that the economy under President Biden and Gov. Mills ain’t exactly thriving, and because a bunch of people bitched too much about the cost of the tickets, we’re also making a limited number of parking spots available for a smaller donation of any amount. If you can’t afford the full ticket price or you’re just too cheap to support quality investigative journalism, you have our blessing to donate one dollar or even one penny for your ticket. On the other hand, if you have the ability to back our work with a bigger donation, we’d be thrilled to have your support as well.
All of the proceeds from the film, from ticket sales to sponsorships, will go to support future journalistic projects of the Maine Wire. We want to tackle other important topics in Maine with in-depth documentaries, such as the opioid epidemic, the migrant crisis, the decline of our public schools, and the ongoing efforts by crony capitalists to seize Maine’s electricity grid under the guise of wind and solar power. But we can’t do any of it without the support of subscribers, readers, viewers, and donors.
As a project of the Maine Policy Institute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Maine Wire relies on generous donors and philanthropists to support our work. Once more: to secure your movie ticket for a donation of any amount, click here. If you would like to make a donation to MPI to support the Maine Wire but cannot attend the movie premiere, you can do so here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the deal with the ticket price?
The Maine Wire has the best reporting and digital media team in the state, and they don’t work for free. Unlike some other outlets in the state, we don’t get support from taxpayers and we don’t want to hide our reporting behind a paywall. So from time to time we need to bring in a little revenue. Our original price was too high, so we dropped the cost of the ticket and even offered some cheaper options. If you’ve still got complaints, please send them to Janet.T.Mills@Maine.gov.
Will there be more opportunities to see the documentary?
Yes. We’re actively looking for theaters and other venues willing to rent us space for a screening. Believe it or not, some venues have been less than welcoming. If you would like to host a screening or know of a suitable venue, please send us an email. We’ll travel anywhere in the state to screen the movie and host a Q&A before or after.
When are you releasing the film online?
We’re exploring the optimal way to release the movie online. Our top priority is to reach the largest audience in a way that has maximal censorship resistance. There are more than a few wealthy, powerful interests who would prefer this documentary not exist. And, yes, we’re also hoping to generate a little revenue with the online release.
Are there advertising opportunities available?
Yes! We have a range of advertising and sponsorship opportunities available, including sponsorships for individual movie screenings as well as embedded advertising within the eventual digital/online release of the film. To inquire about sponsorship or advertising opportunities, send an email to Maine Wire Editor-in-Chief Steve Robinson.
Can I book a screening of Triad Weed?
Yes! If your political action committee, local church group, Rotary Club, blunt-smoking social club, men’s league basketball team, neighborhood watch association, or government employees union would like to host a screening of the documentary, let us know.
Has Robinson been working out?
Why, yes, he has. Thank you for noticing.
Last week, Robinson held a Q&A session on the Maine Wire’s Facebook page to answer some of the most common questions about the Triad Weed series, and you can check out the conversation at our page.
Don’t Forget to Purchase Tickets Here
- 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
