Huge Chinese drug trafficking operation taken down in SJ valley
SAN JACINTO VALLEY, Calif. — Authorities from multiple law enforcement agencies covering several allied Southern California counties partnered together to dismantle a huge, Chinese run, drug trafficking operation Friday, June 19.
During the day-long operation, officials served twenty-three search warrants and arrested nearly two dozen people related to illegal indoor residential marijuana grows, marijuana sales and conspiracy occurring in the cities of San Jacinto, Hemet, Corona, Eastvale, Rialto, El Monte, South El Monte, West Covina, Rosemead, Lower Azusa, and Calexico.
“These search warrants are the culmination of a four-month long investigation into a drug trafficking organization from China operating in our city and neighboring counties,” Riverside Sheriff’s Lt. Ken Reichle later said of the successful operation.
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The investigation that led to the massive, multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional response started when San Jacinto Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Team members began identifying and serving search warrants for illegal indoor residential marijuana grows within San Jacinto, according to Reichle.
“While investigating each of these grows, San Jacinto SET determined they were all being financed and cared for by the same group of individuals originating out of the Los Angeles area,” said Reichle.
Law enforcement officials from multiple agencies and jurisdictions joined San Jacinto sheriff’s deputies to take down a massive, Chinese run, drug trafficking operation on Thursday. San Jacinto Sheriff’s Station photo
Based on their investigations, San Jacinto SET members authored additional warrants for financial records, property information, cell phones, and tracker warrants.
The information gathered from the warrants assisted San Jacinto SET in identifying target locations throughout the San Jacinto valley and beyond, according to the Lt.
“As this investigation continued San Jacinto SET identified those suspects profiting and responsible for financing these illegal indoor residential marijuana grows,” explained Reichle.
Beginning early Friday morning, personnel from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, Hemet Police Department, and Riverside County DA’s Office GIT Team converged on the San Jacinto valley and neighboring counties and communities to serve the multiple warrants throughout the area.
“During the warrant services, a total of approximately 20,000 plants were eradicated from these residences along with 100 pounds of processed marijuana. A total combined weight of approximately two tons of marijuana was collected from these locations,” Reichle later reported. “Deputies also collected 338 fans, large amounts of packaging, and 620 lights and ballasts.”
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In addition to serving the nearly two dozen search warrants, deputies froze twenty-five different bank accounts containing an undisclosed amount of US currency. The money is now pending seizure and asset forfeiture.
Additionally, approximately $1 million in US currency was collected for asset forfeiture from the locations where the warrants were served.
California Edison also responded to the homes where the warrants were served and located illegal electrical by-passes underneath the electrical meters at fifteen different indoor grow sites, according to Reichle; who estimated the total theft of utilities at more than $1.7 million dollars.
During Thursday’s operation, deputies discovered fifteen homes that had been stealing electricity. California Edison employees responded to each residence to dismantle the equipment used to steal more than $1.7 million in utilities, according to officials. Alex Cruz/Inland Empire News Network photo
The following nineteen suspects were arrested for various offenses such as maintaining a drug house, theft of utilities, marijuana cultivation, marijuana sales, and conspiracy:
- 47-year old Hemet resident Min Xue
- 27-year old San Jacinto resident Jiabin Zhao
- 53-year old San Jacinto resident Tsen Kang
- 25-year old San Jacinto resident Chen Cuizhen
- 36-year old San Jacinto resident Dong Wong
- 47-year old Rialto resident Chen Lianxiao
- 50-year old Rialto resident Jingijan Zen
- 34-year old San Jacinto resident Zihe Zhong
- 55-year old San Jacinto resident Chenfung Ma
- 50-year old San Jacinto resident Xuying Wang
- 57-year old Hemet resident Jimming Su
- 46-year old Rosemead resident Yuling Rong
- 45-year old Arcadia resident Yue Xiao
- 21-year old Arcadia resident Weifeng Wu
- 50-year old El Monte resident Riu Ju Tan
- 34-year old El Monte resident Wen Chang Mai
- 41-year old Calexico resident Yue Xiao
- 41-year old El Monte resident Chong Huan Zhen
- 53-year old El Monte resident Jiang Qing Huang
“Indoor marijuana cultivation negatively impacts the neighborhoods, property value and environment … (and) … diminishes and poisons the water table and pesticides adversely affecting the health of neighboring residents, explained Reichle, saying, “The goal of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department is to keep all of our citizens safe while also improving the quality of life for those residing within the community.”
Deputies seized more than $1 million in cash and froze twenty-five different bank accounts containing an undisclosed amount of US currency. The money is now pending seizure and asset forfeiture. San Jacinto Sheriff’s Station photo
“The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has a zero-tolerance policy for these offenses,” Reichle continued; saying, “If you suspect drug activity in your area, please contact your local Sheriff’s Station.”
Additionally, the San Jacinto Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Team can be reached at (951) 654-2702. Criminal activity can also be reported through the We-Tip Crime Reporting Hotline, (909) 987-5005 or wetip.com. Callers can remain anonymous.
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San Jacinto Sheriff’s Station photos below
Alex Cruz/Inland Empire News Network below
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Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery, 48, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.
Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 29 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 16 grandchildren.
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If the permits weren’t so damn expensive on purpose, there would be no market. But this stupid , useless, war on drugs creats this. I have no 0roblem with grown adults putting ANYTHING in their body they want. Alcohol us legal. There’s NOT ONE REASON ALL DRUGS ARENT LEGAL.
Have to agree with you. Cant believe theyre even still trying to arrest people for weed when they could be investigating child abuse cases, rape cases, robbery cases, assult, etc theres so much more important things to be tackled then marijuana.
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